U.S. Department of Labor on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education

Expanding Opportunity Through Quality Charter Schools Program (CSP)-Grants to State Entities

Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.282A

FY 2026 Grant Competition Posted April 16, 2026

Contents Program Information

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants

Costs

Submission Requirements and Deadlines

Program Description

Priorities

Selection Criteria

Performance Measures

Statutory Application Requirements

Supplementary Statutory Requirements

Application Submission Information

Application Review Information

Definitions

Award Requirements

Application Checklist

Program Information The Employment and Training Administration at the U.S. Department of Labor (Labor), is soliciting applications in support of the administration of the Charter Schools Program – State Entity grants on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education (ED). Through the Charter Schools Program – State Entity grants, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) awards grants on a competitive basis to State entities that, in turn, award subgrants to eligible applicants for the purpose of opening new charter schools and replicating and expanding high-quality charter schools.

This program provides financial assistance to State entities to support charter schools that serve elementary and secondary school students in States with a State statute specifically authorizing the establishment of charter schools. Charter schools receiving funds under this program may also serve students in early childhood education programs or postsecondary students.

Grant application reviewers will award competitive preference points to projects or proposals that will be carried out by

1According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 45 hours per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering, and maintaining the data needed, and completing and

State educational agencies or governors.

This priority aligns to the Administration’s efforts to ensure federal education dollars empower states to best meet their teachers’ and students’ needs.

Applicants may also receive competitive preference points for projects or proposals that are designed to expand educational choice such as through increasing access to charter schools with a record of improving academic achievement or with innovative focus areas.

Assistance Listing Number: 84.282A.

Program Authority: Title IV, part C of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7221-7221j).

OMB Control Number: 1894–0006.1

For Further Information: Sareeta Schmitt.

Telephone: (202) 245-8003. Email:

SE_Competition@ed.gov.

Type of Award: Discretionary grants.

Estimated Available Funds: $60,000,000.

Estimated Range of Awards: $2,000,000 to $20,000,000 per year.

Estimated Average Size of Awards:

$9,000,000 per year.

reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is required to obtain or retain benefit and voluntary. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to ICDocketMgr@ed.gov and reference the OMB Control Number 1894-0006. Note: Please do not return completed applications to this address.

https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/20/7221 mailto:SE_Competition@ed.gov mailto:ICDocketMgr@ed.gov

Maximum Award: See the Costs section for information regarding the maximum amount of funds that State entities may award for each charter school receiving subgrant funds.

Estimated Number of Awards: 3-6.

Project Period: Up to 60 months.

Application Deadline: June 18, 2026.

Note: This application notice and instructions is the official document governing the grant competition. ED is not bound by any estimates in this notice.

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants State entities (as defined in this notice) in States with a specific State statute authorizing the granting of charters to schools are eligible to apply. No State entity may receive a grant under this competition for use in a State in which a State entity is currently using a CSP State Entity grant.2

State entities located in States in which a State entity has a current CSP State Entity grant that is not in its final budget period, or that is in its final budget period, but the grantee plans to request a one-time no-cost extension in accordance with 34 CFR 75.261 and 2 CFR 200.308(g)(2)3 ( i.e., Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia, and Wisconsin) are ineligible to apply for a CSP State Entity grant under this competition.

State entities located in States in which a State entity has a current CSP State Entity grant that is operating under a no-cost extension ( i.e., District of Columbia, Florida, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, and Washington), or that is not operating under a no-cost extension but is in its final budget period and has notified ED that it does not intend to request a no-cost extension ( i.e., none), however, are eligible to apply for a CSP State Entity grant under this competition. ED will accept applications from current State entity grantees located in these States as well as from State entities located in these States that do not have current grants.

2 This requirement can be found in section 4303(e)(1) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA).

3 Under 34 CFR 75.261, a grantee may extend the project period of an award one time for up to 12 months without the prior approval of the Department if the grantee meets the requirements for extension in 2 CFR 200.308(g)(2), and Department statutes, regulations, and the terms of the award do not prohibit the extension.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.261 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.308#p-200.308(g)(2) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.308#p-200.308(g)(2) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.261 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.308#p-200.308(g)(2)

If multiple State entities in a State submit applications that receive high enough scores to be recommended for funding under this competition, only the highest scoring application among such State entities will be funded.

Costs

Cost Sharing

This program does not require cost sharing or matching.

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 the ED website.

Funding Restrictions

A State entity receiving a grant under this section shall— (A) use not less than 90 percent of the grant funds to award subgrants to eligible applicants; (B) reserve not less than 7 percent of such funds to provide technical assistance to subgrantees and charter school authorizers; and (C) reserve not more than 3 percent of such funds for administrative costs, which may include technical assistance (ESEA section 4303(c)(1)(A)(B)(C)).

Subgrantees

Under section 4303(b) and (c)(2) of the ESEA, a State entity must award subgrants to eligible applicants and may award subgrants to technical assistance providers. Under section 4303(d)(2) of the ESEA, when awarding subgrants to eligible applicants, a State entity must use a peer review process to review applications.

Use of Funds

State entities may use grant funds to provide technical assistance to eligible applicants and authorized public chartering agencies in opening and preparing for the operation of new charter schools and replicated high-quality charter schools, and expanding high-quality charter schools, and to work with these agencies in the State to improve authorizing quality, including developing capacity for, and conducting, fiscal oversight and auditing of charter schools. State Entity grant funds may also be used for grant administration, which may include technical assistance and monitoring of subgrants for performance and fiscal and regulatory compliance, as required under 2 CFR 200.332(e).

Reasonable and Necessary Costs https://www.ed.gov/about/ed-offices/ofo#Indirect-Cost-Division https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.332#p-200.332(e)

ED may elect to impose maximum limits on the amount of subgrant funds that a State entity may award to an eligible applicant per new charter school created or replicated, per charter school expanded, or per new school seat created (34 CFR 75.101(a)(2) and 75.104(b)).

For this competition, the maximum amount of subgrant funds a State entity may award to a subgrantee per new charter school, replicated high-quality charter school, or expanded high-quality charter school over a 5-year subgrant period is $2,000,000.

Note: Applicants must ensure that all costs included in the proposed budget are necessary and reasonable to meet the goals and objectives of the proposed project. Any costs determined by ED to be unreasonable or unnecessary will be removed from the final approved budget.

Note: See the Supplementary Statutory Requirements section below for more information on funding restrictions, limitations on grants and subgrants, other CSP grants, uses of subgrant funds, and diversity of projects.

Submission Requirements and Deadlines

Applications Available April 16, 2026 Application Deadline June 18, 2026 Deadline for Intergovernmental Review August 18, 2026

Applicants are required to follow the 2025 Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on August 29, 2025 (90 FR 42234) and available at ED 2025 Common Instructions.

Program Description

Priorities This notice includes one absolute priority and seven competitive preference priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), the Absolute Priority and Competitive Preference Priorities 1-5 are from section 4303(g)(2) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7221b(g)(2)). Competitive Preference Priorities 6 and 7 are from the 2025 Supplemental Priorities and Definitions for Discretionary Grants Programs (2025 SSPs), published in the Federal Register on September 9, 2025 (90 FR 43514).

An applicant must identify in the abstract form and the project narrative section of the application any priority that it addresses.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.101#p-75.101(a)(2) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.104#p-75.104(b) https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/29/2025-16571/common-instructions-and-information-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.105#p-75.105(b)(2)(iv) https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/20/7221b https://www.federalregister.gov/citation/90-FR-43514

For FY 2026, and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications for this competition, these absolute and competitive preference priorities are as reflected in this document.

Absolute Priority: We consider only applications that meet the absolute priority.

Absolute Priority Title Required Priority Language

Best Practices for Charter School Authorizers

Yes To meet this priority, the State entity must demonstrate that it has taken steps to ensure that all authorized public chartering agencies4 implement best practices for charter school authorizing.5

Competitive Preference Priorities: An application may receive a maximum of 18 additional points under the competitive preference priorities. ED will not review or award points for any competitive preference priority that an applicant fails to clearly identify as a competitive preference priority.

Competitive Preference Priority (CPP) Title

Required Points Priority Language

CPP 1—At Least One Authorized Public Chartering Agency Other than a Local Educational Agency, or an Appeals Process

No 0 or 1 point

To meet this priority, the State entity must demonstrate that it is located in a State that—

(a) Allows at least one entity that is not a local educational agency (LEA) to be an authorized public chartering agency for developers seeking to open a charter school in the State;

or

(b) In the case of a State in which LEAs are the only authorized public chartering agencies, the State has an appeals process for the denial

4 Although section 4303(g)(2)(F) of the ESEA uses the term “authorizing public chartering agencies,” consistent with section 4310(1), the correct term is “authorized public chartering agencies.”

5 See Assurance (5) in the Requirements section below for additional detail on how a State entity may promote quality authorizing.

of an application for a charter school.

CPP 2—Equitable Financing

No 0 or 1 point

To meet this priority, the State entity must demonstrate that it is located in a State that ensures equitable financing, as compared to traditional public schools, for charter schools and students in a prompt manner.

CPP 3—Best Practices to Improve Struggling Schools and Local Educational Agencies (LEAs)

No Up to 2 points

To be eligible to receive points under this priority, the State entity must demonstrate that it is located in a State that uses best practices from charter schools to help improve struggling schools and LEAs.

CPP 4—Charter School Facilities

No 0 or 1 point

To meet this priority, the State entity must demonstrate that it is located in a State that provides charter schools one or more of the following:

(a) Funding for facilities.

(b) Assistance with facilities acquisition.

(c) Access to public facilities.

(d) The ability to share in bonds or mill levies.

(e) The right of first refusal to purchase public school buildings.

(f) Low- or no-cost leasing privileges.

CPP 5—Serving At- Risk Students

No Up to 3 points

To be eligible to receive points under this priority, the State entity must demonstrate that it supports charter schools that serve at-risk students through activities such as dropout prevention, dropout recovery, or comprehensive career counseling services.

CPP 6—Returning Education to the States

No 0 or 5 points

Projects or proposals that will be carried out by one or more of the following:

(a) State educational agencies (as defined in 20 U.S.C. 7801(49)), or

(b) Governors.

CPP 7 - Expanding Education Choice

No Up to 5 points

Projects or proposals that will increase access to public charter schools and other innovative school models, such as public laboratory schools, magnet schools, public microschools, course-based choice, or regional academies, which may include efforts to expand or replicate existing charter schools that have a record of improving students' academic achievement or have a specific focus on one or more of the following:

(1) Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), including computer science,

(2) Career and technical education,

(3) Evidence-based literacy instruction,

(4) Serving students with disabilities,

(5) Patriotic education, or

(6) Classical education.

Note: Please see the Definitions section for the definition of “computer science,” which is inclusive of artificial intelligence. See the U.S. Department of Labor’s Artificial Intelligence Literacy Framework for additional, optional background and resources.

Note: Career and technical education is inclusive of pre-apprenticeship programs.

https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/20/7801 https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/advisories/TEN/2025/TEN%2007-25/TEN%2007-25%20%28complete%20document%29.pdf https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/advisories/TEN/2025/TEN%2007-25/TEN%2007-25%20%28complete%20document%29.pdf https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/advisories/TEN/2025/TEN%2007-25/TEN%2007-25%20%28complete%20document%29.pdf

Note: In responding to CPP 7 on Expanding Education Choice, an applicant should explain how it will encourage, but not require, eligible applicants for subgrants to propose charter schools that have a specific focus on one or more of the six priority areas listed above or that have a record of improving students’ academic achievement.

To receive points under this priority, an applicant need not prioritize any of the subgrant purposes in section 4303(b)(1), including opening new charter schools, replicating high-quality charter schools, or expanding high-quality charter schools.

In addition, ED notes that applicants must propose activities and uses of funds that are allowable under the program statute, as detailed in this document, and ensure that all schools funded through the CSP grant meet the definition of a charter school in this notice.

Selection Criteria The Department evaluates applications using selection criteria. The maximum possible total score an application can receive for addressing the criteria is 100 points. The maximum possible score for addressing each criterion is indicated in parentheses following the criterion. The selection criteria for this competition are from section 4303(g)(1) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7221b(g)(1)) and 34 CFR 75.210.

In addressing the selection criteria and application requirements an applicant must clearly identify which criterion or requirement it is addressing. In addition, an applicant must address corresponding application requirements when addressing the specific selection criteria noted in the table below.

(a) Quality of the Project Design (up to 30 points). The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the proposed project. In determining the quality of the design of the proposed project, the Secretary considers:

(1) The quality of the logic model or other conceptual framework underlying the proposed project, including how inputs are related to outcomes. (34 CFR 75.210) (up to 5 points);

(2) The ambitiousness of the State entity's objectives for the quality charter school program carried out under the CSP State Entity program (section 4303(g)(1)(B) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7221b(g)(1)(B)) (up to 5 points);

(3) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the proposed project and the costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project. (34 CFR 75.210) (up to 10 points); and https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/20/7221b https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.210 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.210 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.210

(4) The extent to which the proposed project demonstrates that it is designed to build capacity and yield sustainable results that will extend beyond the project period. (34 CFR 75.210) (up to 10 points)

(b) Quality of Eligible Applicants Receiving Subgrants (up to 15 points): The likelihood that the eligible applicants receiving subgrants under the program will meet the State entity's objectives for the quality charter school program and improve educational results for students (section 4303(g)(1)(C) (20 U.S.C. 7221b(g)(1)(C))).

(c) State Plan (up to 35 points): The State entity's plan to—

(1) Adequately monitor the eligible applicants receiving subgrants under the State entity's program (section 4303(g)(1)(D)(i) (20 U.S.C. 7221b(g)(1)(D)(i))) (up to 10 points);

(2) Work with the authorized public chartering agencies involved to avoid duplication of work for the charter schools and authorized public chartering agencies (section 4303(g)(1)(D)(ii) (20 U.S.C. 7221b(g)(1)(D)(ii))) (up to 5 points);

(3) Provide technical assistance and support for—

(i) The eligible applicants receiving subgrants under the State entity's program; and

(ii) Quality authorizing efforts in the State (section 4303(g)(1)(D)(iii) of ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7221b(g)(1)(D)(iii))) (up to 10 points);

(4) The State entity's plan to solicit and consider input from parents and other members of the community on the implementation and operation of charter schools in the State (section 4303(g)(1)(E) of ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7221b(g)(1)(E))) (up to 5 points); and

(5) The degree of flexibility afforded by the State's charter school law and how the State entity will work to maximize the flexibility provided to charter schools under such law (section 4303(g)(1)(A) of ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7221b(g)(1)(A))) (up to 5 points).

(d) Quality of the Management Plan (up to 20 points). The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed project. In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed project, the Secretary considers:

(1) The feasibility of the management plan to achieve project objectives and goals on time and within budget, including clearly defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing project tasks (34 CFR 75.210) (up to 10 points);

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.210 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/20/7221b https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/20/7221b https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/20/7221b https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/20/7221b https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/20/7221b

(2) The adequacy of plans for ensuring the use of quantitative and qualitative data, including meaningful community member and partner input, to inform continuous improvement in the operation of the proposed project (34 CFR 75.210) (up to 5 points); and

(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 (34 CFR 75.210) (up to 5 points).

When responding to the following Selection Criteria…

…address these Application Requirement(s).

Quality of the Project Design paragraph (a)(1)

(a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(vii), (a)(1)(ix), (a)(2)(ii), and (a)(2)(iii).

Quality of Eligible Subgrant Applicants (b) (a)(1)(ii), (a)(1)(xiii), (a)(3)(i), (a)(3)(ii), (a)(5), and (a)(7).

State Plan paragraph (c)(1) (a)(1)(vi) and (a)(1)(x).

State Plan paragraph (c)(3) (a)(1)(iii), (a)(1)(iv), (a)(1)(viii), and (a)(1)(xi).

Management Plan (d) (a)(4).

All other application requirements not listed in the table above must be addressed elsewhere in the Project Narrative. This includes all assurances and the following requirements: (a)(1)(v), (a)(1)(xii), (a)(2)(i), and (a)(6), (b)(1), (b)(2), (b)(3), (b)(4), (b)(5), (b)(6), (b)(7), (c)(1), and (c)(2). Applicants should identify in the Project Narrative where they have addressed each requirement.

Performance Measures ED has developed the following performance measures for the purposes of reporting to ED under 34 CFR 75.110:

Program Performance Measures

ED developed the following program performance indicators to evaluate the overall effectiveness of this program:

Program Performance Measure 1 The number of charter schools in operation around the Nation.

Program Performance Measure 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.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.210 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.110

Program Efficiency Measure The Federal cost per student in implementing a successful school (defined as a school in operation for three or more consecutive years).

In accordance with 34 CFR 75.110(b), applications must describe:

1. The data collection and reporting methods the applicant would use and why those methods are likely to yield reliable, valid, and meaningful performance data.

2. 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.

Project-Specific Performance Measures

Applicants must propose project-specific performance measures and performance targets consistent with the objectives of the proposed project. In accordance with 34 CFR 75.110(c), applications must include the following:

(1) Project-specific performance measures. How each proposed project-specific performance measure would: accurately measure the performance of the project; be consistent with the program performance measures; and be used to inform continuous improvement of the project.

(2) Baseline data. (i) Why each proposed baseline is valid and reliable, including an assessment of the quality data used to establish the baseline; 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 of 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).

In addition to providing performance measure information in applications, all grantees must submit an annual performance report with information that is responsive to these performance measures.

Statutory Application Requirements The application requirements in this application notice and instructions are from section 4303(f) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7221b(f)). ED will not fund an application that does not meet https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.110#p-75.110(b) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.110#p-75.110(c) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.110#p-75.110(c) each application requirement. Applicants should identify in the Project Narrative where they have addressed each requirement.

(a) Description of Program—A description of the State entity's objectives in running a quality charter school program and how the objectives of the program will be carried out, including—

(1) A description of how the State entity will—

(i) Support the opening of charter schools through the startup of new charter schools and, if applicable, the replication of high-quality charter schools, and the expansion of high-quality charter schools (including the proposed number of new charter schools to be opened, high-quality charter schools to be opened as a result of the replication of a high-quality charter school, or high-quality charter schools to be expanded under the State entity's program);

(ii) Inform eligible charter schools, developers, and authorized public chartering agencies of the availability of funds under the program;

(iii) Work with eligible applicants to ensure that the eligible applicants access all Federal funds that such applicants are eligible to receive, and help the charter schools supported by the applicants and the students attending those charter schools—

(A) Participate in the Federal programs in which the schools and students are eligible to participate;

(B) Receive the commensurate share of Federal funds the schools and students are eligible to receive under such programs; and

(C) Meet the needs of students served under such programs, including students with disabilities and English learners;

(iv) Ensure that authorized public chartering agencies, in collaboration with surrounding LEAs where applicable, establish clear plans and procedures to assist students enrolled in a charter school that closes or loses its charter to attend other high-quality schools;

(v) In the case of a State entity that is not a State educational agency (SEA)—

(A) Work with the SEA and charter schools in the State to maximize charter school participation in Federal and State programs for which charter schools are eligible; and

(B) Work with the SEA to operate the State entity's program under section 4303 of the ESEA, if applicable;

(vi) Ensure that each eligible applicant that receives a subgrant under the State entity's program—

(A) Is using funds provided under this program for one of the activities described in section 4303(b)(1) of the ESEA; and

(B) Is prepared to continue to operate charter schools funded under section 4303 of the ESEA in a manner consistent with the eligible applicant's application for such subgrant once the subgrant funds under this program are no longer available;

(vii) Support—

(A) Charter schools in LEAs with a significant number of schools identified by the State for comprehensive support and improvement under section 1111(c)(4)(D)(i) of the ESEA; and

(B) The use of charter schools to improve struggling schools, or to turn around struggling schools;

(viii) Work with charter schools on—

(A) Recruitment and enrollment practices to promote inclusion of all students, including by eliminating any barriers to enrollment for educationally disadvantaged students (who include foster youth and unaccompanied homeless youth); and

(B) Supporting all students once they are enrolled to promote retention, including by reducing the overuse of discipline practices that remove students from the classroom;

(ix) Share best and promising practices between charter schools and other public schools;

(x) Ensure that charter schools receiving funds under the State entity's program meet the educational needs of their students, including children with disabilities and English learners;

(xi) Support efforts to increase charter school quality initiatives, including meeting the quality authorizing elements described in section 4303(f)(2)(E) of the ESEA;

(xii)

(A) In the case of a State entity that is not a charter school support organization, a description of how the State entity will provide oversight of authorizing activity, including how the State will help ensure better authorizing, such as by establishing authorizing standards that may include approving, monitoring, and re-approving or revoking the authority of an authorized public chartering agency based on the performance of the charter schools authorized by such agency in the areas of student achievement, student safety, financial and operational management, and compliance with all applicable statutes and regulations; and

(B) In the case of a State entity that is a charter school support organization, a description of how the State entity will work with the State to support the State's system of technical assistance and oversight of the authorizing activity of authorized public chartering agencies, as described in application requirement (a)(1)(xii)(A); and

(xiii) Work with eligible applicants receiving a subgrant under the State entity's program to support the opening of new charter schools or charter school models described in application requirement (a)(1)(i) that are high schools (ESEA section 4303(f));

(2) A description of the extent to which the State entity—

(i) Is able to meet and carry out Competitive Preference Priorities 1 through 5;6

(ii) Is working to develop or strengthen a cohesive statewide system to support the opening of new charter schools and, if applicable, the replication of high-quality charter schools, and the expansion of high-quality charter schools; and

(iii) Is working to develop or strengthen a cohesive strategy to encourage collaboration between charter schools and LEAs on the sharing of best practices (ESEA section 4303(f));

(3) A description of how the State entity will award subgrants, on a competitive basis, including—

(i) A description of the application each eligible applicant desiring to receive a subgrant will be required to submit, which application must include the following:

(A) A description of the roles and responsibilities of eligible applicants, partner organizations, and charter management organizations (CMOs), including the administrative and contractual roles and responsibilities of such partners (ESEA section 4303(f));

(B) A description of the quality controls agreed to between the eligible applicant and the authorized public chartering agency involved, such as a contract or performance agreement; how a school's performance in the State's accountability system and impact on student achievement (which may include student academic growth) will be one of the most important factors for renewal or revocation of the school's charter; and how the State entity and the authorized public chartering agency involved will reserve the right to

6 In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), applications are not required to address competitive preference priorities but may receive additional points if they do so. However, to meet this application requirement, the State entity must describe the extent to which it is able to meet and carry out competitive preference priorities 1 through 5. If the State entity is unable to meet and carry out one or more of these competitive preference priorities, the description for that priority should state that the State entity is unable to meet or carry out the priority.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.105#p-75.105(c)(2)(i) revoke or not renew a school's charter based on financial, structural, or operational factors involving the management of the school (ESEA section 4303(f));

(C) A description of how the autonomy and flexibility granted to a charter school is consistent with the definition of charter school in section 4310 of the ESEA (ESEA section 4303(f));

(D) A description of how the eligible applicant will solicit and consider input from parents and other members of the community on the implementation and operation of each charter school that will receive funds under the State entity's program (ESEA section 4303(f));

(E) A description of the eligible applicant's planned activities and expenditures of subgrant funds to support opening and preparing for the operation of new charter schools, opening and preparing for the operation of replicated high-quality charter schools, or expanding high-quality charter schools, and how the eligible applicant will maintain financial sustainability after the end of the subgrant period (ESEA section 4303(f));

(F) A description of how the eligible applicant will support the use of effective parent, family, and community engagement strategies to operate each charter school that will receive funds under the State entity's program (ESEA section 4303(f)); and

(ii) A description of how the State entity will review applications from eligible applicants (ESEA section 4303(f));

(4) In the case of a State entity that partners with an outside organization to carry out the State entity's quality charter school program, in whole or in part, a description of the roles and responsibilities of the partner (ESEA section 4303(f));

(5) A description of how the State entity will ensure that each charter school receiving funds under the State entity's program has considered and planned for the transportation needs of the school's students (4303(f));

(6) A description of how the State in which the State entity is located addresses charter schools in the State's open meetings and open records laws (ESEA section 4303(f));

(7) A description of how the State entity will support diverse charter school models, including models that serve rural communities (ESEA section 4303(f));

(b) Assurances—Assurances that—

(1) Each charter school receiving funds through the State entity's program will have a high degree of autonomy over budget and operations, including autonomy over personnel decisions (ESEA section 4303(f));

(2) The State entity will support charter schools in meeting the educational needs of their students, including children with disabilities and English learners (ESEA section 4303(f));

(3) The State entity will ensure that the authorized public chartering agency of any charter school that receives funds under the State entity's program adequately monitors each charter school under the authority of such agency in recruiting, enrolling, retaining, and meeting the needs of all students, including children with disabilities and English learners (ESEA section 4303(f));

(4) The State entity will provide adequate technical assistance to eligible applicants to meet the objectives described in application requirement (a)(1)(viii) (ESEA section 4303(f));

(5) The State entity will promote quality authorizing, consistent with State law, such as through providing technical assistance to support each authorized public chartering agency in the State to improve such agency's ability to monitor the charter schools authorized by the agency, including by—

(i) Assessing annual performance data of the schools, including, as appropriate, graduation rates, student academic growth, and rates of student attrition;

(ii) Reviewing the schools' independent, annual audits of financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and ensuring that any such audits are publicly reported; and

(iii) Holding charter schools accountable to the academic, financial, and operational quality controls agreed to between the charter school and the authorized public chartering agency involved, such as renewal, non-renewal, or revocation of the school's charter (ESEA section 4303(f));

(6) The State entity will work to ensure that charter schools are included with the traditional public schools in decision-making about the public school system in the State (ESEA section 4303(f)); and

(7) The State entity will ensure that each charter school receiving funds under the State entity's 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—

(i) Information on the educational program;

(ii) Student support services;

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

(iv) Enrollment criteria (as applicable); and

(v) 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 must 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 (ESEA section 4303(f)).

(c) Waivers—Requests for information about waivers, including—

(1) A request and justification for waivers of any Federal statutory or regulatory provisions that the State entity believes are necessary for the successful operation of the charter schools that will receive funds under the State entity's program under section 4303 of the ESEA or, in the case of a State entity that is a charter school support organization, a description of how the State entity will work with the State to request such necessary waivers, where applicable; 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. (4303(a) of the ESEA).

Note: ED recognizes that State entities and the charter schools they serve may need additional flexibility in implementing CSP grants and subgrants to achieve the purposes of the CSP. Under section 4303(d)(5) of the ESEA, the Secretary, in her discretion, may waive any statutory or regulatory requirement over which she exercises administrative authority, except the requirements related to the definition of “charter school” in section 4310(2), 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.

For example, a State Entity applicant may request approval from ED, on behalf of its subgrant applicants, for a waiver of requirements in section 4303(h) of the ESEA regarding use of funds to allow subgrantees to use funds for sustained costs ( e.g., personnel costs for school leaders or instructional staff, software subscriptions, student assessments, etc.) throughout the life of the grant, provided that such costs are necessary to open new charter schools or replicate or expand high-quality charter schools and that the charter school can demonstrate that it will maintain financial sustainability after the end of the subgrant period.

Supplementary Statutory Requirements Funding Restrictions

In accordance with section 4303(c) of the ESEA, a State entity receiving a grant under this program must: (a) use not less than 90 percent of the grant funds to award subgrants to eligible applicants, in accordance with the quality charter school program described in the State entity's application pursuant to section 4303(f), for activities related to opening and preparing for the operation of new charter schools and replicated high-quality charter schools, or expanding high-quality charter schools; (b) reserve not less than 7 percent of the grant funds to provide technical assistance to eligible applicants and authorized public chartering agencies in carrying out such activities, and to work with authorized public chartering agencies in the State to improve authorizing quality, including developing capacity for, and conducting, fiscal oversight and auditing of charter schools; and (c) reserve not more than 3 percent of the grant funds for administrative costs, which may include technical assistance. The State entity's application should include a description of the State entity's objectives in providing technical assistance to eligible applicants and authorized public chartering agencies under section 4303(b)(2) of the ESEA, and the activities identified to provide such technical assistance. A State entity may use a grant received under this program to provide technical assistance and to work with authorized public chartering agencies to improve authorizing quality under section 4303(b)(2) of the ESEA directly or through grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements.

Limitation on Grants and Subgrants

Under section 4303(d) of the ESEA, a grant awarded by the Secretary to a State entity under this competition must be for a period of not more than 5 years.

Additionally, a subgrant awarded by a State entity under this program must be for a period of not more than 5 years, of which an eligible applicant may use not more than 18 months for planning and program design. An eligible applicant may not receive more than one subgrant under this program for each individual charter school for a 5-year period, unless the eligible applicant demonstrates to the State entity that such individual charter school has at least 3 years of improved educational results for students enrolled in such charter school, with respect to the elements described in section 4310(8)(A) and (D) of the ESEA.7

Other CSP Grants

A charter school that previously received funds for opening or preparing to operate a new charter school, or replicating or expanding a high-quality charter school, under the CSP State Entity program (ALN number 84.282A), the CSP Grants to Charter Management Organizations for the Replication and Expansion of High-Quality Charter Schools (CMO) program (ALN number 84.282M), or the CSP Developer program (ALN numbers 84.282B

7 Section 4303(e)(2) of the ESEA prescribes the circumstances under which an eligible applicant may be eligible to apply to a State entity for a second subgrant for an individual charter school for a 5-year period. The eligible applicant still would have to meet all program requirements, including the requirements for replicating or expanding a high-quality charter school.

and 84.282E), may not use funds under this program to carry out the same or substantially similar activities. However, such charter school may be eligible to receive funds under this competition to expand the charter school beyond the existing grade levels or student count.

Likewise, a charter school that previously was awarded a subgrant by a State entity under this program (or the former CSP Grants for State Educational Agencies program) is ineligible to receive funds to carry out the same activities under the CMO program (ALN number 84.282M) or Developer program (ALN numbers 84.282B and 84.282E), including for opening or preparing to operate a new charter school, or for replication or expansion.

Uses of Subgrant Funds

Under section 4303(b) of the ESEA, State entities awarded grants under this competition must award subgrants to eligible applicants to enable such eligible applicants to—

(a) Open and prepare for the operation of new charter schools;

(b) Open and prepare for the operation of replicated high-quality charter schools; or

(c) Expand high-quality charter schools.

Under section 4303(h) of the ESEA, an eligible applicant receiving a subgrant under this program must use such funds to support activities related to opening and preparing for the operation of new charter schools or replicating or expanding high-quality charter schools, which must include one or more of the following:

(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 specified in the application for subgrant funds, 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.

(f) Providing for other appropriate, non-sustained costs related to opening, replicating, or expanding high-quality charter schools when such costs cannot be met from other sources.

Diversity of Projects

Per section 4303(d)(4) of the ESEA, each State entity awarding subgrants under this competition must award subgrants in a manner that, to the extent practicable and applicable, ensures that such subgrants—

(a) Are distributed throughout different areas, including urban, suburban, and rural areas;

and

(b) Will assist charter schools representing a variety of educational approaches.

Application Submission Information Pre-Application Webinar Information

ED will hold a pre-application webinar for interested applicants. Detailed information regarding this webinar will be provided at the CSP State Entity webpage on the FY 2026 CSP State Entity Competition tab. There is no registration fee for attending this meeting.

Registration

To apply, you must first be registered in two systems: SAM.gov and Grants.gov. If you are already registered, make sure your registration is active and up to date.

Grants.gov registration involves several steps, including registration on SAM.gov. You may begin working on your application while completing the registration process, but you cannot apply until all registration steps are complete. Once your SAM registration is active, it will take 24-48 hours for the information to become available in Grants.gov. For detailed information on the registration steps, please go to: Grants.gov Applicant Registration.

Please note that your organization will need to update its SAM registration annually.

https://www.ed.gov/grants-and-programs/grants-birth-grade-12/charter-school-programs/expanding-opportunities-through-quality-charter-schools-program-csp-grants-state-entities http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration

ED strongly recommends that you do not wait until the last day to submit your application.

Grants.gov will put a date/time stamp on your application and then process it after it is fully uploaded. If Grants.gov rejects your application, you will need to resubmit successfully to Grants.gov before 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date.

You must provide the Unique-Entity ID (UEI) on your application that was used when you registered as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) on Grants.gov. This UEI is assigned to your organization in SAM at the time your organization registers in SAM. If you do not enter the UEI assigned by SAM on your application, Grants.gov will reject your application.

A Grants.gov applicant must apply online using Workspace, a shared environment in Grants.gov where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different web forms within an application. The Grants.gov website contains further instructions on how to apply.

Intergovernmental Review

This is subject to Executive Order 12372 (Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs) and the regulations in 34 CFR Part 79. One of the objectives of Executive Order 12372 is to strengthen federalism – or the distribution of responsibility between localities, States, and the Federal government – by fostering intergovernmental partnerships. This idea includes supporting processes that State or local governments have developed to coordinate and

SAM.gov

You must have an active account with SAM.gov. This includes having a Unique Entity Identifier. SAM.gov registration can take several weeks. Begin that process early.

To register, go to SAM.gov and click on "Get Started."

Click on the Entity Registration Checklist for the information you will need to register in SAM.gov.

If you need help, you can call 866-606-8220 or live chat with the Federal Service Desk.

Grants.gov

You must also have an active account with Grants.gov.

To register, go to Grants.gov and click “Register.” When ready, click on “Get Registered Now” and complete the required fields.

For more information or assistance, click on “Applicant Registration Page.”

https://www.grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/how-to-apply-for-grants https://www.grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/how-to-apply-for-grants https://sam.gov/…