Public Charter Schools Grant Program (PCSGP)
General Information
The purpose of the PCSGP is to finish planning and to open high-quality charter schools, and to share best practices developed within charter schools with other public charter and traditional schools. Federal law establishes grant project timelines. All grant work and expenditures must take place between the beginning and ending dates of the grant. The California Department of Education cannot extend, or waive, grant ending dates. In order to successfully complete grant projects and receive all grant payments, PCSGP award recipients must fulfill specific benchmark reports by specific due dates.
Payments
Payments are released to grant award recipients after, and only
if, they successfully complete benchmark reports by specific
due dates. Payments are transferred either to a local educational
agency on behalf of grant recipients or, in the case of direct-funded award recipients, to their own account. It takes roughly
four to six weeks for payments to reach award recipients after the California Department of Education triggers the release of funds. Grant award recipients
are encouraged to double-check their reports for math errors
and review them in comparison with the last approved budget and
PCSGP allowable expenses before submitting them to the Charter Schools
Division. Reports containing errors cannot be approved and put
grant recipients at risk of delayed payments or forfeiting further
payment and grant eligibility.
PCSGP Allowable Expenses
Making Grant Changes
Grant recipients may change grant contact and budget information
during the lives of their grants. To change contact information,
submit your request in writing to:
California Department of Education
Charter Schools Division
Public Charter Schools Grant Program
1430 N Street, Suite 5401
Sacramento, CA 95814-5901
Numbered charter schools must also submit a CDS Code Change Request
form to the CDS Data Administrator. The form and address may be
found on the Schools & Districts
Web page.
Grant recipients must formally request approval for changes to
their grant budgets only when their proposed changes impact the
scope of their projects or the areas of contracts or training.
Budget revision must be submitted using the online system. Grant recipients
are responsible to follow federal law and PCSGP guidelines when
making expenditures. Reports articulating disallowed expenditures
will not be approved.
