Charter School Planning and Grant Opportunity

July 1, 2009 MEMORANDUM

TO: Local and Intermediate School District Superintendents, Public School, Academy Superintendents, Public Universities and Community, Colleges, Public School Academy Authorizers and other interested parties

FROM: Michael P. Flanagan, Superintendent of Public Instruction

SUBJECT: Announcement of 2009-2010 Charter School Planning, Implementation and Dissemination Grant Opportunity

The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) expects to receive from the United States Department of Education (USED) a grant award of approximately $7,823,343 for use during the 2009-2010 school year to strengthen the pool of charter school developers in Michigan and support new charter schools. Contingent on final approval of funds from USED (expected in July) three types of subgrants are anticipated:

1) Upon notification during June or July 2009 by a qualified Michigan authorizer that a development team is engaged in final negotiations of a charter contract leading to a Fall 2009 or a Fall 2010 opening, those teams will be invited to compete for twelve-month planning grants or for twelve-month implementation grants. The competitive grant awards may be approved for up to $160,000 in planning expenses, and the successful completion of the planning grant qualifies the Public School Academy Program (PSAP) to apply for further first and second year implementation funding of $150,000 annually.

2) Earlier stage (Public School Academy) PSA developers planning for a Fall 2011 opening may be eligible to compete for eighteen-month planning grants. These competitive grant awards may also be approved for up to $160,000 in planning expenses, and successful completion of the planning grant, along with acquisition of a charter, will qualify the PSA to apply for further first and second year implementation funding of $150,000 annually.

3) A portion of the 2009-2010 federal award ($500,000) may be available to Michigan PSAs that have not already received a dissemination grant and may apply if they:
- have been in operation for at least three consecutive academic years, and
- are financially viable and operationally successful, and
- have achieved at least 60 percent proficiency in both English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics per Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) results, or serve Strict Discipline Academies (SDAs) or Alternative Education populations and have alternative evidence of their academic success.

Eligible charter schools have been identified and will be posted with the grant
application on the MDE’s website at http://www.michigan.gov/charters.
Individual information sessions are available for eligible applicants as needed
and can be scheduled by emailing the PSAP. See below for email information.

Applications for the 2009-2010 Charter School Planning, Implementation and
Dissemination Grant Program funding will be posted on the MDE’s website at
http://www.michigan.gov/charters. An informational meeting for eligible planning
grant applicants will be held during September 2009. Please email the PSAP as noted
below if you would like your name added to a list of interested parties who will be
notified as information becomes available. The applications will be available and must
be submitted through the Michigan Electronic Grants System (MEGS).

Questions regarding the Charter School Program Grant should be directed to Greg Olszta in the Office of School Improvement, PSAP, at olsztag@michigan.gov.

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