The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is pleased to release the 2024 Charter Schools Program Impact Report, an annual look at how Charter Schools Program (CSP) funds are impacting communities around the country. The CSP is the only source of dedicated federal funding to support the creation, expansion, and replication of high-quality public charter schools. At its Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 funding level of $440 million, the CSP amounts to less than one percent of federal spending on K-12 education but has a significant impact on the communities that charter schools serve.
“The data and case studies in the 2024 Charter Schools Program Impact Report underscore the invaluable role the CSP plays in bolstering educational opportunities across our nation. This annual report serves as a testament to the transformative power of targeted investment in public education, reaffirming our commitment to ensuring every child has access to a quality public education, regardless of their zip code,” said Christy Wolfe, Senior Vice President for Policy, Research, and Planning at the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.
Despite consistent research confirming the impact of charter schools on student outcomes, as well as increased community demand, funding for the CSP has been flat since FY 2019, and President Biden’s FY 2025 budget even proposed a $40 million cut to the program. Flat funding has limited the charter school community’s ability to grow and serve more students. In addition, recent regulations for the CSP have made it more difficult for applicants and subgrantees to access that funding, which will have an adverse impact on families looking for public school options. These new regulations add requirements and policy priorities not in the statute, creating unnecessary administrative hurdles, especially for culturally affirming charter schools.
The CSP Impact Report explores the most recent impact of the CSP on communities around the country and makes the case for increased funding for the program.
Here are a few examples the impact CSP grants have had on communities:
State Entity Grants: The State Entity program makes grants to states which then make subgrants within their state.
- Treffert Way for the Exceptional Mind in North Fond du Lac, Wisconsin received a $700,000 subgrant from the State of Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction that helped the school start strong with small mixed-grade classrooms and multiple staff in each class. CSP also funded critical professional learning for the school’s teachers as well as curriculum development tailored to meet the needs of the exceptional student population. With the help of CSP, this tiny school is creating a space where kids who struggled in conventional settings can truly reach their potential.
Developer Grants: Developer grants provide funds directly to charter schools in states without State Entity funding.
- The HOLLA School Southeast in Portland, Oregon received $598,000 to build a school grounded in local communities of color. Too many children of color growing up in Oregon are never exposed to educators of color and don’t see themselves reflected in school culture or curriculum. Building on a well-established mentorship program, HOLLA School is a place where students can bring their whole selves and where families feel valued and welcome.
Charter Management Organization Grant: Grants to Charter Management Organizations (CMO grants) support the growth of existing high-quality charter schools. CMO grant funds can be used for replication (opening new schools based on a high-quality school model), or expansion (adding grades or classes to an existing school).
- Helix Community Schools in Baton Rouge, Louisiana received a $1.5 million grant to grow their network of career-oriented charter schools in Baton Rouge by starting Helix Aviation Academy. The school will offer students the opportunity to explore the wide-open field of aviation that will offer thousands of highly skilled jobs in the near future. Many students growing up in the low-income Baton Rouge communities that Aviation serves have never left the city, much less flown on a plane. Aviation Academy is a public school unlike any other and is truly broadening students’ horizons, both literally and figuratively.
Credit Enhancement for Charter School Facilities: Credit Enhancement grants are designed to help charter schools access affordable capital for facilities projects.
- Credit Enhancement funds supported two key facilities projects for Ambition Prep in Jackson, Mississippi. Two CE grantees used CSP funds to provide affordable financing for Ambition Prep to buy and renovate its school building, with total project costs of about $6.7 million. Without this critical financing, students at this culturally affirming school would have been left learning in a construction zone over and over as the school gradually expanded and made renovations piecemeal. By leveraging CSP-funded credit enhancement, Ambition Prep was able to give students the learning environment they deserve.
