Charter School Facility Grant Program

Funding Description

The Charter School Facility Grant Program provides assistance with facilities rent and lease expenditures for charter schools that meet specific eligibility criteria.

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants	Local educational agencies, nonprofit organizations
Required Eligibility Criteria	A charter school site must be geographically located within the attendance area of a public elementary school in which at least 70 percent of the pupil enrollment is eligible for free and reduced price meals, or serving a pupil population that meets or exceeds 70 percent eligibility for free and reduced price meals. Other conditions may apply (see Education Code Section 47614.5).
Other Eligibility Considerations	Eligibility specifically excludes units of average daily attendance (ADA) generated through nonclassroom-based instruction, charter schools occupying existing school district or county office of education facilities, and charter schools receiving reasonably equivalent facilities from their chartering authority (see Education Code sections 47614 and 47614.5).
Eligible Grade Level(s)	K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Eligible Age Level(s)	Not applicable

Funding

Legal Authority	Education Code Section 47614.5; Budget Item 6110-220-0001, Education Code Section 47614.7; Senate Bill 658 (Chapter 271, Statues of 2008)
Source / Type	State / Grant
State Fiscal Year	2009-10
SACS Resource / Revenue Codes	6030 / 8590
Total Available	$56,700,000
Recipient Amount	Up to $750 per unit of classroom-based ADA
Match Requirement	No
Allocation Formula	The Charter School Facility Grant Program reimburses eligible charter schools for facilities rent and lease costs up to $750 per unit of classroom-based average daily attendance (ADA), as certified at the 2008-09 second principal apportionment, but no more than 75 percent of the total annual facilities rent and lease costs. If there are insufficient funds to reimburse all eligible schools at the maximum level, the funding will be reduced on a pro-rata basis. 2008-09 eligible reimbursements will be paid in two installments of 75 percent and 25 percent. 2009-10 eligible funding will be paid 50 percent in October, and the balance of funds will be paid contingent on expenditure reports.

Important Dates

Date Application Available	August 1, 2009
Due Date	August 31, 2009
Expected Notification Date	October 1, 2009

Additional Information

Application	RFA-09: Charter School Facility Grant Program [http://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/fo/r1/csfacgrnt09rfa.asp]
Background	Charter School Facility Grant Program [http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cs/as/facgrntoc.asp]
Fiscal	Unavailable
Other	If an existing charter school, located in an elementary attendance area in which less than 50 percent of pupil enrollment is eligible for free or reduced price meals, relocates to an attendance area, admission preference shall be given to pupils residing in the elementary school attendance area into which the charter school is relocating. This condition is intended to ensure the needs of students residing in predominantly financially disadvantaged areas are also being met.

Contacts

Program	Charter Facilities, 916-323-5833, charterfacility@cde.ca.gov
Fiscal	Charter Facilities, 916-323-5833, charterfacility@cde.ca.gov
Division	Charter School Division, 916-322-6029 (phone), 916-322-1465 (fax)