U.S. Department of Education Awards $253 Million in Grants to Expand Charter Schools
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced that The Expanding Opportunity through Quality Charter Schools Program (Charter Schools Program or CSP) has awarded new grants this week to fund the creation and expansion of public charter schools across the nation, totaling approximately $253 million.
"These grants will help supplement state-based efforts to give students access to more options for their education," said Secretary DeVos. "What started as a handful of schools in Minnesota has blossomed into nearly 7,000 charter schools across the country. Charter schools are now part of the fabric of American education, and I look forward to seeing how we can continue to work with states to help ensure more students can learn in an environment that works for them."
The following grants slates were awarded:
These grants are awarded to state educational agencies and other state entities, charter management organizations (CMOs) and other non-profit organizations and represent the first cohort of new awards under the program's new authorizing statute, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
Please see below for the list of grantees, first year grant amounts and total recommended funding (contingent on future Congressional appropriations).
State Entity Grantees:
| Grantee Name | FY 17 Funding (Year 1 and 2 Funding) | Total Recommended Funding |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana Department of Education | $24,002,291 | $59,966,575 |
| Maryland State Department of Education | $5,490,859 | $17,222,222 |
| Minnesota Department of Education | $22,381,611 | $45,757,406 |
| Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board* | $4,240,819 | $15,000,000 |
| New Mexico Public Education Department | $6,358,693 | $22,507,805 |
| Oklahoma Public School Resource Center, Inc.* | $4,264,870 | $16,499,722 |
| Rhode Island Department of Education | $1,953,000 | $6,000,000 |
| Texas Education Agency | $38,034,535 | $59,164,996 |
| Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction | $37,954,114 | $95,777,775 |
| Total | $144,680,792 | $331,896,501 |
* Eligible applicants under this program are state entities. A state entity is defined under ESSA as a state educational agency; a state charter school board; a Governor of a state; or a charter school support organization.
CMO Grantees:
| Grantee Name | State** | FY17 Funding | Total Recommended Funding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ascend Learning, Inc. | NY | $3,661,357 | $9,484,885 |
| Brooke Charter Schools | MA | $353,747 | $836,136 |
| Eagle Academy Public Charter School | DC | $449,066 | $812,885 |
| East Harlem Tutorial Program | NY | $542,640 | $2,781,280 |
| Environmental Charter Schools | CA | $566,063 | $900,000 |
| Family Life Academy Charter Schools, Inc. | NY | $739,260 | $900,000 |
| Fortune School of Education | CA | $1,350,600 | $2,043,100 |
| Freedom Preparatory Academy, Inc. | TN | $1,451,301 | $4,297,000 |
| Great Oaks Foundation, Inc. | NY | $1,958,400 | $3,834,000 |
| Hiawatha Academies | MN | $1,121,400 | $1,875,000 |
| IDEA Public Schools | TX | $26,316,168 | $67,243,986 |
| New Paradigm for Education, Inc | MI | $2,365,400 | $5,084,100 |
| Rocketship Education | CA | $5,090,134 | $12,582,678 |
| Success Academy Charter Schools, Inc. | NY | $3,225,240 | $6,130,200 |
| The Freedom and Democracy Schools Foundation, Inc. | MD | $603,003 | $1,533,528 |
| University Prep Inc. | CO | $1,360,730 | $3,734,750 |
| Voices College-Bound Language Academies | CA | $1,258,415 | $2,699,999 |
| Total: | $52,412,924 | $126,773,527 |
**State reflects where the organization is based; school expansion sites funded under this grant may differ.
Credit Enhancement Grantees:
| Grantee Name | State** | FY17 and Total Project Funding |
|---|---|---|
| Building Hope...A Charter Schools Facilities Fund | DC | $8,000,000 |
| California School Finance Authority | CA | $8,000,000 |
| Center for Community Self-Help | NC | $8,000,000 |
| Charter Schools Development Corporation | MD | $5,000,000 |
| Hope Enterprise Corporation | MS | $8,000,000 |
| Low Income Investment Fund | CA | $8,000,000 |
| Massachusetts Development Finance Agency | MA | $8,000,000 |
| Raza Development Fund | AZ | $3,250,000 |
| Total | $56,250,000 |
**State reflects where the organization is based; school expansion sites funded under this grant may differ.
Additional information regarding these grant programs and awards, including copies of grantee applications, may be found at: https://innovation.ed.gov/what-we-do/charter-schools/.
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