Grant Details

Through CSP CMO Grants, the Department awards grants to charter management organizations (CMOs) on a competitive basis to enable them to replicate or expand one or more high-quality charter schools. Grant funds may be used to significantly increase the enrollment of, or add one or more grades to, an existing high-quality charter school or to open one or more new charter schools or new campuses of a high-quality charter school based on the educational model of an existing high-quality charter school. Charter schools that receive financial assistance through CSP CMO Grants provide elementary or secondary education programs, or both, and may also serve students in early childhood education programs or postsecondary students, consistent with the terms of their charter.

The major purposes of the CSP are to expand opportunities for all students, particularly for children with disabilities, English learners, and other traditionally underserved students, to attend charter schools and meet challenging State academic standards; provide financial assistance for the planning, program design, and initial implementation of charter schools; increase the number of high-quality charter schools available to students across the United States; evaluate the impact of charter schools on student achievement, families, and communities; share best practices between charter schools and other public schools; aid States in providing facilities support to charter schools; support efforts to strengthen the charter school authorizing process; and support quality, accountability, and transparency in the operational performance of all authorized public chartering agencies, including State educational agencies (SEAs) and local educational agencies (LEAs).

Priorities: This notice includes three competitive preference priorities and two invitational priorities.

FY 2024 Competitive Preference Priorities:

Competitive Preference Priority 1—Racially and Socioeconomically Diverse Student Bodies (up to 7 points). Under this priority, applicants must propose to operate or manage high-quality charter schools with racially and socioeconomically diverse student bodies.

Competitive Preference Priority 2—High School Students (up to 7 points). Under this priority, applicants must propose to—

1. Replicate or expand high-quality charter schools to serve high school students, including educationally disadvantaged students;
   1. Prepare students, including educationally disadvantaged students, in those schools for enrollment in postsecondary education institutions through activities such as, but not limited to, accelerated learning programs (including Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses and programs, dual or concurrent enrollment programs, and early college high schools), college counseling, career and technical education programs, career counseling, internships, work-based learning programs (such as apprenticeships), assisting students in the college admissions and financial aid application processes, and preparing students to take standardized college admissions tests;
   2. Provide support for students, including educationally disadvantaged students, who graduate from those schools and enroll in postsecondary education institutions in persisting in, and attaining a degree or certificate from, such institutions, through activities such as, but not limited to, mentorships, ongoing assistance with the financial aid application process, and establishing or strengthening peer support systems for such students attending the same institution; and
   3. Propose one or more project-specific performance measures, including aligned leading indicators or other interim milestones, that will provide valid and reliable information about the applicant's progress in preparing students, including educationally disadvantaged students, for enrollment in postsecondary education institutions and in supporting those students in persisting in and attaining a degree or certificate from such institutions. An applicant addressing this priority and receiving a CSP CMO Grant must provide data that are responsive to the measure(s), including performance targets, in its annual performance reports to the Department.
   4. For purposes of this priority, postsecondary education institutions include institutions of higher education, as defined in section 8101(29) of the ESEA, and one-year training programs that meet the requirements of section 101(b)(1) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA). (2018 NFP)

Competitive Preference Priority 3—Promoting High-Quality Educator- and Community-Centered Charter Schools to Support Underserved Students (up to 7 points).

1. Under this priority, an applicant must propose to open a new charter school, or to replicate or expand a high-quality charter school, that is developed and implemented—
   1. With meaningful and ongoing engagement with current or former teachers and other educators; and
      1. In its application, an applicant must provide a high-quality plan that demonstrates how its proposed project would meet the requirements in paragraph (a) of this priority, accompanied by a timeline for key milestones that span the course of planning, development, and implementation of the charter school. (2022 NFP)
   2. Using a community-centered approach that includes an assessment of community assets, informs the development of the charter school, and includes the implementation of protocols and practices designed to ensure that the charter school will use and interact with community assets on an ongoing basis to create and maintain strong community ties.

FY 2024 Invitational Priorities:

Invitational Priority 1—Collaborations between Charter Schools and Traditional Public Schools or Districts that Benefit Students and Families across Schools.

1. The Secretary is particularly interested in funding applications that propose a new collaboration, or the continuation of an existing collaboration, with at least one traditional public school or traditional school district that is designed to benefit students or families served by at least one member of the collaboration, is designed to lead to increased or improved educational opportunities for students served by at least one member of the collaboration, and includes implementation of one or more of the following—
   1. Co-developed or shared curricular and instructional resources or academic course offerings.
   2. Professional development opportunities for teachers and other educators, which may include professional learning communities, opportunities for teachers to earn additional certifications, such as in a high-need area or national board certification, and partnerships with educator preparation programs to support teaching residencies.
   3. Evidence-based practices to improve academic performance for underserved students.
   4. Policies and practices to create safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environments, such as systems of positive behavioral intervention and support.
   5. Transparent enrollment and retention practices and processes that include clear and consistent disclosure to families of policies or requirements (e.g., discipline policies, purchasing and wearing specific uniforms and other fees, or family participation), and any services that are or are not provided, that could impact a family's ability to enroll or remain enrolled in the school (e.g., transportation services or participation in the National School Lunch Program).
   6. A shared transportation plan and system that reduces transportation costs for at least one member of the collaboration and takes into consideration various transportation options, including public transportation and district-provided or shared transportation options, cost-sharing or free or reduced-cost fare options, and any distance considerations for prioritized bus services.
   7. A shared special education collaborative designed to address a significant barrier or challenge faced by participating charter schools or traditional public schools in improving academic and developmental outcomes and services for students with disabilities (as defined in section 8101 of the ESEA).
   8. A shared English learner collaborative designed to address a significant barrier or challenge faced by participating charter schools or traditional public schools in providing educational programs to improve academic outcomes for English learners.
   9. Other collaborations, such as the sharing of innovative and best practices, designed to address a significant barrier or challenge faced by participating charter schools or traditional public schools in providing educational programs to improve academic outcomes for all students served by members of the collaboration.
2. In its application, an applicant must provide a description of the collaboration that—
   1. Describes each member of the collaboration and whether the collaboration would be a new or existing commitment;
   2. States the purpose and duration of the collaboration;
   3. Describes the anticipated roles and responsibilities of each member of the collaboration;
   4. Describes how the collaboration will benefit one or more members of the collaboration, including how it will benefit students or families affiliated with a member and lead to increased educational opportunities for students, and meet specific and measurable, if applicable, goals;
   5. Describes the resources members of the collaboration will contribute; and
   6. Contains any other relevant information.
3. Within 120 days of receiving a grant award or within 120 days of the date the collaboration is scheduled to begin, whichever is later, the grantee provides evidence of participation in the collaboration (which may include, but is not required to include, a memorandum of understanding).

Invitational Priority 2—Promoting Pathways to Multilingualism. The Secretary is particularly interested in funding applications that propose to replicate or expand high-quality charter schools with multilingual programming that is centered on the needs and assets of the community the schools serve and is designed to provide students, particularly underserved students, with pathways to multilingualism through any of the following—

1. Dual language programs that offer academic instruction in two languages and are designed to enroll both English learners and native English speakers on an equitable basis and ensure all students become bilingual and biliterate in both languages.
2. A mission and focus on supporting Native American language education and development, such as through dual language programs or other instructional models and teaching methods that reflect and preserve Native American language, culture, and history.
3. A mission and focus on meeting the unique educational needs and celebrating the assets of English learners using evidence-based practices to support English language acquisition and promote academic excellence.
4. Other innovative or evidence-based strategies to promote multilingualism, including approaches to recruit, support, and retain multilingual educators.