GEPA Section 427 Form

NOTICE TO ALL APPLICANTS: EQUITY FOR STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, AND OTHER PROGRAM BENEFICIARIES

Section 427 of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) (20 U.S.C. 1228), applies to applicants for grant awards under this program.

ALL APPLICANTS FOR NEW GRANT AWARDS MUST INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IN THEIR APPLICATIONS TO ADDRESS THIS PROVISION IN ORDER TO RECEIVE FUNDING UNDER THIS PROGRAM.

Please respond to the following requests for information:

Describe how your entity’s existing mission, policies, or commitments ensure equitable access to, and equitable participation in, the proposed project or activity.

The primary purpose of the California Department of Education (CDE) Charter School Grant Program (CSP) is to increase access to high-quality education options through the development of new or expansion of high-quality schools, increase academic performance in underperforming charter schools, and to improve charter school oversight practices throughout the state.

Based on your proposed project or activity, what barriers may impede equitable access and participation of students, educators, or other beneficiaries?

1. Barrier: Access to electronic documents by persons with disabilities.
2. Barrier: Access to adequate transportation for students to attend high-quality charter schools.
3. Barrier: Access to instructional materials by non-English speakers.
4. Barrier: Limited access to technical assistance workshops due to the large geographic nature of the state.

Based on the barriers identified, what steps will you take to address such barriers to equitable access and participation in the proposed project or activity?

1. Solution: The Request for Application (RFA) is posted on multiple CDE listserv databases and meets all 504 Americans with Disabilities (ADA) requirements for electronic documents allowing them processed through document readers including those used to assist blind applicants. Other considerations will be made to ensure the document is readily accessible to traditionally underrepresented groups.
2. Solution: As part of the required sub-grant application narrative, all sub-grantees will be asked to describe how the school will provide adequate transportation for students to and from all school activities. Technical assistance will be provided to all applicants on how CSP funding may be used to acquire one-time transportation equipment.
3. Solution: The CDE CSP project includes the development of technical assistance webinars to schools serving English Language Development (ELD) students. The grant funds will assist with the development and dissemination of bilingual materials and resources for students and teachers throughout the state.
4. Solution: The CDE project includes on-line webinars allowing more schools to participate in CSP targeted technical assistance workshops. Technical assistance for Authorizers will also be offered in a similar format.

What is your timeline, including targeted milestones, for addressing these identified barriers?

Timeline and Milestone:

October 2024: Begin on-line webinars for charter school authorizer technical assistance to reach a broad audience across the state.

Jan. 2025: Begin dissemination of the Request for Application (RFA) through multiple CDE listserv databases, ensuring compliance with ADA requirements for electronic documents. Provide technical assistance to sub-grantees on transportation solutions, including guidance on how CSP funding can be utilized for acquiring transportation equipment.

December 2024: Develop RFA/RFP for sub-grants to deliver technical assistance to all eligible applicants and charter schools specifically on the topic of serving English Language Development (ELD) students.

March 2025: Begin implementation of on-line technical assistance webinars in a broad range of topics to support dissemination of best practices across the state.

Ongoing: Monitor implementation and gather feedback from educational partners to assess the effectiveness of the initiatives in addressing identified barriers. Make any necessary adjustments or enhancements to ensure continued equitable access and participation.

Notes:

1. Applicants are not required to have mission statements or policies that align with equity in order to submit an application.
2. Applicants may identify any barriers that may impede equitable access and participation in the proposed project or activity, including, but not limited to, barriers based on economic disadvantage, gender, race, ethnicity, color, national origin, disability, age, language, migrant status, rural status, homeless status or housing insecurity, pregnancy, parenting, or caregiving status, and sexual orientation.
3. Applicants may have already included some or all of this required information in the narrative sections of their applications or their State Plans. In responding to this requirement, for each question, applicants may provide a cross-reference to the section(s) and page number(s) in their applications or State Plans that includes the information responsive to that question on this form or may restate that information on this form.

Paperwork Burden Statement

According 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. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1894-0005. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 3 hours per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering, and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is required to obtain or retain a benefit. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate or suggestions for improving this individual collection, send your comments to ICDocketMgr@ed.gov and reference OMB Control Number 1894-0005.  All other comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual form may be addressed to either (a) the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section in the competition Notice Inviting Applications, or (b) your assigned program officer.

OMB Control Number 1894-0005
Expiration 2/28/2026

Return to Public Charter Schools Grant Program