2024-09614. Applications for New Awards; Expanding Opportunity Through Quality Charter Schools Program (CSP)-Grants to Charter Management Organizations for the Replication and Expansion of High-Quality Charter Schools (CMO Grants)

AGENCY:

Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of Education.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a second notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2024 for CSP CMO Grants, Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.282M. The Department issued its first notice inviting applications for new CSP CMO Grants on September 26, 2023, and the competition closed on January 5, 2024. FY 2023 funds that were available through March 31, 2024, were used to fund grants awarded under the first notice, and FY 2024 funds will be used to fund grants awarded under this second notice. This second notice relates to the approved information collection under OMB control number 1810-0767.

DATES:

Applications Available: May 3, 2024.

Notice of Intent to Apply: Applicants are strongly encouraged but not required to submit a notice of intent to apply by June 3, 2024. Applicants that do not meet this deadline may still apply.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 27, 2024.

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 26, 2024.

Pre-Application Webinar Information: The Department will hold a pre-application meeting via webinar to provide technical assistance to prospective applicants. Detailed information regarding this webinar will be provided at https://oese.ed.gov/​offices/​office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/​charter-school-programs/​charter-schools-program-grants-for-replications-and-expansion-of-high-quality-charter-schools/​.

Note: For prospective new applicants unfamiliar with grantmaking at the Department, please consult our funding basics resource at https://www2.ed.gov/​fund/​grant/​about/​discretionary/​index.html.

ADDRESSES:

For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an application, please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on December 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045), and available at https://www.federalregister.gov/​documents/​2022/​12/​07/​2022-26554/​common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Laura Montas-Brown, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202-5970. Telephone: [phone]. Email: [e-mail].

If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability and wish to access telecommunications relay services, please dial 7-1-1.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose of Program: The CSP CMO Grant program (ALN 84.282M) is authorized under title IV, part C of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESEA) (20 U.S.C. 7221-7221j). Through CSP CMO Grants, the Department awards grants to charter management organizations (CMOs)  ^[1] 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.

Background: 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) (see section 4301 of the ESEA).

“Raise the Bar: Lead the World” (RTB) is the Department's call to action to all stakeholders to transform pre-kindergarten through postsecondary education and unite around evidence-based strategies that advance educational equity and excellence for all students.^[2] When we raise the bar in education, all our Nation's students will be able to build the skills to thrive inside and outside of school. As part of the RTB initiative, the Department is focusing on six strategies aimed at promoting academic excellence and wellness for every learner and better preparing our Nation for global competitiveness.^[3] This competition advances several RTB strategies, most notably those intended to deliver a comprehensive and rigorous education for every student and provide every student with a pathway to multilingualism.

Further, in July 2022, the Department published in the Federal Register a notice of final priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria for this program (87 FR 40406) (2022 NFP), which supplements the program statute and notice of final priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria for CSP CMO Grants published in the Federal Register in November 2018 (83 FR 61532) (2018 NFP). The 2018 NFP and 2022 NFP are intended to help ensure the creation, replication, and expansion of high-quality charter schools.

This notice includes three competitive preference priorities—one from the CSP statute, one from the 2018 NFP, and one from the 2022 NFP—and two invitational priorities. The priorities, application requirements, assurances, selection criteria, and definitions in this notice are designed to increase access to high-quality, diverse, and equitable learning opportunities, which is consistent with the RTB initiative and the Department's goals for all public schools. To that end, the first competitive preference priority is a statutory priority from section 4305(b)(5)(A) of the ESEA that promotes racially and socioeconomically diverse student bodies. The second competitive preference priority is from the 2018 NFP and encourages the replication and expansion of high-quality charter schools that serve high school students, including educationally disadvantaged students, and prepares them for postsecondary education. The third competitive preference priority is from the 2022 NFP and promotes high-quality educator- and community-centered charter schools to support underserved students, including through meaningful and ongoing engagement with current or former teachers and other educators.

The first invitational priority is designed to encourage collaboration between charter schools and traditional public schools or traditional school districts that benefit students and families across schools. These types of collaborations can support improved outcomes for students in both charter schools and traditional public schools, including by sharing instructional materials, creating joint professional learning opportunities, and developing principal pipeline programs. The second invitational priority for this competition, which complements the first competitive preference priority, encourages high-quality charter schools to create pathways to multilingualism for students, particularly underserved students.^[4] High-quality multilingual programming provides English learners and native English speakers with the opportunity to become bilingual and biliterate and may support Native American language education and preservation. It also celebrates the assets of English learners while supporting English language acquisition and promoting academic excellence. Using invitational priorities allows the Department to encourage beneficial collaborations and pathways to multilingualism that can better prepare all students for a global society and economy.

Priorities: This notice includes three competitive preference priorities and two invitational priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), Competitive Preference Priority 1 is from section 4305(b)(5)(A) of the ESEA. Competitive Preference Priority 2 is from the 2018 NFP. Competitive Preference Priority 3 is from the 2022 NFP.

Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2024 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, these priorities are competitive preference priorities.

Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award up to an additional 7 points to an application that meets Competitive Preference Priority 1, up to an additional 7 points to an application that meets Competitive Preference Priority 2, and up to an additional 7 points to an application that meets Competitive Preference Priority 3, depending on how well the application meets one or more of these priorities.

An applicant must identify on the abstract form and in the project narrative section of its application the priority or priorities it wishes the Department to consider for purposes of earning competitive preference priority points. The Department will not review or award points for any competitive preference priority for an application that fails to clearly identify the competitive preference priority or priorities it wishes the Department to consider for purposes of earning competitive preference priority points. An application may receive a total of up to 21 additional points under the competitive preference priorities.

These priorities are:

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. (section 4305(b)(5)(A) of the ESEA)

Competitive Preference Priority 2—High School Students (up to 7 points).

Under this priority, applicants must propose to—

(a) Replicate or expand high-quality charter schools to serve high school students, including educationally disadvantaged students;

(b) 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;

(c) 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

(d) 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.

(e) For purposes of this priority, postsecondary education institutions include institutions of higher education, as defined in this notice, 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).

(a) 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

(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.

(b) 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)

Invitational Priorities: For FY 2024, and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, these priorities are invitational priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1), we do not give an application that meets an invitational priority a competitive or absolute preference over other applications.

These priorities are:

Invitational Priority 1—Collaborations Between Charter Schools and Traditional Public Schools or Districts That Benefit Students and Families Across Schools.

(a) 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, that is designed to lead to increased or improved educational opportunities for students served by at least one member of the collaboration, and that 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 children with disabilities.

(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.

(b) 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.

(c) 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—

(a) 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.

(b) 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.

(c) 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.

(d) Other innovative or evidence-based strategies to promote multilingualism, including approaches to recruit, support, and retain multilingual educators.

Definitions: The following definitions are from sections 4310 (20 U.S.C. 7221i) and 8101 (20 U.S.C. 7801) of the ESEA, 34 CFR 77.1, the 2018 NFP, and the 2022 NFP.

Ambitious means promoting continued, meaningful improvement for program participants or for other individuals or entities affected by the grant or representing a significant advancement in the field of education research, practices, or methodologies. When used to describe a performance target, whether a performance target is ambitious depends upon the context of the relevant performance measure and the baseline for that measure. (34 CFR 77.1)

Authorized public chartering agency means a State educational agency, local educational agency, or other public entity that has the authority pursuant to State law and approved by the Secretary to authorize or approve a charter school. (section 4310(1) of the ESEA)

Baseline means the starting point from which performance is measured and targets are set. (34 CFR 77.1)

Charter management organization means a nonprofit organization that operates or manages a network of charter schools linked by centralized support, operations, and oversight. (section 4310(3) of the ESEA)

Charter school means a public school that—

(1) In accordance with a specific State statute authorizing the granting of charters to schools, is exempt from significant State or local rules that inhibit the flexible operation and management of public schools, but not from any rules relating to the other requirements of this definition;

(2) Is created by a developer as a public school, or is adapted by a developer from an existing public school, and is operated under public supervision and direction;

(3) Operates in pursuit of a specific set of educational objectives determined by the school's developer and agreed to by the authorized public chartering agency;

(4) Provides a program of elementary or secondary education, or both;

(5) Is nonsectarian in its programs, admissions policies, employment practices, and all other operations, and is not affiliated with a sectarian school or religious institution; ^[5]

(6) Does not charge tuition;

(7) Complies with the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.), section 444 of GEPA (20 U.S.C. 1232g) (commonly referred to as the “Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974”), and part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA);

(8) Is a school to which parents choose to send their children, and that—

(i) Admits students on the basis of a lottery, consistent with section 4303(c)(3)(A) of the ESEA, if more students apply for admission than can be accommodated; or

(ii) In the case of a school that has an affiliated charter school (such as a school that is part of the same network of schools), automatically enrolls students who are enrolled in the immediate prior grade level of the affiliated charter school and, for any additional student openings or student openings created through regular attrition in student enrollment in the affiliated charter school and the enrolling school, admits students on the basis of a lottery as described in clause (i);

(9) Agrees to comply with the same Federal and State audit requirements as do other elementary schools and secondary schools in the State, unless such State audit requirements are waived by the State;

(10) Meets all applicable Federal, State, and local health and safety requirements;

(11) Operates in accordance with State law;

(12) Has a written performance contract with the authorized public chartering agency in the State that includes a description of how student performance will be measured in charter schools pursuant to State assessments that are required of other schools and pursuant to any other assessments mutually agreeable to the authorized public chartering agency and the charter school; and

(13) May serve students in early childhood education programs or postsecondary students. (section 4310(2) of the ESEA)

Note: Pursuant to the definition of authorized public chartering agency in section 4310(1) of the ESEA, for a school to qualify as a charter school under section 4310(2) and receive Federal CSP funds, the entity that issues the charter or performance contract must be an SEA, LEA, or other public entity with authority pursuant to State law to approve a charter school.

Child with a disability means—

(1) A child (i) with intellectual disabilities, hearing impairments (including deafness), speech or language impairments, visual impairments (including blindness), serious emotional disturbance (referred to as “emotional disturbance”), orthopedic impairments, autism, traumatic brain injury, other health impairments, specific learning disabilities, deaf-blindness, or multiple disabilities; and (ii) who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services.

(2) For a child aged 3 through 9 (or any subset of that age range, including ages 3 through 5), may, at the discretion of the State and the LEA, include a child (i) experiencing developmental delays, as defined by the State and as measured by appropriate diagnostic instruments and procedures, in one or more of the following areas: physical development; cognitive development; communication development; social or emotional development; or adaptive development; and (ii) who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services. (section 8101(4) of the ESEA)

Community assets means resources that can be identified and mobilized to improve conditions in the charter school and local community. These assets may include—

(1) Human assets, including capacities, skills, knowledge base, and abilities of individuals within a community; and

(2) Social assets, including networks, organizations, businesses, and institutions that exist among and within groups and communities. (2022 NFP)

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. (section 4310(5) of the ESEA)

Disconnected youth means an individual, between the ages of 14 and 24, who may be from a low-income background, experiences homelessness, is in foster care, is involved in the justice system, or is not working or not enrolled in (or at risk of dropping out of) an educational institution. (2022 NFP)

Early childhood education program means—

(1) A Head Start program or an Early Head Start program carried out under the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.), including a migrant or seasonal Head Start program, an Indian Head Start program, or a Head Start program or an Early Head Start program that also receives State funding;

(2) A State licensed or regulated child care program; or

(3) A program that—

(i) Serves children from birth through age 6 that addresses the children's cognitive (including language, early literacy, and early mathematics), social, emotional, and physical development; and

(ii) Is (A) a State prekindergarten program; (B) a program authorized under section 619 (20 U.S.C. 1419) or part C of the IDEA; or (C) a program operated by an LEA. (ESEA section 8101(16))

Educationally disadvantaged student means a student in one or more of the categories described in section 1115(c)(2) of the ESEA, which include children who are economically disadvantaged, students who are children with disabilities, migrant students, English learners, neglected or delinquent students, homeless students, and students who are in foster care. (2018 NFP)

Educator means an individual who is an early learning educator, teacher, principal or other school or district leader, specialized instructional support personnel ( e.g., school psychologist, counselor, school social worker, early intervention service personnel), paraprofessional, or faculty. (2022 NFP)

English learner, when used with respect to an individual, means an individual—

(1) Who is aged 3 through 21;

(2) Who is enrolled or preparing to enroll in an elementary school or secondary school;

(3)(i) Who was not born in the United States or whose native language is a language other than English;

(ii)(A) Who is a Native American or Alaska Native, or a native resident of the outlying areas; and

(B) Who comes from an environment where a language other than English has had a significant impact on the individual's level of English language proficiency; or

(iii) Who is migratory, whose native language is a language other than English, and who comes from an environment where a language other than English is dominant; and

(4) Whose difficulties in speaking, reading, writing, or understanding the English language may be sufficient to deny the individual—

(i) The ability to meet the challenging State academic standards;

(ii) The ability to successfully achieve in classrooms where the language of instruction is English; or

(iii) The opportunity to participate fully in society. (section 8101(20) of the ESEA)

Evidence-based, when used with respect to a State, local educational agency, or school activity, means an activity, strategy, or intervention that—

(1) Demonstrates a statistically significant effect on improving student outcomes or other relevant outcomes based on—

(i) Strong evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented experimental study;

(ii) Moderate evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented quasi-experimental study; or

(iii) Promising evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented correlational study with statistical controls for selection bias; or

(2)(i) Demonstrates a rationale based on high-quality research findings or positive evaluation that such activity, strategy, or intervention is likely to improve student outcomes or other relevant outcomes; and

(ii) Includes ongoing efforts to examine the effects of such activity, strategy, or intervention. (section 8101(21) of the ESEA)

Expand, when used with respect to a high-quality charter school, means to significantly increase enrollment or add one or more grades to the high-quality charter school. (section 4310(7) of the ESEA)

High-quality charter school means a charter school that—

(1) Shows evidence of strong academic results, which may include strong student academic growth, as determined by a State;

(2) Has no significant issues in the areas of student safety, financial and operational management, or statutory or regulatory compliance;

(3) Has demonstrated success in significantly increasing student academic achievement, including graduation rates where applicable, for all students served by the charter school; and

(4) Has demonstrated success in increasing student academic achievement, including graduation rates where applicable, for each of the subgroups of students, as defined in section 1111(c)(2) of the ESEA, except that such demonstration is not required in a case in which the number of students in a group is insufficient to yield statistically reliable information or the results would reveal personally identifiable information about an individual student. (section 4310(8) of the ESEA)

Institution of higher education means an educational institution in any State that—

(1) Admits as regular students only persons having a certificate of graduation from a school providing secondary education, or the recognized equivalent of such a certificate, or persons who meet the requirements of section 484(d) of the HEA;

(2) Is legally authorized within such State to provide a program of education beyond secondary education;

(3) Provides an educational program for which the institution awards a bachelor's degree or provides not less than a 2-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward such a degree, or awards a degree that is acceptable for admission to a graduate or professional degree program, subject to review and approval by the Secretary;

(4) Is a public or other nonprofit institution; and

(5) Is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association, or if not so accredited, is an institution that has been granted pre-accreditation status by such an agency or association that has been recognized by the Secretary for the granting of pre-accreditation status, and the Secretary has determined that there is satisfactory assurance that the institution will meet the accreditation standards of such an agency or association within a reasonable time. (2018 NFP)

Logic model (also referred to as theory of action) means a framework that identifies key project components of the proposed project ( i.e., the active “ingredients” that are hypothesized to be critical to achieving the relevant outcomes) and describes the theoretical and operational relationships among the key project components and relevant outcomes. (34 CFR 77.1)

Parent includes a legal guardian or other person standing in loco parentis (such as a grandparent or stepparent with whom the child lives, or a person who is legally responsible for the child's welfare). (section 8101(38) of the ESEA)

Performance measure means any quantitative indicator, statistic, or metric used to gauge program or project performance. (34 CFR 77.1)

Performance target means a level of performance that an applicant would seek to meet during the course of a project or as a result of a project. (34 CFR 77.1)

Project component means an activity, strategy, intervention, process, product, practice, or policy included in a project. Evidence may pertain to an individual project component or to a combination of project components ( e.g., training teachers on instructional practices for English learners and follow-on coaching for these teachers). (34 CFR 77.1)

Public as applied to an agency, organization, or institution, means that the agency, organization, or institution is under the administrative supervision or control of a government other than the Federal government. (34 CFR 77.1)

Relevant outcome means the student outcome(s) or other outcome(s) the key project component is designed to improve, consistent with the specific goals of the program. (34 CFR 77.1)

Replicate, when used with respect to a high-quality charter school, means to open a new charter school, or a new campus of a high-quality charter school, based on the educational model of an existing high-quality charter school, under an existing charter or an additional charter, if permitted or required by State law. (section 4310(9) of the ESEA)

Underserved student means a student in one or more of the following subgroups:

(1) A student who is living in poverty or is served by schools with high concentrations of students living in poverty.

(2) A student of color.

(3) A student who is a member of a federally recognized Indian Tribe.

(4) An English learner.

(5) A child or student with a disability.

(6) A disconnected youth.

(7) A migrant student.

(8) A student experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.

(9) A student who is in foster care.

(10) A pregnant, parenting, or caregiving student.

(11) A student impacted by the justice system, including a formerly incarcerated student.

(12) A student performing significantly below grade level. (2022 NFP)

Application Requirements: Applications for CSP CMO Grant funds must address the following application requirements. These requirements are from sections 4303(f)(1) ^[6] and 4305(b)(3) of the ESEA, the 2018 NFP, and the 2022 NFP. The Department will not fund an application that does not meet each application requirement. The source of each requirement is provided in parentheses following each requirement.

In addressing the application requirements, applicants must clearly identify which application requirement they are addressing. An applicant must respond to application requirement (a) in a stand-alone section of the application or in an appendix. For all other application requirements, an applicant may choose to respond to each requirement separately or in the context of the applicant's responses to the selection criteria in section V.1 of this notice.

Applications for funding under the CSP CMO Grant program must—

(a) Describe the applicant's objectives in running a quality charter school program and how the program will be carried out, including—

(1) A description of how the applicant will ensure that charter schools receiving funds under this program meet the educational needs of their students, including children with disabilities and English learners (section 4303(f)(1)(A)(x) of the ESEA); and

(2) A description of how the applicant will ensure that each charter school receiving funds under this program has considered and planned for the transportation needs of the school's students (section 4303(f)(1)(E) of the ESEA);

(b) For each charter school currently operated or managed by the applicant, provide—

(1) Student assessment results for all students and for each subgroup of students described in section 1111(c)(2) of the ESEA;

(2) Attendance and student retention rates for the most recently completed school year and, if applicable, the most recent available 4-year adjusted cohort graduation rates and extended-year adjusted cohort graduation rates; and

(3) Information on any significant compliance and management issues encountered within the last 3 school years by any school operated or managed by the eligible entity, including in the areas of student safety and finance (section 4305(b)(3)(A) of the ESEA);

(c) Describe the educational program that the applicant will implement in each charter school receiving funding under this program, including—

(1) Information on how the program will enable all students to meet the challenging State academic standards;

(2) The grade levels or ages of students who will be served; and

(3) The instructional practices that will be used (section 4305(b)(3)(B)(ii) of the ESEA);

(d) Demonstrate that the applicant currently operates or manages more than one charter school. For purposes of this program, multiple charter schools are considered to be separate schools if each school—

(1) Meets each element of the definition of charter school under section 4310(2) of the ESEA; and

(2) Is treated as a separate school by its authorized public chartering agency and the State in which the charter school is located, including for purposes of accountability and reporting under title I, part A of the ESEA (2018 NFP);

(e) Provide information regarding any compliance issues, and how they were resolved, for any charter schools operated or managed by the applicant that have—

(1) Closed;

(2) Had their charter(s) revoked due to problems with statutory or regulatory compliance, including compliance with sections 4310(2)(G) and (J) of the ESEA; or

(3) Had their affiliation with the applicant revoked or terminated, including through voluntary disaffiliation (2018 NFP);

(f) Provide a complete logic model for the grant project. The logic model must include the applicant's objectives for replicating or expanding one or more high-quality charter schools with funding under this program, including the number of high-quality charter schools the applicant proposes to replicate or expand (2018 NFP);

(g) If the applicant currently operates, or is proposing to replicate or expand, a single-sex charter school or coeducational charter school that provides a single-sex class or extracurricular activity (collectively referred to as a “single-sex educational program”), demonstrate that the existing or proposed single-sex educational program is in compliance with title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681, et seq.) and its implementing regulations, including 34 CFR 106.34 (2018 NFP);

(h) Describe how the applicant currently operates or manages the high-quality charter schools for which it has presented evidence of success and how the proposed replicated or expanded charter schools will be operated or managed, including the legal relationship between the applicant and its schools. If a legal entity other than the applicant has entered or will enter into a performance contract with an authorized public chartering agency to operate or manage one or more of the applicant's schools, the applicant must also describe its relationship with that entity (2018 NFP);

(i) Describe how the applicant will solicit and consider input from parents and other members of the community on the implementation and operation of each replicated or expanded charter school, including in the area of school governance (2018 NFP);

(j) Describe the lottery and enrollment procedures that will be used for each replicated or expanded charter school if more students apply for admission than can be accommodated, including how any proposed weighted lottery complies with section 4303(c)(3)(A) of the ESEA (2018 NFP);

(k) Describe how the applicant will ensure that all eligible children with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education in accordance with part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2018 NFP);

(l) Describe how the proposed project will assist educationally disadvantaged students in mastering challenging State academic standards (2018 NFP);

(m) Provide a budget narrative, aligned with the activities, target grant project outputs, and outcomes described in the logic model, that outlines how grant funds will be expended to carry out planned activities (2018 NFP);

(n) Provide the applicant's most recent independently audited financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (2018 NFP);

(o) Describe the applicant's policies and procedures to assist students enrolled in a charter school that closes or loses its charter to attend other high-quality schools (2018 NFP);

(p) Provide—

(1) A request and justification for waivers of any Federal statutory or regulatory provisions that the applicant believes are necessary for the successful operation of the charter schools to be replicated or expanded; and

(2) A description of any State or local rules, generally applicable to public schools, that will be waived, or otherwise not apply, to such schools (2018 NFP);

(q) Provide a needs analysis and describe the need for the proposed project, including how the proposed project would serve the interests and meet the needs of students and families in the communities the charter school intends to serve. The needs analysis, which may consist of information and documents previously submitted to an authorized public chartering agency to address need, must include, but is not necessarily limited to, the following—

(1) Descriptions of the local community support, including information that demonstrates interest in, and need for, the charter school; benefits to the community; and other evidence of demand for the charter school that demonstrates a strong likelihood the charter school will achieve and maintain its enrollment projections. Such information may include information on waiting lists for the proposed charter school or existing charter schools or traditional public schools, data on access to seats in high-quality public schools in the districts from which the charter school expects to draw students, or evidence of family interest in specialized instructional approaches proposed to be implemented at the charter school.

(2) Information on the proposed charter school's projected student enrollment, and evidence to support the projected enrollment based on the needs analysis and other relevant data and factors, such as the methodology and calculations used.

(3) An analysis of the proposed charter school's projected student demographics and a description of the demographics of students attending public schools in the local community in which the proposed charter school would be located and the school districts from which students are, or would be, drawn to attend the charter school; a description of how the applicant plans to establish and maintain a racially and socioeconomically diverse student body, including proposed strategies (that are consistent with applicable legal requirements) to recruit, admit, enroll, and retain a diverse student body. An applicant that is unlikely to establish and maintain a racially and socioeconomically diverse student body at the proposed charter school because the charter school would be located in a racially or socioeconomically segregated or isolated community, or due to the charter school's specific educational mission, must describe—

(i) Why it is unlikely to establish and maintain a racially and socioeconomically diverse student body at the proposed charter school;

(ii) How the anticipated racial and socioeconomic makeup of the student body would promote the purposes of the CSP, including to provide high-quality educational opportunities to underserved students, which may include a specialized educational program or mission; and

(iii) The anticipated impact of the proposed charter school on the racial and socioeconomic diversity of the public schools and school districts from which students would be drawn to attend the charter school.

(4) A robust family and community engagement plan designed to ensure the active participation of families and the community that includes the following—

(i) How families and the community were, are, or will be engaged in determining the vision and design for the charter school, including specific examples of how families' and the community's input was, is, or is expected to be incorporated into the vision and design for the charter school.

(ii) How the charter school will meaningfully engage with both families and the community to create strong and ongoing partnerships.

(iii) How the charter school will foster a collaborative culture that involves the families of all students, including underserved students, in ensuring their ongoing input in school decision-making.

(5) How the charter school's recruitment, admissions, enrollment, and retention policies and practices will engage and accommodate students and families from diverse backgrounds, including English learners, students with disabilities, and students of color, including holding enrollment and recruitment events on weekends or during nonstandard work hours, making interpreters available, and providing enrollment and recruitment information in widely accessible formats ( e.g., hard copy and online in multiple languages; as appropriate, large print or braille for visually impaired individuals) through widely available and transparent means ( e.g., online and at community locations).

(6) How the charter school has engaged or will engage families and the community to develop an instructional model to best serve the targeted student population and their families, including students with disabilities and English learners.

(7) How the plans for the operation of the charter school will support and reflect the needs of students and families in the community, including consideration of district or community assets and how the school's location, or anticipated location if a facility has not been secured, will facilitate access for the targeted student population ( e.g., access to public transportation or other transportation options, the demographics of neighborhoods within walking distance of the school, and transportation plans and costs for students who are not able to walk or use public transportation to access the school).

(8) A description of the steps the applicant has taken or will take to ensure that the proposed charter school (1) would not hamper, delay, or negatively affect any desegregation efforts in the local community in which the charter school would be located or in the public school districts from which students are, or would be, drawn to attend the charter school, including efforts to comply with a court order, statutory obligation, or voluntary efforts to create and maintain desegregated public schools; and (2) to ensure that the proposed charter school would not otherwise increase racial or socioeconomic segregation or isolation in the schools from which the students are, or would be, drawn to attend the charter school (2022 NFP);

(r) For any existing or proposed contract with a for-profit management organization (including a nonprofit management organization operated by or on behalf of a for-profit entity), without regard to whether the management organization or its related entities exercise full or substantial administrative control over the charter school or the CSP project, provide the following information or equivalent information that the applicant has submitted to the authorized public chartering agency—

(1) A copy of the existing contract with the for-profit management organization or a description of the terms of the contract, including the name and contact information of the management organization; the cost ( i.e., fixed costs and estimates of any ongoing costs), including the amount of CSP funds proposed to be used toward such cost, and the percentage such cost represents of the school's total funding; the duration; roles and responsibilities of the management organization; and steps the applicant will take to ensure that it pays fair market value for any services or other items purchased or leased from the management organization, makes all programmatic decisions, maintains control over all CSP funds, and directly administers or supervises the administration of the grant in accordance with 34 CFR 75.701;

(2) A description of any business or financial relationship between the charter school developer and the management organization, including payments, contract terms, and any property owned, operated, or controlled by the management organization or related individuals or entities that will be used by the charter school;

(3) The name and contact information for each member of the governing board of the charter school and list of the management organization's officers, chief administrator, and other administrators, and any staff involved in approving or executing the management contract; and a description of any actual or perceived conflicts of interest, including financial interests, and how the applicant resolved or will resolve any actual or perceived conflicts of interest to ensure compliance with 2 CFR 200.318(c);

(4) A description of how the applicant will ensure that members of the governing board of the charter school are not selected, removed, controlled, or employed by the management organization and that the charter school's legal, accounting, and auditing services will be procured independently from the management organization);

(5) An explanation of how the applicant will ensure that the management contract is severable, severing the management contract will not cause the proposed charter school to close, the duration of the management contract will not extend beyond the expiration date of the school's charter, and renewal of the management contract will not occur without approval and affirmative action by the governing board of the charter school; and

(6) A description of the steps the applicant will take to ensure that it maintains control over all student records and has a process in place to provide those records to another public school or school district in a timely manner upon the transfer of a student from the charter school to another public school, including due to closure of the charter school, in accordance with section 4308 of the ESEA (2022 NFP); and

(s) Provide—

(1) The name and address of the authorized public chartering agency that issued the applicant's approved charter or, in the case of an applicant that has not yet received an approved charter, the authorized public chartering agency to which the applicant has applied;

(2) A copy of the approved charter or, in the case of an applicant that has not yet received an approved charter, a copy of the charter application that was submitted to the authorized public chartering agency, including the date the application was submitted, and an estimated date by which the authorized public chartering agency will issue its final decision on the charter application;

(3) Documentation that the applicant has provided notice to the authorized public chartering agency that it has applied for a CSP grant; and

(4) A proposed budget, including a detailed description of any post-award planning costs and, for an applicant that does not yet have an approved charter, any planning costs expected to be incurred prior to the date the authorized public chartering agency issues a decision on the charter application. (2022 NFP)

Assurances: Each applicant for a CSP CMO Grant must provide the following assurances. These assurances are from sections 4303(f)(2) and 4305(b)(3)(C) of the ESEA and the 2022 NFP. The source of each assurance is provided in parentheses following each assurance.

Applicants for funds under this program must provide assurances that—

(a) The grantee will support charter schools in meeting the educational needs of their students, as described in section 4303(f)(1)(A)(x) of the ESEA. (section 4303(f)(2)(B) of the ESEA)

(b) The grantee will ensure that each charter school receiving funds under this program makes publicly available, consistent with the dissemination requirements of the annual State report card under section 1111(h) of the ESEA, including on the website of the school, information to help parents make informed decisions about the education options available to their children, including—

(1) Information on the educational program;

(2) Student support services;

(3) Parent contract requirements (as applicable), including any financial obligations or fees;

(4) Enrollment criteria (as applicable); and

(5) Annual performance and enrollment data for each of the subgroups of students, as defined in section 1111(c)(2) of the ESEA, except that such disaggregation of performance and enrollment data shall not be required in a case in which the number of students in a group is insufficient to yield statistically reliable information or the results would reveal personally identifiable information about an individual student. (section 4303(f)(2)(G) of the ESEA)

(c) The eligible entity has sufficient procedures in effect to ensure timely closure of low-performing or financially mismanaged charter schools and clear plans and procedures in effect for the students in such schools to attend other high-quality schools. (section 4305(b)(3)(C) of the ESEA)

(d) Each charter school it funds has not and will not enter into a contract with a for-profit management organization, including a nonprofit management organization operated by or on behalf of a for-profit entity, under which the management organization or its related entities exercises full or substantial administrative control over the charter school and, thereby, the CSP project. (2022 NFP)

(e) Any management contract between a charter school that the applicant funds and a for-profit management organization, including a nonprofit CMO operated by or on behalf of a for-profit entity, guarantees or will guarantee that—

(1) The charter school maintains control over all CSP funds, makes all programmatic decisions, and directly administers or supervises the administration of the grant;

(2) The management organization does not exercise full or substantial administrative control over the charter school (and, thereby, the CSP project), except that this does not limit the ability of a charter school to enter into a contract with a management organization for the provision of services that do not constitute full or substantial control of the charter school project funded under the CSP ( e.g., food or payroll services) and that otherwise comply with statutory and regulatory requirements;

(3) The charter school's governing board has access to financial and other data pertaining to the charter school, the management organization, and any related entities; and

(4) The charter school is in compliance with applicable Federal and State laws and regulations governing conflicts of interest, and there are no actual or perceived conflicts of interest between the charter school and the management organization. (2022 NFP)

(f) Each charter school that the applicant funds will post on its website, on an annual basis, a copy of any management contract between the charter school and a for-profit management organization, including a nonprofit management organization operated by or on behalf of a for-profit entity, and report information on such contract to the Department, including—

(1) A copy of the existing contract with the for-profit management organization or description of the terms of the contract, including the name and contact information of the management organization; the cost ( i.e., fixed costs and estimates of any ongoing costs), including the amount of CSP funds proposed to be used toward such costs, and the percentage such cost represents of the charter school's total funding; the duration, roles, and responsibilities of the management organization; the steps the charter school will take to ensure that it pays fair market value for any services or other items purchased or leased from the management organization; and the steps the charter school is taking to ensure that it makes all programmatic decisions, maintains control over all CSP funds, and directly administers or supervises the administration of the grant in accordance with 34 CFR 75.701;

(2) A description of any business or financial relationship between the charter school developer or CMO and the management organization, including payments, contract terms, and any property owned, operated, or controlled by the management organization or related individuals or entities to be used by the charter school;

(3) The names and contact information for each member of the governing boards of the charter school and a list of the management organization's officers, chief administrator, and other administrators, and any staff involved in approving or executing the management contract; and a description of any actual or perceived conflicts of interest, including financial interests, and how the applicant resolved or will resolve any actual or perceived conflicts of interest to ensure compliance with 2 CFR 200.318(c); and

(4) A description of how the charter school ensured that such contract is severable and that a change in management companies will not cause the proposed charter school to close. (2022 NFP)

(g) Each charter school that the applicant funds will disclose, as part of the enrollment process, any policies and requirements ( e.g., purchasing and wearing specific uniforms and other fees, or requirements for 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). (2022 NFP)

(h) Each charter school that the applicant funds will hold or participate in a public hearing in the local community in which the proposed charter school would be located to obtain information and feedback regarding the potential benefit of the charter school, which shall at least include how the proposed charter school will increase the availability of high-quality public school options for underserved students, promote racial and socioeconomic diversity in such community or have an educational mission to serve primarily underserved students, and not increase racial or socioeconomic segregation or isolation in the school districts from which students would be drawn to attend the charter school (consistent with applicable laws). Applicants must ensure that the hearing (and notice thereof) is accessible to individuals with disabilities and limited English proficient individuals as required by law, actively solicit participation in the hearing ( i.e., provide widespread and timely notice of the hearing), make good faith efforts to accommodate as many people as possible ( e.g., hold the hearing at a convenient time for families or provide virtual participation options), and submit a summary of the comments received as part of the application. The hearing may be conducted as part of the charter authorizing process, provided it meets the requirements above. (2022 NFP)

(i) Each charter school that the applicant funds will not use any implementation funds for a charter school until after the charter school has received a charter from an authorized public chartering agency and has a contract, lease, mortgage, or other documentation indicating that it has a facility in which to operate. Consistent with sections 4303(b)(1), 4303(h)(1)(B), and 4310(6) of the ESEA, an eligible applicant may use CSP planning funds for post-award planning and design of the educational program of a proposed new or replicated high-quality charter school that has not yet opened, which may include hiring and compensating teachers, school leaders, and specialized instructional support personnel; providing training and professional development to staff; and other critical planning activities that need to occur prior to the charter school opening when such costs cannot be met from other sources. (2022 NFP)

(j) Each applicant must provide an assurance that, within 120 days of the date of the grant award notification (GAN), the grantee will post on its website:

(1) A list of the charter schools slated to receive CSP funds, including the following for each school:

(i) The name, address, and grades served.

(ii) A description of the educational model.

(iii) If the charter school has contracted with a for-profit management organization, the name of the management organization, the amount of CSP funding the management organization will receive from the school, and a description of the services to be provided.

(iv) The award amount, including any funding that has been approved for the current year and any additional years of the CSP grant for which the school will receive support.

(v) The grant (redacted as necessary).

(2) As applicable for CMO grants, such a list must be updated at least annually and provide the anticipated number of charter schools that will receive CSP planning funds before securing a facility. (2022 NFP)

Note: The Department recognizes that the charter approval process may exceed the 18-month planning period prescribed under section 4303(d)(1)(B) of the ESEA. In such a case, a grantee may request a waiver from the Department under section 4303(d)(5) to enable the grantee to amend its approved application to extend the 18-month planning period prescribed by section 4303(d)(1)(B). Under section 4303(d)(5) of the ESEA, the Secretary, in his discretion, may waive any statutory or regulatory requirement over which he exercises administrative authority, except the requirements related to the definition of “charter school” in section 4310(2) of the ESEA, provided that the waiver is requested in an approved application and the Secretary determines that granting the waiver will promote the purposes of the CSP. A grantee also may request approval from the Department, as appropriate, to amend its approved application and budget to cover additional planning costs that it may incur due to an unexpected delay in the charter approval process.

Program Authority: Title IV, part C of the ESEA, as amended.

Note: Projects will be awarded and must be operated in a manner consistent with the nondiscrimination requirements contained in Federal civil rights laws.

Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 76, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200 (Uniform Guidance), as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3474. (d) The 2018 NFP. (e) The 2022 NFP.

II. Award Information

Type of Award: Discretionary grants.

Estimated Available Funds: $92,000,000.

Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make additional awards in subsequent years from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.

Estimated Range of Awards: $300,000 to $20,000,000 per year.

Estimated Average Size of Awards: $2,500,000 per year.

Maximum Award: See Reasonable and Necessary Costs in section III.4 for information regarding the maximum amount of funds that may be awarded per charter school.

Estimated Number of Awards: 15-20.

Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. The estimated range and average size of awards are based on a single 12-month budget period. We may use available funds to support multiple 12-month budget periods for one or more grantees.

Project Period: Up to 60 months.

A grant awarded by the Secretary under this competition may be for a period of not more than 5 years, of which the grantee may use not more than 18 months for planning and program design. (section 4303(d)(1)(B) of the ESEA)

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants: CMOs. Eligible applicants may apply individually or as part of a group or consortium.

Note: Under 34 CFR 75.51, an applicant may show that it is a nonprofit organization by any of the following means: (1) proof that the Internal Revenue Service currently recognizes the applicant as an organization to which contributions are tax deductible under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; (2) a statement from a State taxing body or the State attorney general certifying that the organization is a nonprofit organization operating within the State and that no part of its net earnings may lawfully benefit any private shareholder or individual; (3) a certified copy of the applicant's certificate of incorporation or similar document if it clearly establishes the nonprofit status of the applicant; or (4) any item described above if that item applies to a State or national parent organization, together with a statement by the State or parent organization that the applicant is a local nonprofit affiliate.

2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not require cost sharing or matching.

b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This competition does not involve supplement-not-supplant funding requirements.

c. Indirect Cost Rate Information: This program uses an unrestricted indirect cost rate. For more information regarding indirect costs, or to obtain a negotiated indirect cost rate, please see www2.ed.gov/​about/​offices/​list/​ocfo/​intro.html.

d. Administrative Cost Limitation: This program does not include any program-specific limitation on administrative expenses. All administrative expenses must be reasonable and necessary and conform to the Cost Principles described in 2 CFR part 200 subpart E of the Uniform Guidance.

3. Subgrantees: A grantee under this competition may not award subgrants to entities to directly carry out project activities described in its application.

4. Reasonable and Necessary Costs: The Secretary may elect to impose maximum limits on the amount of grant funds that may be used to replicate or expand a high-quality charter school (34 CFR 75.101 and 75.104(b)).

For this competition, the maximum limit of grant funds that may be used to replicate or expand a single charter school is $2,000,000.

In accordance with 2 CFR 200.404, applicants must ensure that all costs included in the proposed budget are reasonable and necessary in light of the goals and objectives of the proposed project. Any costs determined by the Secretary to be unreasonable or unnecessary will be removed from the final approved budget.

5. Other CSP Grants: A charter school that previously received funds for replication or expansion under this program, or that has been awarded a subgrant or grant for opening or preparing to operate a new charter school, replication, or expansion under the CSP Grants to State Entities (SE Grants) program (ALN 84.282A) or CSP Grants to Developers for the Opening of New Charter Schools and for the Replication and Expansion of High-Quality Charter Schools (Developer Grants) program (ALNs 84.282B and 84.282E), may not receive funds under this grant to carry out the same activities (see 2 CFR 200.403). However, such a charter school may be eligible to receive funds through a CSP CMO Grant awarded under this competition to expand the charter school beyond the existing grade levels or student count.

Likewise, a charter school that is included in an approved application for funding under this competition is ineligible to receive a subgrant or grant to carry out the same activities under the CSP SE Grant program (ALN 84.282A) or CSP Developer Grant program (ALNs 84.282B and 84.282E), including opening and preparing for the operation of a new charter school or replicated high-quality charter school or expanding a high-quality charter school (2 CFR 200.403).

6. Build America, Buy America Act: This program is not subject to the Build America, Buy America Act (Pub. L. 117-58) domestic sourcing requirements.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Application Submission Instructions: Applicants are required to follow the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on December 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045), and available at https://www.federalregister.gov/​documents/​2022/​12/​07/​2022-26554/​common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs, which contain requirements and information on how to submit an application.

2. Submission of Proprietary Information: Given the types of projects that may be proposed in applications for this competition, your application may include business information that you consider proprietary. In 34 CFR 5.11, we define “business information” and describe the process we use in determining whether any of that information is proprietary and, thus, protected from disclosure under Exemption 4 of the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552, as amended).

Because we plan to make successful applications available to the public, you may wish to request confidentiality of business information.

Consistent with Executive Order 12600 (Predisclosure Notification Procedures for Confidential Commercial Information), please designate in your application any information that you believe is exempt from disclosure under Exemption 4. In the appropriate Appendix section of your application, under “Other Attachments Form,” please list the page number or numbers on which we can find this information. For additional information please see 34 CFR 5.11(c).

3. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this competition.

4. Funding Restrictions: Grantees under this program must use the grant funds to replicate or expand the charter school model or models for which the applicant has presented evidence of success. Specifically, grant funds must be used to carry out allowable activities, as described in section 4305(b)(1) of the ESEA. In addition, grant funds must be used to carry out one or more of the activities described in section 4303(h), which include—

(a) Preparing teachers, school leaders, and specialized instructional support personnel, including through paying costs associated with—

(1) Providing professional development; and

(2) Hiring and compensating, during the eligible applicant's planning period, one or more of the following:

(i) Teachers.

(ii) School leaders.

(iii) Specialized instructional support personnel;

(b) Acquiring supplies, training, equipment (including technology), and educational materials (including developing and acquiring instructional materials);

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

(d) Providing one-time, startup costs associated with providing transportation to students to and from the charter school;

(e) Carrying out community engagement activities, which may include paying the cost of student and staff recruitment; and

(f) Providing for other appropriate, non-sustained costs related to the replication or expansion of high-quality charter schools when such costs cannot be met from other sources.

Further, within the context of opening and preparing for the operation of one or more replicated high-quality charter schools or expanding one or more high-quality charter schools, a portion of grant funds may be used for appropriate, non-sustained costs associated with the expansion or improvement of the grantee's oversight or management of its charter schools, provided that (i) the specific charter schools being replicated or expanded under the grant are the intended beneficiaries of such expansion or improvement; (ii) such expansion or improvement is intended to improve the grantee's ability to manage or oversee the charter schools being replicated or expanded under the grant; and (iii) the costs cannot be met from other sources (20 U.S.C. 7221b(h) and 7221d(b)(1)). In order to use grant funds for this purpose, an applicant must describe how the proposed costs are necessary to meet the objectives of the project and reasonable in light of the overall cost of the project (2 CFR 200.403).

We reference additional regulations outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.

5. Recommended Page Limit and English Language Requirement: The project narrative is where you, the applicant, address the priorities, selection criteria, and application requirements that peer reviewers use to evaluate your application. We recommend that you (1) limit the project narrative to no more than 60 pages, and (2) use the following standards:

• A “page” is 8.5″ x 11″, on one side only, with 1″ margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
• Double-space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text in the project narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
• Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
• Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New, or Arial.

Applications must be in English, and peer reviewers will only consider supporting documents submitted with the application that are in English.

The recommended page limit does not apply to the cover sheet; the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; the assurances and certifications; any request to waive requirements and the justification; or the one-page abstract, the resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of support. However, the recommended page limit does apply to all of the project narrative.

6. Notice of Intent to Apply: The Department will be able to review grant applications more efficiently if we know the approximate number of applicants that intend to apply. Therefore, we strongly encourage each potential applicant to notify us of their intent to submit an application. To do so, please email the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT with the subject line “Intent to Apply,” and include the applicant's name, a contact person's name and email address, and the Assistance Listing Number. Applicants that do not submit a notice of intent to apply may still apply for funding.

V. Application Review Information

1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition are from 34 CFR 75.210, the 2018 NFP, and the 2022 NFP. The maximum possible score for addressing all of the selection criteria is 100 points. The maximum possible score for addressing each criterion is indicated in parentheses following the criterion.

In evaluating an application for a CSP CMO Grant, the Secretary considers the following criteria:

(a) Quality of the Eligible Applicant and Adequacy of Resources (up to 30 points).

In determining the quality of the eligible applicant and the adequacy of resources, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(1) The extent to which the academic achievement results (including annual student performance on statewide assessments, annual student attendance and retention rates, and, where applicable and available, student academic growth, high school graduation rates, college attendance rates, and college persistence rates) for educationally disadvantaged students served by the charter schools operated or managed by the applicant have exceeded the average academic achievement results for such students served by other public schools in the State (up to 15 points). (2018 NFP)

(2) The extent to which one or more charter schools operated or managed by the applicant have closed; have had a charter revoked due to noncompliance with statutory or regulatory requirements; or have had their affiliation with the applicant revoked or terminated, including through voluntary disaffiliation (up to 5 points). (2018 NFP)

(3) The extent to which one or more charter schools operated or managed by the applicant have had any significant issues in the area of financial or operational management or student safety, or have otherwise experienced significant problems with statutory or regulatory compliance that could lead to revocation of the school's charter (up to 5 points). (2018 NFP)

(4) The potential for continued support of the project after Federal funding ends, including, as appropriate, the demonstrated commitment of appropriate entities to such support (up to 5 points). (34 CFR 75.210)

(b) Quality of the Needs Analysis (up to 25 points).

In determining the quality of the needs analysis, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(1) The extent to which the needs analysis demonstrates that the proposed charter school will address the needs of all students served by the charter school, including underserved students; will ensure equitable access to high-quality learning opportunities; and demonstrates sufficient demand for the charter school (up to 10 points). (2022 NFP)

(2) The extent to which the needs analysis demonstrates that the proposed charter school has considered and mitigated, whenever possible, potential barriers to application, enrollment, and retention of underserved students and their families (up to 10 points). (2022 NFP)

(3) The extent to which the proposed charter school is supported by families and the community, including the extent to which parents and other members of the community were engaged in determining the need and vision for the school and will continue to be engaged on an ongoing basis, including in the academic, financial, organizational, and operational performance of the charter school (up to 5 points). (2022 NFP)

(c) Quality of the Project Design and Evaluation Plan for the Proposed Project (up to 10 points).

In determining the quality of the project design and evaluation plan for the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(1) The extent to which there is a conceptual framework underlying the proposed research or demonstration activities and the quality of that framework (up to 2 points). (34 CFR 75.210)

(2) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the intended outcomes of the proposed project, as described in the applicant's logic model, and that will produce quantitative and qualitative data by the end of the grant period (up to 6 points). (2018 NFP)

(3) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable (up to 2 points). (34 CFR 75.210)

(d) Quality of the Management Plan (up to 35 points).

In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(1) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing project tasks (up to 6 points). (34 CFR 75.210)

(2) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project (up to 6 points). (34 CFR 75.210)

(3) The extent to which the time commitments of the project director and principal investigator and other key project personnel are appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed project (up to 5 points). (34 CFR 75.210)

(4) The adequacy of the applicant's plan to maintain control over all CSP grant funds (up to 6 points). (2022 NFP)

(5) The adequacy of the applicant's plan to make all programmatic decisions (up to 6 points). (2022 NFP)

(6) The adequacy of the applicant's plan to administer or supervise the administration of the grant, including maintaining management and oversight responsibilities over the grant (up to 6 points). (2022 NFP)

2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as the applicant's use of funds, achievement of project objectives, and compliance with grant conditions. The Secretary may also consider whether the applicant failed to submit a timely performance report or submitted a report of unacceptable quality.

In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary requires various assurances, including those applicable to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).

3. Risk Assessment and Specific Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR 200.206, before awarding grants under this competition the Department conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR 200.208, the Secretary may impose specific conditions and, under 2 CFR 3474.10, in appropriate circumstances, high-risk conditions on a grant if the applicant or grantee is not financially stable; has a history of unsatisfactory performance; has a financial or other management system that does not meet the standards in 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; has not fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not responsible.

4. Integrity and Performance System: If you are selected under this competition to receive an award that over the course of the project period may exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (currently $250,000), under 2 CFR 200.206(a)(2) we must make a judgment about your integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards—that is, the risk posed by you as an applicant—before we make an award. In doing so, we must consider any information about you that is in the integrity and performance system (currently referred to as the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS)), accessible through the System for Award Management. You may review and comment on any information about yourself that a Federal agency previously entered and that is currently in FAPIIS.

Please note that, if the total value of your currently active grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from the Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000, the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 200, Appendix XII, require you to report certain integrity information to FAPIIS semiannually. Please review the requirements in 2 CFR part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant plus all the other Federal funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.

5. In General: In accordance with the Uniform Guidance located at 2 CFR part 200, all applicable Federal laws, and relevant Executive guidance, the Department will review and consider applications for funding pursuant to this notice inviting applications in accordance with—

(a) Selecting recipients most likely to be successful in delivering results based on the program objectives through an objective process of evaluating Federal award applications (2 CFR 200.205);

(b) Prohibiting the purchase of certain telecommunication and video surveillance services or equipment in alignment with section 889 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019 (Pub. L. 115-232) (2 CFR 200.216);

(c) Providing a preference, to the extent permitted by law, to maximize use of goods, products, and materials produced in the United States (2 CFR 200.322); and

(d) Terminating agreements in whole or in part to the greatest extent authorized by law if an award no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities (2 CFR 200.340).

VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a GAN; or we may send you an email containing a link to access an electronic version of your GAN. We may notify you informally, also.

If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, we notify you.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify administrative and national policy requirements in the application package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.

We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also incorporates your approved application as part of your binding commitments under the grant.

3. Open Licensing Requirements: Unless an exception applies, if you are awarded a grant under this competition, you will be required to openly license to the public grant deliverables created in whole, or in part, with Department grant funds. When the deliverable consists of modifications to pre-existing works, the license extends only to those modifications that can be separately identified and only to the extent that open licensing is permitted under the terms of any licenses or other legal restrictions on the use of pre-existing works. Additionally, a grantee or subgrantee that is awarded competitive grant funds must have a plan to disseminate these public grant deliverables. This dissemination plan can be developed and submitted after your application has been reviewed and selected for funding. For additional information on the open licensing requirements please refer to 2 CFR 3474.20.

4. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition, you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170 should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).

(b) At the end of your project period, you must submit a final performance report, including financial information, as directed by the Secretary. If you receive a multiyear award, you must submit an annual performance report that provides the most current performance and financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary under 34 CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting, please go to www.ed.gov/​fund/​grant/​apply/​appforms/​appforms.html.

(c) Under 34 CFR 75.250(b), the Secretary may provide a grantee with additional funding for data collection analysis and reporting. In this case the Secretary establishes a data collection period.

5. Performance Measures: (a) For the purposes of Department reporting under 34 CFR 75.110, the Secretary has established two performance indicators: (1) the number of charter schools in operation around the Nation, and (2) the percentage of fourth- and eighth-grade charter school students who are achieving at or above the proficient level on State assessments in mathematics and reading/language arts. Additionally, the Secretary has established the following measure to examine the efficiency of the CSP: The Federal cost per student in implementing a successful school (defined as a school in operation for three or more consecutive years).

(b) Project-Specific Performance Measures. Applicants must propose project-specific performance measures and performance targets consistent with the objectives of the proposed project. Applications must provide the following information as directed under 34 CFR 75.110(b) and (c):

(1) Performance measures. How each proposed performance measure would accurately measure the performance of the project and how the proposed performance measure would be consistent with the performance measures established for the program funding the competition.

(2) Baseline data. (i) Why each proposed baseline is valid; or (ii) if the applicant has determined that there are no established baseline data for a particular performance measure, an explanation of why there is no established baseline and how and when, during the project period, the applicant would establish a valid baseline for the performance measure.

(3) Performance targets. Why each proposed performance target is ambitious yet achievable compared to the baseline for the performance measure and when, during the project period, the applicant would meet the performance target(s).

(4) Data collection and reporting. (i) The data collection and reporting methods the applicant would use and why those methods are likely to yield reliable, valid, and meaningful performance data; and (ii) the applicant's capacity to collect and report reliable, valid, and meaningful performance data, as evidenced by high-quality data collection, analysis, and reporting in other projects or research.

All grantees must submit an annual performance report with information that is responsive to these performance measures.

6. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award under 34 CFR 75.253, the Secretary considers, among other things, whether a grantee has made substantial progress in achieving the goals and objectives of the project; whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner that is consistent with its approved application and budget; and, if the Secretary has established performance measurement requirements, whether the grantee has made substantial progress in achieving the performance targets in the grantee's approved application.

In making a continuation award, the Secretary also considers whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the assurances in its approved application, including those applicable to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).

7. Project Directors' Meeting: Applicants approved for funding under this competition must attend a meeting for project directors during each year of the project. The meeting may be held virtually or in person at a location to be determined in the continental United States. Applicants may include, if applicable, the cost of attending this meeting in their proposed budgets as allowable administrative costs.

8. Technical Assistance: Applicants approved for funding under this competition must participate in all technical assistance offerings required by the CSP Office, including project directors' meetings and other on-site and virtual gatherings sponsored by the Department and its contracted technical assistance providers and partners throughout the performance period.

VII. Other Information

Accessible Format: On request to the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT , individuals with disabilities can obtain this document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format. The Department will provide the requestor with an accessible format that may include Rich Text Format (RTF) or text format (txt), a thumb drive, an MP3 file, braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc, or other accessible format.

Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register . You may access the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations at www.govinfo.gov. At this site, you can view this document, as well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal Register, in text or Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the site.

You may also access documents of the Department published in the Federal Register by using the article search feature at www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published by the Department.

Adam Schott,

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Delegated the Authority to Perform the Functions and Duties of the Assistant Secretary, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Footnotes

1.  Terms defined in this notice are italicized the first time each term is used.

2.   https://www.ed.gov/​raisethebar/​.

3.  The six strategies of Raise the Bar include: accelerating learning, developing a well-rounded education, eliminating the educator shortage, investing in mental health, ensuring every student has a postsecondary pathway, and promoting a pathway to multilingualism.

4.  Kotok, Stephen, and David DeMatthews. “Challenging School Segregation in the Twenty-First Century: How Districts Can Leverage Dual Language Education to Increase School and Classroom Diversity.” Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas 91.1 (2018): 1-6.

5.  The Department will apply this element of the definition of “charter school” consistent with applicable U.S. Supreme Court precedent, including Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Inc. v. Comer, 582 U.S. 449 (2017), Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, 140 S. Ct. 2246 (2020), and Carson v. Makin, 142 S. Ct. 1987 (2022).

6.  Per section 4305(c) of the ESEA, CSP CMO Grants have the same terms and conditions as grants awarded to State entities under section 4303. For clarity, the Department has replaced the term “State entity” with “applicant” in the requirements that derive from section 4303.