CFDA#
84.282A
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Funder Type
State Government
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IT Classification
B - Readily funds technology as part of an award
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Authority
Florida Department of Education (FLDOE)
Summary
The Federal Charter Schools Program Grant (CSP) allows Florida to drive system-wide improvements to one of the most significant charter school landscapes of any state. Florida utilizes the CSP to reform the very building blocks of the Charter School space and ensure that all students, regardless of income or ZIP code, have access to a high-quality public school. As such Florida's CSP grant program serves as the core component in the fulfillment of the Florida State Board of Education's Strategic Plan, which calls for heightened access to high-quality Charter Schools” to improve academic achievement.
Planning & Implementation: The Florida Department of Education administers the Charter Schools Program (CSP) Planning and Implementation grant through a request for proposals (RFP) process each year. The general purpose of this grant is to provide financial assistance for the planning, program design, and initial implementation of charter schools and to expand the number of high quality charter schools in Florida.
History of Funding
Approximately $22,450,000 was granted in awards in 2018.
Additional Information
All eligible applicants may receive preference points. Preference points will be provided as follows:
- OPPORTUNITY ZONES and SCHOOLS OF HOPE: If the applicant will open a charter school in any of Florida's 427 Opportunity Zones, or will open a Schools of Hope charter school, it will be awarded five (5) preference points.
- GROWTH FUND: If the applicant is not a School of Hope operator but has received funding from the National Fund of the Charter School Growth Fund, it will be awarded five (5) preference points.
- RURAL: If the applicant will open a charter school in any of Florida's Rural and Low-Income School districts (RLIS) the applicant will be awarded four (4) preference points.
- SERVICE AREA: If the applicant applied to operate a charter school in an LEA that received a grade of C” or lower in each of the last two years (2020-21 and 2021-22), the applicant will be awarded three (3) preference points.
- STUDENT RECRUITMENT AND ENROLLMENT: If the applicants score a rating of Exceeds Expectations” on Section 14 of the model charter school application, the applicant will be awarded three (3) preference points.
Eligibility Details
To be eligible to apply to and receive this grant, an applicant must meet the following conditions:
- Submitted a charter school application to a Local Educational Agency (LEA) using the Department's model charter school application (Form IEPC-M1, effective February 2016 or later) as adopted in State Board of Education Rule 6A-6.0786, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.); and
- Charter application has been approved by the LEA;
- Charter application is denied and pending an appeal.
Only those charter schools that are approved by their Sponsor will be eligible to receive funds under this grant. Prior to approving the initial Project Award Notification (DOE 200) for each school selected for funding, the Department's Charter Schools Office will verify:
- The CSP sub-recipient has not withdrawn its approved charter school application, and;
- The CSP sub-recipient will open charter school no later than August 2024.
An eligible applicant that does not intend to open a charter school by August 2024 should not apply for funding under this competition but should instead apply for future competitions. While Florida law allows for up to three years of planning, an eligible applicant applying for funding under this competition can spend no longer than 18 months in planning and program design. Further, an eligible applicant must meet the federal definition of a charter school, as defined in section 4310(2), ESEA as amended by ESSA, and must meet the federal definition of a charter developer (section 4310 (5), ESEA as amended by ESSA).
Schools of Hope charter schools that have submitted a Notice of Intent to their LEA, are also eligible to apply to and receive this grant.
Deadline Details
This RFP will be administered in two separate stages. The second stage of this competition (Stage II) will be by invitation only.
- The deadline for submitting the Stage I proposal was due by March 17, 2023 at 5:00PM EST.
- The Deadline for submitting a Stage II proposal was due by June 30, 2023 at 5:00PM EST.
A similar deadline is anticipated annually.
Award Details
Approximately $7,800,000 is available for project awards. All funding is dependent on availability of funds. Based upon availability of funds and the number and type of applications received the following is an example of how funds may be awarded to schools selected for funding.
New Operators:
- Approximately 7 awards
- Approximately $900,000 per grant award
Schools of Hope Operators or Schools in Opportunity Zones
- Approximately 1 award
- Approximately $1,500,000 per grant award
Cost Share/Match is not required.
For charter schools that will open during the 2023-24 or 2024-25 school years, this is a multi-year project with a maximum combined program performance period for all project phases of 36 months. The maximum allowable program performance period for each funding phase:
- Planning and Program Design (18 months) - occurs prior to the opening of the charter school
- Implementation (24 months) - may begin three months prior to school opening
The maximum Implementation program period will be reduced on a month for month basis for schools that remain in Planning and Program Design more than 12 and less than 18 months.
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