Yesterday it was announced that CDE was awarded 20.8 million in Charter School Program funds. This is a federal grant administered by the state for new charter schools. This year the application process was more competitive with 21 states eligible and 10 states awarded funds.
This startup and implementation grant money is vital to the success of new charter schools. Charter schools don't get any startup funds from their authorizer. Things such as desks, textbooks and libraries are paid for with these funds. Starting a charter school is hard. Especially in the months prior to opening, cash flow can be a big issue.
This newly approved grant application focuses on providing professional development in subgrantee schools; topics include CSAP 101, curriculum alignment, data driven decision-making, leadership and board member training. The goal is to ensure a greater likelihood that new charter schools will increase student academic achievement early in their operation. A special emphasis will be on high schools and schools serving high-risk populations.
CDE has administered this federal grant since 1995. We've developed a national reputation for providing high quality technical assistance for our charter schools and having a solid infrastructure to support the schools. New charter schools getting approved can look forward to having these startup and implementation grant funds to help them open and begin educating students!
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