Charter Schools Program: State Educational Agencies (SEA)
Federal funding for states that can be used to establish new charter school facilities or modify facilities for new school use.
Average award: $10,000,000 per year in 2022
Number of awards: 8 awards in 2022
Cost share/matching required: No
Most recent deadline: August 5, 2022
Expected Award Cycle: Annual
Applications Available: July 6, 2022. Deadline for Applications: August 5, 2022
The major purposes of the Charter School Program (CSP) are to expand opportunities for all students, particularly traditionally underserved students, to attend public charter schools and to meet challenging State academic standards. The program provides financial assistance for the planning, program design, and initial implementation of charter schools in eligible states and to increase the number of high-quality charter schools available to students across the United States. The program evaluates the impact of charter schools on student achievement, families, and communities and shares best practices between charter schools and other public schools. The program encourages States to provide facilities support to charter schools and to support efforts to strengthen the charter school authorizing process. Through the CSP Grants to State Entities (CSP State Entities) competition, the Department awards grants to state entities that, in turn, award subgrants to eligible applicants for the purpose of opening new charter schools and replicating and expanding high-quality charter schools. Grant funds may also be used to provide technical assistance to eligible applicants and authorized public chartering agencies in opening new charter schools and replicating and expanding high-quality charter schools; and to work with authorized public chartering agencies in the state to improve authorizing quality, including developing capacity for, and conducting, fiscal oversight and auditing of charter schools. The CSP State Entities program provides financial assistance to state entities to support charter schools that serve elementary and secondary school students in an eligible state. Charter schools receiving funds under the CSP State Entities program also may serve students in early childhood education programs or postsecondary students.
The FY2022 solicitation included one absolute priority, four competitive preference priorities, and one invitational priority. The absolute priority was Best Practices for Charter School Authorizers; competitive preference priorities were 1) At Least One Authorized Public Chartering Agency Other than a Local Educational Agency, or an Appeals Process, 2) Equitable Financing, 3) Best Practices to Improve Struggling
Schools and LEAs, and 4) Charter School Facilities; the invitational priority was Collaborations between Charter Schools and Traditional Public Schools or Districts that Benefit Students and Families across Schools. Please review current solicitation for details
In 2022, awards ranged from $2,000,000-$25,000,000 per year and averaged $10,000,000 per year for a project period of up to 60 months.
State Educational Agencies (SEA) must apply in states with a specific state statute authorizing the granting of charters to schools. State entities that have a current CSP State Entities grant that is not in its final budget period are ineligible to apply for a CSP State Entities grant under this competition. State entities that have a current CSP State Entity grant that is operating under a no-cost extension or that is not operating under a no-cost extension but is in its final budget period are eligible to apply for a new CSP State Entity grant under this competition. State entities that have a current CSP Grant that was awarded under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (i.e., prior to FY 2017) are eligible to apply for a CSP State Entities grant under this competition, so long as no other State entity in the State has a current CSP State Entity grant that is not in its final budget period nor operating under a no-cost extension.
- In 2016, Tennessee Department of Education – Tennessee Charter School Project was awarded a three-year grant program valued at $19,500,000.
- In 2020, Texas Education Agency was awarded a grant program valued at $4,810,000,000 ($4.81 billion).
Grants are awarded to State educational agencies on a competitive basis to enable them to conduct charter school programs (CSPs) in their States. SEAs in turn use their CSP funds to make subgrants to eligible applicants in their State. A subgrant under this program may be used for post-award planning and design of the educational program; and Initial implementation of the charter school. A State may reserve up to 10% of its grant to award dissemination subgrants to high-quality charter schools with demonstrated histories of success. The funds enable them to disseminate information and share lessons learned and best practices about how to create and sustain high-quality public schools.
Jill Gaitens
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Ave SW
Washington D.C. 20202
202.205.1224
[email protected]