U.S. Department of Education Awards $39.7 Million in Grants to Expand High Quality Charter Schools

OCTOBER 8, 2014

The U.S. Department of Education announced 27 new grants today totaling $39.7 million under the Charter Schools Program (CSP) to expand high quality charter schools, and open new charter schools across the nation. These grants will support charter schools’ efforts to increase high-need students’ success, especially in underserved areas, in 12 states.

“These charter school grants will help open new charter schools and expand or replicate those with a record of success to help ensure that every student has access to high-quality educational opportunities that prepare them for college, careers and life,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

These grants are awarded by two CSP programs: one program is focused on helping high-performing charter management organizations open new charter schools, and the other program supports new charter schools located in states that do not have a state-level CSP subgrant program. This year’s competitions included a focus on charter schools that serve geographies designated under President Obama’s Promise Zones initiative, as well as promoting diversity and supporting military families.

These 27 grantees are part of the Department’s broader effort to support charter schools that are driving students’ achievement. In the 2014 Fiscal Year, the U.S. Department of Education invested more than $220 million to support new and existing high-quality charter schools and the dissemination of their successful efforts.

See below for the list of grantees and Year 1 amounts for each grant program:

Planning, Program Design, and Implementation Grantees

Name	State	Year 1 Funding
Freire Charter School Wilmington, Inc.	DE	$189,000
Foundations College Prep School	IL	$200,000
Great Lakes Academy	IL	$246,625
Noble Network of Charter Schools	IL	$129,080
Chesapeake Lighthouse Foundation, Inc.	MD	$308,270
The Franklin School of Innovation, Inc	NC	$195,285
Bend International School	OR	$247,900
KairosPDX	OR	$219,527
Kids Unlimited of Oregon	OR	$225,000
Hill House Passport Academy Charter School	PA	$208,663
Roberto Clemente Elementary Charter School	PA	$297,450
Excel Public Charter School	WA	$200,000
First Place Scholars	WA	$200,000
PRIDE Prep Schools	WA	$250,000
Rainier Prep	WA	$249,860
SOAR Academies	WA	$222,746
Total		$3,589,406

Replication and Expansion of High Quality Charter Schools Grantees

Name	State	Year  1 Funding
Alliance for College-Ready Public Schools	CA	$2,345,950
Aspire Public Schools	CA	$3,272,926
Green Dot Public Schools	CA	$7,372,552
KIPP Foundation in Consortium with KIPP Regions	CA	$13,789,074
Great Oaks Foundation, Inc.	NY	$750,000
Success Academy Charter Schools	NY	$2,234,500
Rhode Island Mayoral Academy Blackstone Valley	RI	$429,400
Gestalt Community Schools	TN	$1,712,402
IDEA Public Schools	TX	$150,938
LEAD Public Schools, Inc.	TN	$1,400,000
YES Prep Public Schools	TX	$2,671,163
Total		$36,128,905

Source: http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/us-department-education-awards-397-million-grants-expand-high-quality-charter-sc