Last week, during a special visit to Horizon Science Academy Charter School in Des Moines, Iowa, Governor Kim Reynoldssigned a new law to enhance funding equity for public charter schools, improve access to school facilities, and expand extracurricular options for charter school students.
Every public school student, regardless of where they attend school, deserves equal access to transportation funding.
CELEBRATED: We Hope You Had a Happy National Charter Schools Week!
Last week, the National Alliance hosted the annual National Charter Schools Week to honor the 8,000 public charter schools, 251,000 dedicated teachers, and thousands of local, state, and national advocates who raise their voices for the nearly 4 million—and growing—charter school students each day.
Watch the 2024 Charter School Changemakers speak on Capitol Hill on why they raise their voices for charter schools and learn more about our seven exceptional advocates in The 74.
Listen to the first episode of the Get Schooled on Public Education podcast Season 2 with 2023-24 Rising Leader and 2024 Charter School Changemaker Daniyal Hussain as he discusses the importance of the youth voice in charter school advocacy.
Thanks to Senators Michael Bennet and Tim Scott for introducing a resolution to celebrate National Charter Schools Week and commend charter schools for their contributions to education!
We are innovation in public education. We are community builders. We are public charter schools!
ON-THE-GROUND: New Law Expands Funding and Access to High-Quality Charter Schools in Iowa
Governor Kim Reynolds signed a new law to ensure all public school students have the opportunity for a high-quality public education and fair funding.
The new law requires additional state categorical funding to follow a student to the public school, whether charter or district, he or she attends.
This new law provides more visibility into vacant and underutilized school district facilities and prevents school districts from prohibiting the sale of school district facilities to public charter schools.
Unlocking access for charter schools to district-owned and underutilized school buildings in Iowa can foster educational innovation and expand opportunities for students statewide.
Governor Reynolds said, " Public charter schools provide yet another school choice for parents and guardians looking for the education that’s best suited for their children’s abilities and needs. Charter schools are tuition-free, independently operated public schools that have the freedom to design their curriculum and classrooms to meet specific educational objectives. By signing this bill and launching a new infrastructure grant program for start-up and expansion costs, we take a bold step in expanding the charter school opportunities to parents and students across our state."
The Charter Schools Program (CSP) is the only source of federal funding supporting charter schools' growth, replication, and expansion to meet the educational needs of communities across the country.
The CSP has been flat-funded at $440 million since 2019, and President Biden’s FY 2025 budget even proposed a $40 million cut to the program.
This report explores the CSP's impact on communities around the country and how school leaders leverage these critical funds to build and grow innovative schools that meet the unique needs of students and families.
Currently, only 17 states require transportation services for some charter school students, and just 33 allocate transportation funding for them.
A new policy snapshot from the National Alliance addresses two key aspects: whether the state’s law requires transportation for charter school students and whether the state allocates funding for this purpose.
What: The EIR program is designed to generate and validate solutions to persistent education challenges and scale up those solutions to serve substantially more students.
When: Applications due July 22
Where: For more information and to watch a pre-recorded informational webinar, see here.
What: these webinars help organizations that plan on applying for FY 2024 SFIG funds. These webinars will cover eligibility criteria, budget and match requirements, selection criteria, peer review process, and application submission process for the competition.
What: This month, the Connecticut State Department of Education (CT SDE) released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for new public charter schools. Connecticut is an expanding sector with a robust amount of local support and parental demand. The Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation has opened its own funding opportunity to support interested parties. Grants of up to $150,000 will be awarded to applicants – schools, operators, community groups, and others – who commit to responding to the new RFP.
Where: If you are interested in learning more or have any questions, email kimr@pclbfoundation.org.
ATTEND: Upcoming Events
Join these conferences and activities to connect with fellow charter school advocates!
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