Sherman Thomas Charter Schools

Sherman Thomas Charter Schools, a nonprofit educational organization based in Madera, California, operates as a federal grant sub-recipient exclusively — it receives no prime federal contracts or grant awards, and all nine awards in its footprint are sub-awards flowing from the Department of Education, California.

Sherman Thomas Charter Schools acts solely as a sub-recipient under federal education grants administered through the California Department of Education. The organization serves two distinct customer agencies: the Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (five awards) and the Department of Education Office of English Language Acquisition (one award), representing 67% of recent awards. Work centers on Title I funding to improve teaching and learning in high-poverty schools serving children failing or at-risk of failing to meet state academic achievement standards, English language acquisition and proficiency for limited English proficient children, and capacity-building to increase student academic achievement through teacher and principal quality improvement. Sherman Thomas also received sub-award funding under coronavirus pandemic-relief grants (two awards, January 2023) to prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19 across schools.

Activity has accelerated notably in 2026, with five awards issued in the first eight months of the year compared to one in 2024 and one in 2025. Combined obligations across all nine sub-awards total $314 thousand since the first award in January 2023. The vendor operates entirely within California's state education grant ecosystem and does not pursue or hold federal prime contracts, IDIQs, GWACs, or other government-wide vehicles. Its role is confined to direct service delivery as a sub-recipient of federal dollars passed through state education administration, with no teaming relationships or subcontracting posture in the federal contractor ecosystem.