FY2023: Charter School Program Start-Up Grant

Fund Code: 535

Purpose:

The purpose of the Massachusetts Charter Schools Program (CSP) Start-Up Grant is to award subgrants to eligible applicants to open and prepare for the operation of new charter schools; (ESEA, 4303 (b)(1) (A–C))¹. See Definitions under Additional Information for federal and state definitions of a charter school.

Priorities:

Priority will be given to charter schools that provide equitable access to a high-quality public education, specifically:

1. In year one, priority will be given to charter schools that enroll a demographic composition that mirrors that of the sending districts, by enrolling comparable or greater percentages of low income and other student groups who have been traditionally underserved.

2. By year two, charter schools that enroll a greater percentage of low income and one other student group who has been traditionally underserved, such as English learners, Hispanic students, or African American students in comparison with the sending districts.

Priority will also be given to charter schools that establish high school and post-secondary success, specifically:

3. For charter schools that serve students in secondary grades who are residents of districts where the high school graduation rate and/or the ninth-grade course completion and passing rate are below the statewide average and adopt an educational program that incorporates evidence-based strategies to improve outcomes for secondary students.

Eligibility:

This funding opportunity is for new charter schools or entities that meet the state and federal definition of charter school under ESSA, Sec 4310 (2) (See Part II for definition) or charter school developers who meet the federal definition under ESEA § 4310(5)² who were awarded a charter by the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education in February 2023.

Funding Type:

Federal CFDA# 84.282

Funding:

Approximately $1,500,000 is available:

Base amount of $1,000,000 will be available for new schools for Implementation and/or Planning

• Planning Grant (if applicable): Up to $500,000 for up to 12-months. Funding is contingent upon satisfactory progress for the required Charter School Opening Procedures which ensures compliance with federal and state law and regulations applicable to charter schools.
• Implementation Grant: Up to $1,000,000 over 36 months (total Planning and Implementation base amount will not exceed $1,000,000 or 36 months). Funding is contingent upon satisfactory progress for the required Charter School Opening Procedures which ensures compliance with federal and state law and regulations applicable to charter schools.

Additional funds are available if a charter school achieves the Priorities listed above:

• Priority a: $175,000
• Priority b: $175,000
• Priority c: $150,000

Funding is contingent upon availability. All dollar amounts listed are estimated/approximate and are subject to change. If more funding becomes available, it will be distributed under the same guidelines that appear in this RFP document.

Fund Use:

All expenditures must be allowable, necessary, reasonable, and allocable. An eligible applicant receiving a subgrant shall use the funds for one or more of the following purposes listed in ESSA, Section 4303(h) (outlined in Allowed/Unallowed Costs Guidance under Additional Information).

1) Preparing teachers, school leaders, and specialized instructional support personnel, including through paying the costs associated with providing professional development, and hiring and compensating teachers, school leaders and specialized instructional support personnel during the planning period.

2) Acquiring supplies, training, equipment (including technology), and educational materials (including developing and acquiring instructional materials).

3) Carrying out necessary renovations to ensure that a new school building complies with applicable statutes and regulations, and minor facilities repairs (excluding construction).

4) Providing one-time, startup costs associated with providing transportation to students to and from the charter school.

5) Carrying out community engagement activities, which may include paying the cost of student and staff recruitment.

6) Providing for other appropriate, non-sustained costs related to the opening and preparation to open, replicate, or expand a charter school.

Unallowable costs include the following:

1. Construction;

2. Personnel costs that are related to ongoing operations of the charter school (personnel expenses incurred before or after the school's opening are allowed as long as these expenses are associated with initial implementation activities);

3. Indirect costs

Please refer to the Allowable/Unallowable Costs Guidance in Part III for more details and examples.

Project Duration:

Upon Approval* – 8/31/2023

* Grant start date cannot be prior to DESE receiving a substantially approvable Application Submission as directed in this RFP's Submission Instructions. Goods and Services cannot be procured prior to Grants receiving and approving an application submission. Funds cannot exceed the project duration end date.

Program Unit:

Office of Charter Schools and School Redesign

Contact:

Joanna Laghetto

Phone Number:

(781) 338-3221

Date Due:

Wednesday May 31, 2023

Required Forms:

• Part I — General — Program Unit Signature Page — (Standard Contract Form and Application for Program Grants)

• Part II — Budget Template — This document is for planning purposes. Budget must be entered directly in EdGrants

• Part III — Required Program Information and Narrative Section (Including Budget Narrative)

• Part IV — Charter School Program Assurances

Additional Information:

• Definitions

• Allowed/Unallowed Costs Guidance

Submission Instructions:

Submit all required grant materials through EdGrants.

In EdGrants, applicants are required to create and name the project. Please use the following naming convention for your "Applicant Project Name" in EdGrants:

FY23 FC 535 Charter School Program Start-Up Grant (Applicant Name)

All items listed under the required forms section of this RFP should be uploaded / attached in the Attachments List formlet of the Application Submission in EdGrants. This includes a signed / scanned PDF of Part I / Coversheet with Superintendent's signature as well as Schedule A form, if applicable. The final budget the applicant is requesting will be entered directly into EdGrants as part of the application submission process.

For Guidance Documents regarding EdGrants, visit EdGrants: User Guides, Information and Trainings.

Please note: It is up to the applicant to determine who they want to add as EdGrants Front Office users in order to submit grant application as well as payment request information. Please review the EdGrants: User Security Controls to make informed decisions regarding assigning your district level users.

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¹ SEC. 4303. GRANTS TO SUPPORT HIGH-QUALITY CHARTER SCHOOLS. (a) STATE ENTITY DEFINED. —For purposes of this section, the term ''State entity'' means— (1) a State educational agency; (2) a State charter school board; (3) a Governor of a State; or (4) a charter school support organization. (b) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—From the amount available under section 4302(b)(3), the Secretary shall award, on a competitive basis, grants to State entities having applications approved under subsection (f) to enable such entities to— (1) award subgrants to eligible applicants to enable eligible applicants to— (A) open and prepare for the operation of new charter schools; (B) open and prepare for the operation of replicated high-quality charter schools; or (C) expand high-quality charter schools; and (2) provide technical assistance to eligible applicants and authorized public chartering agencies in carry out the activities described in paragraph (1), and 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.

² The term ''developer'' means an individual or group of individuals (including a public or private nonprofit organization), which may include teachers, administrators and other school staff, parents, or other members of the local community in which a charter school project will be carried out.

Last Updated: May 2, 2023