Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 12 / Tuesday, January 21, 2025 / Notices 7119 

1Terms defined in this notice are italicized the 

first time each term is used. 

2https://www.ed.gov/about/ed-initiatives/raisebar. 

3The six strategies of Raise the Bar include: 

accelerating learning, developing a well-rounded 

education, eliminating the educator shortage, 

investing in mental health, ensuring every student 

has a postsecondary pathway, and promoting a 

pathway to multilingualism. 

file, braille, large print, audiotape, 

compact disc, or other accessible format. 

Electronic Access to This Document: 

The official version of this document is 

the document published in the Federal 

Register. You may access the official 

edition of the Federal Register and the 

Code of Federal Regulations at: 

www.govinfo.gov. At this site, you can 

view this document, as well as all other 

Department documents published in the 

Federal Register, in text or Portable 

Document Format (PDF). To use PDF, 

you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, 

which is available free at the site. 

You may also access Department 

documents published in the Federal 

Register by using the article search 

feature at www.federalregister.gov. 

Specifically, through the advanced 

search feature at this site, you can limit 

your search to documents published by 

the Department. 

Adam Schott, 

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, 

Delegated the Authority to Perform the 

Functions and Duties of the Assistant 

Secretary, Office of Elementary and 

Secondary Education. 

[FR Doc. 2025–01380 Filed 1–16–25; 11:15 am] 

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 

Applications for New Awards; 

Expanding Opportunity Through 

Quality Charter Schools Program 

(CSP)—Grants to Charter Management 

Organizations for the Replication and 

Expansion of High-Quality Charter 

Schools (CMO Grants) 

AGENCY: Office of Elementary and 

Secondary Education, Department of 

Education. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Education 

(Department) is issuing a notice inviting 

applications for new awards for fiscal 

year (FY) 2025 for CSP CMO Grants. 

DATES: 

Applications Available: January 21, 

2025. 

Notice of Intent to Apply: Applicants 

are strongly encouraged but not required 

to submit a notice of intent to apply by 

April 1, 2025. Applicants that do not 

meet this deadline may still apply. 

Deadline for Transmittal of 

Applications: April 21, 2025. 

Deadline for Intergovernmental 

Review: June 20, 2025. 

Pre-Application Webinar Information: 

The Department will hold a preapplication meeting via webinar to 

provide technical assistance to 

prospective applicants. Detailed 

information regarding this webinar will 

be provided at https://www.ed.gov/ 

grants-and-programs/grants-birth-grade12/charter-school-programs/charterschools-program-grants-to-chartermanagement-organizations-for-thereplication-and-expansion-of-highquality-charter-schools-cmo-grants on 

the FY 2025 CSP CMO Grant 

Competition tab. 

Note: For new potential grantees 

unfamiliar with grantmaking at the 

Department, please consult our ‘‘Getting 

Started with Discretionary Grant 

Applications’’ web page at https://

www.ed.gov/grants-and-programs/ 

apply-grant/getting-starteddiscretionary-grant-applications. 

ADDRESSES: For the addresses for 

obtaining and submitting an 

application, please refer to our Common 

Instructions for Applicants to 

Department of Education Discretionary 

Grant Programs, published in the 

Federal Register on December 23, 2024 

(89 FR 104528), and available at https:// 

www.federalregister.gov/documents/ 

2024/12/23/2024-30488/commoninstructions-for-applicants-todepartment-of-education-discretionarygrant-programs. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Stephanie S. Jones, U.S. Department of 

Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, 

Washington, DC 20202–5970. 

Telephone: (202) 453–7835. Email: 

CMOCompetition@ed.gov. 

If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or 

have a speech disability and wish to 

access telecommunications relay 

services, please dial 7–1–1. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Full Text of Announcement 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 

Purpose of Program: The CSP CMO 

Grant program (ALN 84.282M) is 

authorized under Title IV, Part C of the 

Elementary and Secondary Education 

Act of 1965, as amended by the Every 

Student Succeeds Act (ESEA) (20 U.S.C. 

7221–7221j). Through CSP CMO Grants, 

the Department awards grants to charter 

management organizations (CMOs) 1 on 

a competitive basis to enable them to 

replicate or expand one or more highquality charter schools. Grant funds may 

be used to significantly increase the 

enrollment of, or add one or more 

grades to, an existing high-quality 

charter school or to open one or more 

new charter schools or new campuses of 

a high-quality charter school based on 

the educational model of an existing 

high-quality charter school. Charter 

schools that receive financial assistance 

through CSP CMO Grants provide 

elementary or secondary education 

programs, or both, and may also serve 

students in early childhood education 

programs or postsecondary students, 

consistent with the terms of their 

charter. 

Assistance Listing Number: 84.282M. 

OMB Control Number: 1810–0767. 

Background: The major purposes of 

the CSP are to expand opportunities for 

all students, particularly for children 

with disabilities, English learners, and 

other traditionally underserved 

students, to attend charter schools and 

meet challenging State academic 

standards; provide financial assistance 

for the planning, program design, and 

initial implementation of charter 

schools; increase the number of highquality charter schools available to 

students across the United States; 

evaluate the impact of charter schools 

on student achievement, families, and 

communities; share best practices 

between charter schools and other 

public schools; aid States in providing 

facilities support to charter schools; 

support efforts to strengthen the charter 

school authorizing process; and support 

quality, accountability, and 

transparency in the operational 

performance of all authorized public 

chartering agencies, including State 

educational agencies (SEAs) and local 

educational agencies (LEAs) (see section 

4301 of the ESEA). 

‘‘Raise the Bar: Lead the World’’ 

(RTB) is the Department’s call to action 

to all stakeholders to transform prekindergarten through postsecondary 

education and unite around evidencebased strategies that advance 

educational equity and excellence for all 

students.2 Raising the bar in education 

will support our Nation’s students in 

building the skills needed to thrive 

inside and outside of school. As part of 

the RTB initiative, the Department is 

focusing on six strategies aimed at 

promoting academic excellence and 

wellness for every learner and better 

preparing our Nation for global 

competitiveness.3 This competition 

advances several RTB strategies, most 

notably those intended to deliver a 

comprehensive and rigorous education 

for every student and provide every 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
7120 Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 12 / Tuesday, January 21, 2025 / Notices 

4 Kotok, Stephen, and David DeMatthews. 

‘‘Challenging School Segregation in the TwentyFirst Century: How Districts Can Leverage Dual 

Language Education to Increase School and 

Classroom Diversity.’’ Clearing House: A Journal of 

Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas 91.1 (2018): 

1–6. 

student with a pathway to 

multilingualism. 

On July 6, 2022, the Department 

published in the Federal Register a 

notice of final priorities, requirements, 

definitions, and selection criteria for 

this program (87 FR 40406) (2022 NFP), 

which supplements the program statute 

and notice of final priorities, 

requirements, definitions, and selection 

criteria for CSP CMO Grants published 

in the Federal Register in November 

2018 (83 FR 61532) (2018 NFP). The 

2018 NFP and 2022 NFP are intended to 

help ensure the creation, replication, 

and expansion of high-quality charter 

schools. 

This notice includes two competitive 

preference priorities—one from the CSP 

statute and one from the 2022 NFP—and 

two invitational priorities. The 

priorities, application requirements, 

assurances, selection criteria, and 

definitions in this notice are designed to 

increase access to high-quality, diverse, 

and equitable learning opportunities, 

which is consistent with the RTB 

initiative and the Department’s goals for 

all public schools. To that end, the first 

competitive preference priority is a 

statutory priority from section 

4305(b)(5)(A) of the ESEA that promotes 

racially and socioeconomically diverse 

student bodies. The second competitive 

preference priority is from the 2022 NFP 

and promotes high-quality educatorand community-centered charter 

schools to support underserved 

students, including through meaningful 

and ongoing engagement with current or 

former teachers and other educators. 

The first invitational priority is 

designed to encourage collaboration 

between charter schools and traditional 

public schools or traditional school 

districts that benefit students and 

families across schools. These types of 

collaborations can support improved 

outcomes for students in both charter 

schools and traditional public schools, 

including by sharing instructional 

materials, creating joint professional 

learning opportunities, and developing 

principal pipeline programs. The 

second invitational priority for this 

competition, which complements the 

first competitive preference priority, 

encourages high-quality charter schools 

to create pathways to multilingualism 

for students, particularly underserved 

students. High-quality multilingual 

programming provides English learners 

and native English speakers with the 

opportunity to become bilingual and 

biliterate and may support Native 

American language education and 

preservation. It also celebrates the assets 

of English learners while supporting 

English language acquisition and 

promoting academic excellence.4 Using 

invitational priorities allows the 

Department to encourage beneficial 

collaborations and pathways to 

multilingualism that can better prepare 

all students for a global society and 

economy without giving applications 

that meet either of these priorities 

preference over other applications. 

Priorities: This notice includes two 

competitive preference priorities and 

two invitational priorities. In 

accordance with 34 CFR 

75.105(b)(2)(iv), Competitive Preference 

Priority 1 is from section 4305(b)(5)(A) 

of the ESEA. Competitive Preference 

Priority 2 is from the 2022 NFP. 

Competitive Preference Priorities: For 

FY 2025 and any subsequent year in 

which we make awards from the list of 

unfunded applications from this 

competition, these priorities are 

competitive preference priorities. 

Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we 

award up to an additional 7 points to an 

application that meets Competitive 

Preference Priority 1 and up to an 

additional 7 points to an application 

that meets Competitive Preference 

Priority 2, depending on how well the 

application meets one or both of these 

priorities. 

An applicant must identify on the 

abstract form and in the project 

narrative section of its application the 

priority or priorities it wishes the 

Department to consider for purposes of 

earning competitive preference priority 

points. The Department will not review 

or award points for any competitive 

preference priority for an application 

that fails to clearly identify the 

competitive preference priority or 

priorities it wishes the Department to 

consider for purposes of earning 

competitive preference priority points. 

An application may receive a maximum 

of 14 additional points under the 

competitive preference priorities. 

These priorities are: 

Competitive Preference Priority 1— 

Racially and Socioeconomically Diverse 

Student Bodies (up to 7 points). 

Under this priority, applicants must 

propose to operate or manage highquality charter schools with racially and 

socioeconomically diverse student 

bodies. (Section 4305(b)(5)(A) of the 

ESEA) 

Competitive Preference Priority 2— 

Promoting High-Quality Educator- and 

Community-Centered Charter Schools to 

Support Underserved Students (up to 7 

points). 

(a) Under this priority, an applicant 

must propose to open a new charter 

school, or to replicate or expand a highquality charter school, that is developed 

and implemented— 

(1) With meaningful and ongoing 

engagement with current or former 

teachers and other educators; and 

(2) Using a community-centered 

approach that includes an assessment of 

community assets, informs the 

development of the charter school, and 

includes the implementation of 

protocols and practices designed to 

ensure that the charter school will use 

and interact with community assets on 

an ongoing basis to create and maintain 

strong community ties. 

(b) In its application, an applicant 

must provide a high-quality plan that 

demonstrates how its proposed project 

would meet the requirements in 

paragraph (a) of this priority, 

accompanied by a timeline for key 

milestones that span the course of 

planning, development, and 

implementation of the charter school. 

(2022 NFP) 

Invitational Priorities: For FY 2025, 

and any subsequent year in which we 

make awards from the list of unfunded 

applications from this competition, 

these priorities are invitational 

priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1), 

we do not give an application that meets 

an invitational priority a competitive or 

absolute preference over other 

applications. 

These priorities are: 

Invitational Priority 1—Collaborations 

Between Charter Schools and 

Traditional Public Schools or Districts 

That Benefit Students and Families 

Across Schools. 

(a) The Secretary is particularly 

interested in funding applications that 

propose a new collaboration, or the 

continuation of an existing 

collaboration, with at least one 

traditional public school or traditional 

school district that is designed to benefit 

students or families served by at least 

one member of the collaboration, that is 

designed to lead to increased or 

improved educational opportunities for 

students served by at least one member 

of the collaboration, and that includes 

implementation of one or more of the 

following— 

(1) Co-developed or shared curricular 

and instructional resources or academic 

course offerings. 

(2) Professional development 

opportunities for teachers and other 

educators, which may include 

professional learning communities, 

opportunities for teachers to earn 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 12 / Tuesday, January 21, 2025 / Notices 7121 

5The Department will apply this element of the 

definition of ‘‘charter school’’ consistent with 

applicable U.S. Supreme Court precedent, 

including Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, 

Inc. v. Comer, 582 U.S. 449 (2017), Espinoza v. 

Montana Department of Revenue, 140 S. Ct. 2246 

(2020), and Carson v. Makin, 142 S. Ct. 1987 (2022). 

additional certifications, such as in a 

high-need area or national board 

certification, and partnerships with 

educator preparation programs to 

support teaching residencies. 

(3) Evidence-based practices to 

improve academic performance for 

underserved students. 

(4) Policies and practices to create 

safe, supportive, and inclusive learning 

environments, such as systems of 

positive behavioral intervention and 

support. 

(5) Transparent enrollment and 

retention practices and processes that 

include clear and consistent disclosure 

to families of policies or requirements 

(e.g., discipline policies, purchasing and 

wearing specific uniforms and other 

fees, or family participation), and any 

services that are or are not provided, 

that could impact a family’s ability to 

enroll or remain enrolled in the school 

(e.g., transportation services or 

participation in the National School 

Lunch Program). 

(6) A shared transportation plan and 

system that reduces transportation costs 

for at least one member of the 

collaboration and takes into 

consideration various transportation 

options, including public transportation 

and district-provided or shared 

transportation options, cost-sharing or 

free or reduced-cost fare options, and 

any distance considerations for 

prioritized bus services. 

(7) A shared special education 

collaborative designed to address a 

significant barrier or challenge faced by 

participating charter schools or 

traditional public schools in improving 

academic and developmental outcomes 

and services for children with 

disabilities. 

(8) A shared English learner 

collaborative designed to address a 

significant barrier or challenge faced by 

participating charter schools or 

traditional public schools in providing 

educational programs to improve 

academic outcomes for English learners. 

(9) Other collaborations, such as the 

sharing of innovative and best practices, 

designed to address a significant barrier 

or challenge faced by participating 

charter schools or traditional public 

schools in providing educational 

programs to improve academic 

outcomes for all students served by 

members of the collaboration. 

(b) In its application, an applicant 

must provide a description of the 

collaboration that— 

(1) Describes each member of the 

collaboration and whether the 

collaboration would be a new or 

existing commitment; 

(2) States the purpose and duration of 

the collaboration; 

(3) Describes the anticipated roles and 

responsibilities of each member of the 

collaboration; 

(4) Describes how the collaboration 

will benefit one or more members of the 

collaboration, including how it will 

benefit students or families affiliated 

with a member and lead to increased 

educational opportunities for students, 

and meet specific and measurable, if 

applicable, goals; 

(5) Describes the resources members 

of the collaboration will contribute; and 

(6) Contains any other relevant 

information. 

(c) Within 120 days of receiving a 

grant award or within 120 days of the 

date the collaboration is scheduled to 

begin, whichever is later, the grantee 

provides evidence of participation in 

the collaboration (which may include, 

but is not required to include, a 

memorandum of understanding). 

Invitational Priority 2—Promoting 

Pathways to Multilingualism. 

The Secretary is particularly 

interested in funding applications that 

propose to replicate or expand highquality charter schools with 

multilingual programming that is 

centered on the needs and assets of the 

community the schools serve and is 

designed to provide students, 

particularly underserved students, with 

pathways to multilingualism through 

any of the following— 

(a) Dual language programs that offer 

academic instruction in two languages 

and are designed to enroll both English 

learners and native English speakers on 

an equitable basis and ensure all 

students become bilingual and biliterate 

in both languages. 

(b) A mission and focus on supporting 

Native American language education 

and development, such as through dual 

language programs or other instructional 

models and teaching methods that 

reflect and preserve Native American 

language, culture, and history. 

(c) A mission and focus on meeting 

the unique educational needs and 

celebrating the assets of English learners 

using evidence-based practices to 

support English language acquisition 

and promote academic excellence. 

(d) Other innovative or evidencebased strategies to promote 

multilingualism, including approaches 

to recruit, support, and retain 

multilingual educators. 

Definitions: The following definitions 

are from sections 4310 (20 U.S.C. 7221i) 

and 8101 (20 U.S.C. 7801) of the ESEA, 

34 CFR 77.1, the 2018 NFP, and the 

2022 NFP. 

Ambitious means promoting 

continued, meaningful improvement for 

program participants or for other 

individuals or entities affected by the 

grant or representing a significant 

advancement in the field of education 

research, practices, or methodologies. 

When used to describe a performance 

target, whether a performance target is 

ambitious depends upon the context of 

the relevant performance measure and 

the baseline for that measure. (34 CFR 

77.1) 

Authorized public chartering agency 

means a State educational agency, local 

educational agency, or other public 

entity that has the authority pursuant to 

State law and approved by the Secretary 

to authorize or approve a charter school. 

(Section 4310(1) of the ESEA) 

Baseline means the starting point 

from which performance is measured 

and targets are set. (34 CFR 77.1) 

Charter management organization 

means a nonprofit organization that 

operates or manages a network of 

charter schools linked by centralized 

support, operations, and oversight. 

(Section 4310(3) of the ESEA) 

Charter school means a public school 

that— 

(1) In accordance with a specific State 

statute authorizing the granting of 

charters to schools, is exempt from 

significant State or local rules that 

inhibit the flexible operation and 

management of public schools, but not 

from any rules relating to the other 

requirements of this definition; 

(2) Is created by a developer as a 

public school, or is adapted by a 

developer from an existing public 

school, and is operated under public 

supervision and direction; 

(3) Operates in pursuit of a specific 

set of educational objectives determined 

by the school’s developer and agreed to 

by the authorized public chartering 

agency; 

(4) Provides a program of elementary 

or secondary education, or both; 

(5) Is nonsectarian in its programs, 

admissions policies, employment 

practices, and all other operations, and 

is not affiliated with a sectarian school 

or religious institution; 5

(6) Does not charge tuition; 

(7) Complies with the Age 

Discrimination Act of 1975, title VI of 

the Civil Rights Act of 1964, title IX of 

the Education Amendments of 1972, 

section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
7122 Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 12 / Tuesday, January 21, 2025 / Notices 

1973, the Americans with Disabilities 

Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.), 

section 444 of GEPA (20 U.S.C. 1232g) 

(commonly referred to as the ‘‘Family 

Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 

1974’’), and part B of the Individuals 

with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); 

(8) Is a school to which parents 

choose to send their children, and 

that— 

(i) Admits students on the basis of a 

lottery, consistent with section 

4303(c)(3)(A) of the ESEA, if more 

students apply for admission than can 

be accommodated; or 

(ii) In the case of a school that has an 

affiliated charter school (such as a 

school that is part of the same network 

of schools), automatically enrolls 

students who are enrolled in the 

immediate prior grade level of the 

affiliated charter school and, for any 

additional student openings or student 

openings created through regular 

attrition in student enrollment in the 

affiliated charter school and the 

enrolling school, admits students on the 

basis of a lottery as described in clause 

(i); 

(9) Agrees to comply with the same 

Federal and State audit requirements as 

do other elementary schools and 

secondary schools in the State, unless 

such State audit requirements are 

waived by the State; 

(10) Meets all applicable Federal, 

State, and local health and safety 

requirements; 

(11) Operates in accordance with 

State law; 

(12) Has a written performance 

contract with the authorized public 

chartering agency in the State that 

includes a description of how student 

performance will be measured in charter 

schools pursuant to State assessments 

that are required of other schools and 

pursuant to any other assessments 

mutually agreeable to the authorized 

public chartering agency and the charter 

school; and 

(13) May serve students in early 

childhood education programs or 

postsecondary students. (Section 

4310(2) of the ESEA) 

Note: Pursuant to the definition of 

authorized public chartering agency in 

section 4310(1) of the ESEA, for a school 

to qualify as a charter school under 

section 4310(2) and receive Federal CSP 

funds, the entity that issues the charter 

or performance contract must be an 

SEA, LEA, or other public entity with 

authority pursuant to State law to 

approve a charter school. 

Child with a disability means— 

(1) A child (i) with intellectual 

disabilities, hearing impairments 

(including deafness), speech or language 

impairments, visual impairments 

(including blindness), serious emotional 

disturbance (referred to as ‘‘emotional 

disturbance’’), orthopedic impairments, 

autism, traumatic brain injury, other 

health impairments, specific learning 

disabilities, deaf-blindness, or multiple 

disabilities; and (ii) who, by reason 

thereof, needs special education and 

related services. 

(2) For a child aged 3 through 9 (or 

any subset of that age range, including 

ages 3 through 5), may, at the discretion 

of the State and the LEA, include a child 

(i) experiencing developmental delays, 

as defined by the State and as measured 

by appropriate diagnostic instruments 

and procedures, in one or more of the 

following areas: physical development; 

cognitive development; communication 

development; social or emotional 

development; or adaptive development; 

and (ii) who, by reason thereof, needs 

special education and related services. 

(Section 8101(4) of the ESEA) 

Community assets means resources 

that can be identified and mobilized to 

improve conditions in the charter 

school and local community. These 

assets may include— 

(1) Human assets, including 

capacities, skills, knowledge base, and 

abilities of individuals within a 

community; and 

(2) Social assets, including networks, 

organizations, businesses, and 

institutions that exist among and within 

groups and communities. (2022 NFP) 

Developer means an individual or 

group of individuals (including a public 

or private nonprofit organization), 

which may include teachers, 

administrators and other school staff, 

parents, or other members of the local 

community in which a charter school 

project will be carried out. (Section 

4310(5) of the ESEA) 

Disconnected youth means an 

individual, between the ages of 14 and 

24, who may be from a low-income 

background, experiences homelessness, 

is in foster care, is involved in the 

justice system, or is not working or not 

enrolled in (or at risk of dropping out of) 

an educational institution. (2022 NFP) 

Early childhood education program 

means— 

(1) A Head Start program or an Early 

Head Start program carried out under 

the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et 

seq.), including a migrant or seasonal 

Head Start program, an Indian Head 

Start program, or a Head Start program 

or an Early Head Start program that also 

receives State funding; 

(2) A State licensed or regulated child 

care program; or 

(3) A program that— 

(i) Serves children from birth through 

age 6 that addresses the children’s 

cognitive (including language, early 

literacy, and early mathematics), social, 

emotional, and physical development; 

and 

(ii) Is (A) a State prekindergarten 

program; (B) a program authorized 

under section 619 (20 U.S.C. 1419) or 

part C of the IDEA; or (C) a program 

operated by an LEA. (ESEA section 

8101(16)) 

Educationally disadvantaged student 

means a student in one or more of the 

categories described in section 

1115(c)(2) of the ESEA, which include 

children who are economically 

disadvantaged, students who are 

children with disabilities, migrant 

students, English learners, neglected or 

delinquent students, homeless students, 

and students who are in foster care. 

(2018 NFP) 

Educator means an individual who is 

an early learning educator, teacher, 

principal or other school or district 

leader, specialized instructional support 

personnel (e.g., school psychologist, 

counselor, school social worker, early 

intervention service personnel), 

paraprofessional, or faculty. (2022 NFP) 

English learner, when used with 

respect to an individual, means an 

individual— 

(1) Who is aged 3 through 21; 

(2) Who is enrolled or preparing to 

enroll in an elementary school or 

secondary school; 

(3)(i) Who was not born in the United 

States or whose native language is a 

language other than English; 

(ii)(A) Who is a Native American or 

Alaska Native, or a native resident of the 

outlying areas; and 

(B) Who comes from an environment 

where a language other than English has 

had a significant impact on the 

individual’s level of English language 

proficiency; or 

(iii) Who is migratory, whose native 

language is a language other than 

English, and who comes from an 

environment where a language other 

than English is dominant; and 

(4) Whose difficulties in speaking, 

reading, writing, or understanding the 

English language may be sufficient to 

deny the individual— 

(i) The ability to meet the challenging 

State academic standards; 

(ii) The ability to successfully achieve 

in classrooms where the language of 

instruction is English; or 

(iii) The opportunity to participate 

fully in society. (Section 8101(20) of the 

ESEA) 

Evidence-based, when used with 

respect to a State, local educational 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 12 / Tuesday, January 21, 2025 / Notices 7123 

6Per section 4305(c) of the ESEA, CSP CMO 

Grants have the same terms and conditions as 

grants awarded to State entities under section 4303. 

For clarity, the Department has replaced the term 

‘‘State entity’’ with ‘‘applicant’’ in the requirements 

that derive from section 4303. 

agency, or school activity, means an 

activity, strategy, or intervention that— 

(1) Demonstrates a statistically 

significant effect on improving student 

outcomes or other relevant outcomes 

based on— 

(i) Strong evidence from at least one 

well-designed and well-implemented 

experimental study; 

(ii) Moderate evidence from at least 

one well-designed and wellimplemented quasi-experimental study; 

or 

(iii) Promising evidence from at least 

one well-designed and wellimplemented correlational study with 

statistical controls for selection bias; or 

(2)(i) Demonstrates a rationale based 

on high-quality research findings or 

positive evaluation that such activity, 

strategy, or intervention is likely to 

improve student outcomes or other 

relevant outcomes; and 

(ii) Includes ongoing efforts to 

examine the effects of such activity, 

strategy, or intervention. (Section 

8101(21) of the ESEA) 

Expand, when used with respect to a 

high-quality charter school, means to 

significantly increase enrollment or add 

one or more grades to the high-quality 

charter school. (Section 4310(7) of the 

ESEA) 

High-quality charter school means a 

charter school that— 

(1) Shows evidence of strong 

academic results, which may include 

strong student academic growth, as 

determined by a State; 

(2) Has no significant issues in the 

areas of student safety, financial and 

operational management, or statutory or 

regulatory compliance; 

(3) Has demonstrated success in 

significantly increasing student 

academic achievement, including 

graduation rates where applicable, for 

all students served by the charter 

school; and 

(4) Has demonstrated success in 

increasing student academic 

achievement, including graduation rates 

where applicable, for each of the 

subgroups of students, as defined in 

section 1111(c)(2) of the ESEA, except 

that such demonstration is not required 

in a case in which the number of 

students in a group is insufficient to 

yield statistically reliable information or 

the results would reveal personally 

identifiable information about an 

individual student. (Section 4310(8) of 

the ESEA) 

Logic model (also referred to as theory 

of action) means a framework that 

identifies key project components of the 

proposed project (i.e., the active 

‘‘ingredients’’ that are hypothesized to 

be critical to achieving the relevant 

outcomes) and describes the theoretical 

and operational relationships among the 

key project components and relevant 

outcomes. (34 CFR 77.1) 

Parent includes a legal guardian or 

other person standing in loco parentis 

(such as a grandparent or stepparent 

with whom the child lives, or a person 

who is legally responsible for the child’s 

welfare). (Section 8101(38) of the ESEA) 

Performance measure means any 

quantitative indicator, statistic, or 

metric used to gauge program or project 

performance. (34 CFR 77.1) 

Performance target means a level of 

performance that an applicant would 

seek to meet during the course of a 

project or as a result of a project. (34 

CFR 77.1) 

Project component means an activity, 

strategy, intervention, process, product, 

practice, or policy included in a project. 

Evidence may pertain to an individual 

project component or to a combination 

of project components (e.g., training 

teachers on instructional practices for 

English learners and follow-on coaching 

for these teachers). (34 CFR 77.1) 

Public as applied to an agency, 

organization, or institution, means that 

the agency, organization, or institution 

is under the administrative supervision 

or control of a government other than 

the Federal government. (34 CFR 77.1) 

Relevant outcome means the student 

outcome(s) or other outcome(s) the key 

project component is designed to 

improve, consistent with the specific 

goals of the program. (34 CFR 77.1) 

Replicate, when used with respect to 

a high-quality charter school, means to 

open a new charter school, or a new 

campus of a high-quality charter school, 

based on the educational model of an 

existing high-quality charter school, 

under an existing charter or an 

additional charter, if permitted or 

required by State law. (Section 4310(9) 

of the ESEA) 

Underserved student means a student 

in one or more of the following 

subgroups: 

(1) A student who is living in poverty 

or is served by schools with high 

concentrations of students living in 

poverty. 

(2) A student of color. 

(3) A student who is a member of a 

federally recognized Indian Tribe. 

(4) An English learner. 

(5) A child or student with a 

disability. 

(6) A disconnected youth. 

(7) A migrant student. 

(8) A student experiencing 

homelessness or housing insecurity. 

(9) A student who is in foster care. 

(10) A pregnant, parenting, or 

caregiving student. 

(11) A student impacted by the justice 

system, including a formerly 

incarcerated student. 

(12) A student performing 

significantly below grade level. (2022 

NFP) 

Application Requirements: 

Applications for CSP CMO Grant funds 

must address the following application 

requirements. These requirements are 

from sections 4303(f)(1) 6 and 4305(b)(3) 

of the ESEA, the 2018 NFP, and the 

2022 NFP. The Department will not 

fund an application that does not meet 

each application requirement. The 

source of each requirement is provided 

in parentheses following each 

requirement. 

In addressing the application 

requirements, applicants must clearly 

identify which application requirement 

they are addressing. An applicant must 

respond to application requirement (a) 

in a stand-alone section of the 

application or in an appendix. For all 

other application requirements, an 

applicant may choose to respond to 

each requirement separately or in the 

context of the applicant’s responses to 

the selection criteria in section V.1 of 

this notice. 

Applications for funding under the 

CSP CMO Grant program must— 

(a) Describe the applicant’s objectives 

in running a quality charter school 

program and how the program will be 

carried out, including— 

(1) A description of how the applicant 

will ensure that charter schools 

receiving funds under this program 

meet the educational needs of their 

students, including children with 

disabilities and English learners 

(Section 4303(f)(1)(A)(x) of the ESEA); 

and 

(2) A description of how the applicant 

will ensure that each charter school 

receiving funds under this program has 

considered and planned for the 

transportation needs of the school’s 

students (Section 4303(f)(1)(E) of the 

ESEA); 

(b) For each charter school currently 

operated or managed by the applicant, 

provide— 

(1) Student assessment results for all 

students and for each subgroup of 

students described in section 1111(c)(2) 

of the ESEA; 

(2) Attendance and student retention 

rates for the most recently completed 

school year and, if applicable, the most 

recent available 4-year adjusted cohort 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
7124 Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 12 / Tuesday, January 21, 2025 / Notices 

graduation rates and extended-year 

adjusted cohort graduation rates; and 

(3) Information on any significant 

compliance and management issues 

encountered within the last 3 school 

years by any school operated or 

managed by the eligible entity, 

including in the areas of student safety 

and finance (Section 4305(b)(3)(A) of 

the ESEA); 

(c) Describe the educational program 

that the applicant will implement in 

each charter school receiving funding 

under this program, including— 

(1) Information on how the program 

will enable all students to meet the 

challenging State academic standards; 

(2) The grade levels or ages of 

students who will be served; and 

(3) The instructional practices that 

will be used (Section 4305(b)(3)(B)(ii) of 

the ESEA); 

(d) Demonstrate that the applicant 

currently operates or manages more 

than one charter school. For purposes of 

this program, multiple charter schools 

are considered to be separate schools if 

each school— 

(1) Meets each element of the 

definition of charter school under 

section 4310(2) of the ESEA; and 

(2) Is treated as a separate school by 

its authorized public chartering agency 

and the State in which the charter 

school is located, including for purposes 

of accountability and reporting under 

title I, part A of the ESEA (2018 NFP); 

(e) Provide information regarding any 

compliance issues, and how they were 

resolved, for any charter schools 

operated or managed by the applicant 

that have— 

(1) Closed; 

(2) Had their charter(s) revoked due to 

problems with statutory or regulatory 

compliance, including compliance with 

sections 4310(2)(G) and (J) of the ESEA; 

or 

(3) Had their affiliation with the 

applicant revoked or terminated, 

including through voluntary 

disaffiliation (2018 NFP); 

(f) Provide a complete logic model for 

the grant project. The logic model must 

include the applicant’s objectives for 

replicating or expanding one or more 

high-quality charter schools with 

funding under this program, including 

the number of high-quality charter 

schools the applicant proposes to 

replicate or expand (2018 NFP); 

(g) If the applicant currently operates, 

or is proposing to replicate or expand, 

a single-sex charter school or 

coeducational charter school that 

provides a single-sex class or 

extracurricular activity (collectively 

referred to as a ‘‘single-sex educational 

program’’), demonstrate that the existing 

or proposed single-sex educational 

program is in compliance with title IX 

of the Education Amendments of 1972 

(20 U.S.C. 1681, et seq.) and its 

implementing regulations, including 34 

CFR 106.34 (2018 NFP); 

(h) Describe how the applicant 

currently operates or manages the highquality charter schools for which it has 

presented evidence of success and how 

the proposed replicated or expanded 

charter schools will be operated or 

managed, including the legal 

relationship between the applicant and 

its schools. If a legal entity other than 

the applicant has entered or will enter 

into a performance contract with an 

authorized public chartering agency to 

operate or manage one or more of the 

applicant’s schools, the applicant must 

also describe its relationship with that 

entity (2018 NFP); 

(i) Describe how the applicant will 

solicit and consider input from parents 

and other members of the community 

on the implementation and operation of 

each replicated or expanded charter 

school, including in the area of school 

governance (2018 NFP); 

(j) Describe the lottery and enrollment 

procedures that will be used for each 

replicated or expanded charter school if 

more students apply for admission than 

can be accommodated, including how 

any proposed weighted lottery complies 

with section 4303(c)(3)(A) of the ESEA 

(2018 NFP); 

(k) Describe how the applicant will 

ensure that all eligible children with 

disabilities receive a free appropriate 

public education in accordance with 

part B of the Individuals with 

Disabilities Education Act (2018 NFP); 

(l) Describe how the proposed project 

will assist educationally disadvantaged 

students in mastering challenging State 

academic standards (2018 NFP); 

(m) Provide a budget narrative, 

aligned with the activities, target grant 

project outputs, and outcomes described 

in the logic model, that outlines how 

grant funds will be expended to carry 

out planned activities (2018 NFP); 

(n) Provide the applicant’s most 

recent independently audited financial 

statements prepared in accordance with 

generally accepted accounting 

principles (2018 NFP); 

(o) Describe the applicant’s policies 

and procedures to assist students 

enrolled in a charter school that closes 

or loses its charter to attend other highquality schools (2018 NFP); 

(p) Provide— 

(1) A request and justification for 

waivers of any Federal statutory or 

regulatory provisions that the applicant 

believes are necessary for the successful 

operation of the charter schools to be 

replicated or expanded; and 

(2) A description of any State or local 

rules, generally applicable to public 

schools, that will be waived, or 

otherwise not apply, to such schools 

(2018 NFP); 

(q) Provide a needs analysis and 

describe the need for the proposed 

project, including how the proposed 

project would serve the interests and 

meet the needs of students and families 

in the communities the charter school 

intends to serve. The needs analysis, 

which may consist of information and 

documents previously submitted to an 

authorized public chartering agency to 

address need, must include, but is not 

necessarily limited to, the following— 

(1) Descriptions of the local 

community support, including 

information that demonstrates interest 

in, and need for, the charter school; 

benefits to the community; and other 

evidence of demand for the charter 

school that demonstrates a strong 

likelihood the charter school will 

achieve and maintain its enrollment 

projections. Such information may 

include information on waiting lists for 

the proposed charter school or existing 

charter schools or traditional public 

schools, data on access to seats in highquality public schools in the districts 

from which the charter school expects 

to draw students, or evidence of family 

interest in specialized instructional 

approaches proposed to be implemented 

at the charter school. 

(2) Information on the proposed 

charter school’s projected student 

enrollment, and evidence to support the 

projected enrollment based on the needs 

analysis and other relevant data and 

factors, such as the methodology and 

calculations used. 

(3) An analysis of the proposed 

charter school’s projected student 

demographics and a description of the 

demographics of students attending 

public schools in the local community 

in which the proposed charter school 

would be located and the school 

districts from which students are, or 

would be, drawn to attend the charter 

school; a description of how the 

applicant plans to establish and 

maintain a racially and 

socioeconomically diverse student 

body, including proposed strategies 

(that are consistent with applicable legal 

requirements) to recruit, admit, enroll, 

and retain a diverse student body. An 

applicant that is unlikely to establish 

and maintain a racially and 

socioeconomically diverse student body 

at the proposed charter school because 

the charter school would be located in 

a racially or socioeconomically 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 12 / Tuesday, January 21, 2025 / Notices 7125 

segregated or isolated community, or 

due to the charter school’s specific 

educational mission, must describe— 

(i) Why it is unlikely to establish and 

maintain a racially and 

socioeconomically diverse student body 

at the proposed charter school; 

(ii) How the anticipated racial and 

socioeconomic makeup of the student 

body would promote the purposes of the 

CSP, including to provide high-quality 

educational opportunities to 

underserved students, which may 

include a specialized educational 

program or mission; and 

(iii) The anticipated impact of the 

proposed charter school on the racial 

and socioeconomic diversity of the 

public schools and school districts from 

which students would be drawn to 

attend the charter school. 

(4) A robust family and community 

engagement plan designed to ensure the 

active participation of families and the 

community that includes the 

following— 

(i) How families and the community 

were, are, or will be engaged in 

determining the vision and design for 

the charter school, including specific 

examples of how families’ and the 

community’s input was, is, or is 

expected to be incorporated into the 

vision and design for the charter school. 

(ii) How the charter school will 

meaningfully engage with both families 

and the community to create strong and 

ongoing partnerships. 

(iii) How the charter school will foster 

a collaborative culture that involves the 

families of all students, including 

underserved students, in ensuring their 

ongoing input in school decisionmaking. 

(5) How the charter school’s 

recruitment, admissions, enrollment, 

and retention policies and practices will 

engage and accommodate students and 

families from diverse backgrounds, 

including English learners, students 

with disabilities, and students of color, 

including holding enrollment and 

recruitment events on weekends or 

during nonstandard work hours, making 

interpreters available, and providing 

enrollment and recruitment information 

in widely accessible formats (e.g., hard 

copy and online in multiple languages; 

as appropriate, large print or braille for 

visually impaired individuals) through 

widely available and transparent means 

(e.g., online and at community 

locations). 

(6) How the charter school has 

engaged or will engage families and the 

community to develop an instructional 

model to best serve the targeted student 

population and their families, including 

students with disabilities and English 

learners. 

(7) How the plans for the operation of 

the charter school will support and 

reflect the needs of students and 

families in the community, including 

consideration of district or community 

assets and how the school’s location, or 

anticipated location if a facility has not 

been secured, will facilitate access for 

the targeted student population (e.g., 

access to public transportation or other 

transportation options, the 

demographics of neighborhoods within 

walking distance of the school, and 

transportation plans and costs for 

students who are not able to walk or use 

public transportation to access the 

school). 

(8) A description of the steps the 

applicant has taken or will take to 

ensure that the proposed charter school 

(1) would not hamper, delay, or 

negatively affect any desegregation 

efforts in the local community in which 

the charter school would be located or 

in the public school districts from 

which students are, or would be, drawn 

to attend the charter school, including 

efforts to comply with a court order, 

statutory obligation, or voluntary efforts 

to create and maintain desegregated 

public schools; and (2) to ensure that 

the proposed charter school would not 

otherwise increase racial or 

socioeconomic segregation or isolation 

in the schools from which the students 

are, or would be, drawn to attend the 

charter school (2022 NFP); 

(r) For any existing or proposed 

contract with a for-profit management 

organization (including a nonprofit 

management organization operated by 

or on behalf of a for-profit entity), 

without regard to whether the 

management organization or its related 

entities exercise full or substantial 

administrative control over the charter 

school or the CSP project, provide the 

following information or equivalent 

information that the applicant has 

submitted to the authorized public 

chartering agency— 

(1) A copy of the existing contract 

with the for-profit management 

organization or a description of the 

terms of the contract, including the 

name and contact information of the 

management organization; the cost (i.e., 

fixed costs and estimates of any ongoing 

costs), including the amount of CSP 

funds proposed to be used toward such 

cost, and the percentage such cost 

represents of the school’s total funding; 

the duration; roles and responsibilities 

of the management organization; and 

steps the applicant will take to ensure 

that it pays fair market value for any 

services or other items purchased or 

leased from the management 

organization, makes all programmatic 

decisions, maintains control over all 

CSP funds, and directly administers or 

supervises the administration of the 

grant in accordance with 34 CFR 75.701; 

(2) A description of any business or 

financial relationship between the 

charter school developer and the 

management organization, including 

payments, contract terms, and any 

property owned, operated, or controlled 

by the management organization or 

related individuals or entities that will 

be used by the charter school; 

(3) The name and contact information 

for each member of the governing board 

of the charter school and list of the 

management organization’s officers, 

chief administrator, and other 

administrators, and any staff involved in 

approving or executing the management 

contract; and a description of any actual 

or perceived conflicts of interest, 

including financial interests, and how 

the applicant resolved or will resolve 

any actual or perceived conflicts of 

interest to ensure compliance with 2 

CFR 200.318(c); 

(4) A description of how the applicant 

will ensure that members of the 

governing board of the charter school 

are not selected, removed, controlled, or 

employed by the management 

organization and that the charter 

school’s legal, accounting, and auditing 

services will be procured independently 

from the management organization); 

(5) An explanation of how the 

applicant will ensure that the 

management contract is severable, 

severing the management contract will 

not cause the proposed charter school to 

close, the duration of the management 

contract will not extend beyond the 

expiration date of the school’s charter, 

and renewal of the management contract 

will not occur without approval and 

affirmative action by the governing 

board of the charter school; and 

(6) A description of the steps the 

applicant will take to ensure that it 

maintains control over all student 

records and has a process in place to 

provide those records to another public 

school or school district in a timely 

manner upon the transfer of a student 

from the charter school to another 

public school, including due to closure 

of the charter school, in accordance 

with section 4308 of the ESEA (2022 

NFP); and 

(s) Provide— 

(1) The name and address of the 

authorized public chartering agency that 

issued the applicant’s approved charter 

or, in the case of an applicant that has 

not yet received an approved charter, 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
7126 Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 12 / Tuesday, January 21, 2025 / Notices 

the authorized public chartering agency 

to which the applicant has applied; 

(2) A copy of the approved charter or, 

in the case of an applicant that has not 

yet received an approved charter, a copy 

of the charter application that was 

submitted to the authorized public 

chartering agency, including the date 

the application was submitted, and an 

estimated date by which the authorized 

public chartering agency will issue its 

final decision on the charter 

application; 

(3) Documentation that the applicant 

has provided notice to the authorized 

public chartering agency that it has 

applied for a CSP grant; and 

(4) A proposed budget, including a 

detailed description of any post-award 

planning costs and, for an applicant that 

does not yet have an approved charter, 

any planning costs expected to be 

incurred prior to the date the authorized 

public chartering agency issues a 

decision on the charter application. 

(2022 NFP) 

Assurances: Each applicant for a CSP 

CMO Grant must provide the following 

assurances. These assurances are from 

sections 4303(f)(2) and 4305(b)(3)(C) of 

the ESEA and the 2022 NFP. The source 

of each assurance is provided in 

parentheses following each assurance. 

Applicants for funds under this 

program must provide assurances that— 

(a) The grantee will support charter 

schools in meeting the educational 

needs of their students, as described in 

section 4303(f)(1)(A)(x) of the ESEA. 

(Section 4303(f)(2)(B) of the ESEA) 

(b) The grantee will ensure that each 

charter school receiving funds under 

this program makes publicly available, 

consistent with the dissemination 

requirements of the annual State report 

card under section 1111(h) of the ESEA, 

including on the website of the school, 

information to help parents make 

informed decisions about the education 

options available to their children, 

including— 

(1) Information on the educational 

program; 

(2) Student support services; 

(3) Parent contract requirements (as 

applicable), including any financial 

obligations or fees; 

(4) Enrollment criteria (as applicable); 

and 

(5) Annual performance and 

enrollment data for each of the 

subgroups of students, as defined in 

section 1111(c)(2) of the ESEA, except 

that such disaggregation of performance 

and enrollment data shall not be 

required in a case in which the number 

of students in a group is insufficient to 

yield statistically reliable information or 

the results would reveal personally 

identifiable information about an 

individual student. (Section 

4303(f)(2)(G) of the ESEA) 

(c) The eligible entity has sufficient 

procedures in effect to ensure timely 

closure of low-performing or financially 

mismanaged charter schools and clear 

plans and procedures in effect for the 

students in such schools to attend other 

high-quality schools. (Section 

4305(b)(3)(C) of the ESEA) 

(d) Each charter school it funds has 

not and will not enter into a contract 

with a for-profit management 

organization, including a nonprofit 

management organization operated by 

or on behalf of a for-profit entity, under 

which the management organization or 

its related entities exercises full or 

substantial administrative control over 

the charter school and, thereby, the CSP 

project. (2022 NFP) 

(e) Any management contract between 

a charter school that the applicant funds 

and a for-profit management 

organization, including a nonprofit 

CMO operated by or on behalf of a forprofit entity, guarantees or will 

guarantee that— 

(1) The charter school maintains 

control over all CSP funds, makes all 

programmatic decisions, and directly 

administers or supervises the 

administration of the grant; 

(2) The management organization 

does not exercise full or substantial 

administrative control over the charter 

school (and, thereby, the CSP project), 

except that this does not limit the ability 

of a charter school to enter into a 

contract with a management 

organization for the provision of 

services that do not constitute full or 

substantial control of the charter school 

project funded under the CSP (e.g., food 

or payroll services) and that otherwise 

comply with statutory and regulatory 

requirements; 

(3) The charter school’s governing 

board has access to financial and other 

data pertaining to the charter school, the 

management organization, and any 

related entities; and 

(4) The charter school is in 

compliance with applicable Federal and 

State laws and regulations governing 

conflicts of interest, and there are no 

actual or perceived conflicts of interest 

between the charter school and the 

management organization. (2022 NFP) 

(f) Each charter school that the 

applicant funds will post on its website, 

on an annual basis, a copy of any 

management contract between the 

charter school and a for-profit 

management organization, including a 

nonprofit management organization 

operated by or on behalf of a for-profit 

entity, and report information on such 

contract to the Department, including— 

(1) A copy of the existing contract 

with the for-profit management 

organization or description of the terms 

of the contract, including the name and 

contact information of the management 

organization; the cost (i.e., fixed costs 

and estimates of any ongoing costs), 

including the amount of CSP funds 

proposed to be used toward such costs, 

and the percentage such cost represents 

of the charter school’s total funding; the 

duration, roles, and responsibilities of 

the management organization; the steps 

the charter school will take to ensure 

that it pays fair market value for any 

services or other items purchased or 

leased from the management 

organization; and the steps the charter 

school is taking to ensure that it makes 

all programmatic decisions, maintains 

control over all CSP funds, and directly 

administers or supervises the 

administration of the grant in 

accordance with 34 CFR 75.701; 

(2) A description of any business or 

financial relationship between the 

charter school developer or CMO and 

the management organization, including 

payments, contract terms, and any 

property owned, operated, or controlled 

by the management organization or 

related individuals or entities to be used 

by the charter school; 

(3) The names and contact 

information for each member of the 

governing boards of the charter school 

and a list of the management 

organization’s officers, chief 

administrator, and other administrators, 

and any staff involved in approving or 

executing the management contract; and 

a description of any actual or perceived 

conflicts of interest, including financial 

interests, and how the applicant 

resolved or will resolve any actual or 

perceived conflicts of interest to ensure 

compliance with 2 CFR 200.318(c); and 

(4) A description of how the charter 

school ensured that such contract is 

severable and that a change in 

management companies will not cause 

the proposed charter school to close. 

(2022 NFP) 

(g) Each charter school that the 

applicant funds will disclose, as part of 

the enrollment process, any policies and 

requirements (e.g., purchasing and 

wearing specific uniforms and other 

fees, or requirements for family 

participation), and any services that are 

or are not provided, that could impact 

a family’s ability to enroll or remain 

enrolled in the school (e.g., 

transportation services or participation 

in the National School Lunch Program). 

(2022 NFP) 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 12 / Tuesday, January 21, 2025 / Notices 7127 

(h) Each charter school that the 

applicant funds will hold or participate 

in a public hearing in the local 

community in which the proposed 

charter school would be located to 

obtain information and feedback 

regarding the potential benefit of the 

charter school, which shall at least 

include how the proposed charter 

school will increase the availability of 

high-quality public school options for 

underserved students, promote racial 

and socioeconomic diversity in such 

community or have an educational 

mission to serve primarily underserved 

students, and not increase racial or 

socioeconomic segregation or isolation 

in the school districts from which 

students would be drawn to attend the 

charter school (consistent with 

applicable laws). Applicants must 

ensure that the hearing (and notice 

thereof) is accessible to individuals with 

disabilities and limited English 

proficient individuals as required by 

law, actively solicit participation in the 

hearing (i.e., provide widespread and 

timely notice of the hearing), make good 

faith efforts to accommodate as many 

people as possible (e.g., hold the hearing 

at a convenient time for families or 

provide virtual participation options), 

and submit a summary of the comments 

received as part of the application. The 

hearing may be conducted as part of the 

charter authorizing process, provided it 

meets the requirements above. (2022 

NFP) 

(i) Each charter school that the 

applicant funds will not use any 

implementation funds for a charter 

school until after the charter school has 

received a charter from an authorized 

public chartering agency and has a 

contract, lease, mortgage, or other 

documentation indicating that it has a 

facility in which to operate. Consistent 

with sections 4303(b)(1), 4303(h)(1)(B), 

and 4310(6) of the ESEA, an eligible 

applicant may use CSP planning funds 

for post-award planning and design of 

the educational program of a proposed 

new or replicated high-quality charter 

school that has not yet opened, which 

may include hiring and compensating 

teachers, school leaders, and specialized 

instructional support personnel; 

providing training and professional 

development to staff; and other critical 

planning activities that need to occur 

prior to the charter school opening 

when such costs cannot be met from 

other sources. (2022 NFP) 

(j) Each applicant must provide an 

assurance that, within 120 days of the 

date of the grant award notification 

(GAN), the grantee will post on its 

website: 

(1) A list of the charter schools slated 

to receive CSP funds, including the 

following for each school: 

(i) The name, address, and grades 

served. 

(ii) A description of the educational 

model. 

(iii) If the charter school has 

contracted with a for-profit management 

organization, the name of the 

management organization, the amount 

of CSP funding the management 

organization will receive from the 

school, and a description of the services 

to be provided. 

(iv) The award amount, including any 

funding that has been approved for the 

current year and any additional years of 

the CSP grant for which the school will 

receive support. 

(v) The grant (redacted as necessary). 

(2) As applicable for CMO grants, 

such a list must be updated at least 

annually and provide the anticipated 

number of charter schools that will 

receive CSP planning funds before 

securing a facility. (2022 NFP) 

Note: The Department recognizes that 

the charter approval process may exceed 

the 18-month planning period 

prescribed under section 4303(d)(1)(B) 

of the ESEA. In such a case, a grantee 

may request a waiver from the 

Department under section 4303(d)(5) to 

enable the grantee to amend its 

approved application to extend the 18- 

month planning period prescribed by 

section 4303(d)(1)(B). Under section 

4303(d)(5) of the ESEA, the Secretary, in 

his discretion, may waive any statutory 

or regulatory requirement over which he 

exercises administrative authority, 

except the requirements related to the 

definition of ‘‘charter school’’ in section 

4310(2) of the ESEA, provided that the 

waiver is requested in an approved 

application and the Secretary 

determines that granting the waiver will 

promote the purposes of the CSP. A 

grantee also may request approval from 

the Department, as appropriate, to 

amend its approved application and 

budget to cover additional planning 

costs that it may incur due to an 

unexpected delay in the charter 

approval process. 

Program Authority: Title IV, part C of 

the ESEA, as amended. 

Note: Projects will be awarded and 

must be operated in a manner consistent 

with the nondiscrimination 

requirements contained in Federal civil 

rights laws. 

Applicable Regulations: (a) The 

Education Department General 

Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR 

parts 75, 76, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 97, 98, 

and 99. (b) The Office of Management 

and Budget (OMB) Guidelines to 

Agencies on Governmentwide 

Debarment and Suspension 

(Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as 

adopted and amended as regulations of 

the Department in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) 

The Uniform Administrative 

Requirements, Cost Principles, and 

Audit Requirements for Federal Awards 

(Uniform Guidance) in 2 CFR part 200, 

as adopted and amended as regulations 

of the Department in 2 CFR part 3474. 

(d) The 2018 NFP. (e) The 2022 NFP. 

Note: As of October 1, 2024, grant 

applicants must follow the provisions 

stated in the updated Uniform Guidance 

(89 FR 30046, April 22, 2024) when 

preparing an application. For more 

information about these regulations 

please visit: https://www.cfo.gov/ 

resources-coffa/uniform-guidance/. 

II. Award Information 

Type of Award: Discretionary grants. 

Estimated Available Funds: The 

Administration has requested 

$400,000,000 for the CSP for FY 2025, 

of which we would use an estimated 

$72,000,000 for new awards under this 

competition. The actual level of 

funding, if any, depends on final 

congressional action. However, we are 

inviting applications to allow enough 

time to complete the grant process if 

Congress appropriates funds for this 

program. 

Contingent upon the availability of 

funds and the quality of applications, 

we may make additional awards in 

subsequent years from the list of 

unfunded applications from this 

competition. 

Estimated Range of Awards: $300,000 

to $20,000,000 per year. 

Estimated Average Size of Awards: 

$2,500,000 per year. 

Maximum Award: See Reasonable and 

Necessary Costs in section III.4 for 

information regarding the maximum 

amount of funds that may be awarded 

per charter school. 

Estimated Number of Awards: 15–20. 

Note: The Department is not bound by 

any estimates in this notice. The 

estimated range and average size of 

awards are based on a single 12-month 

budget period. We may use available 

funds to support multiple 12-month 

budget periods for one or more grantees. 

Project Period: Up to 60 months. 

A grant awarded by the Secretary 

under this competition may be for a 

period of not more than 5 years, of 

which the grantee may use not more 

than 18 months for planning and 

program design. (Section 4303(d)(1)(B) 

of the ESEA) 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
7128 Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 12 / Tuesday, January 21, 2025 / Notices 

III. Eligibility Information 

1. Eligible Applicants: CMOs. Eligible 

applicants may apply individually or as 

part of a group or consortium. 

Note: Under 34 CFR 75.51, you may 

demonstrate your nonprofit status by 

providing: (1) proof that the Internal 

Revenue Service currently recognizes 

the applicant as an organization to 

which contributions are tax deductible 

under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal 

Revenue Code; (2) a statement from a 

State taxing body or the State attorney 

general certifying that the organization 

is a nonprofit organization operating 

within the State and that no part of its 

net earnings may lawfully benefit any 

private shareholder or individual; (3) a 

certified copy of the applicant’s 

certificate of incorporation or similar 

document if it clearly establishes the 

nonprofit status of the applicant; or (4) 

any item described above if that item 

applies to a State or national parent 

organization, together with a statement 

by the State or parent organization that 

the applicant is a local nonprofit 

affiliate. 

2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This 

competition does not require cost 

sharing or matching. 

b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This 

competition does not involve 

supplement-not-supplant funding 

requirements. 

c. Indirect Cost Rate Information: This 

program uses an unrestricted indirect 

cost rate. For more information 

regarding indirect costs, or to obtain a 

negotiated indirect cost rate, please see 

https://www.ed.gov/about/ed-offices/ 

ofo#Indirect-Cost-Division. 

d. Administrative Cost Limitation: 

This program does not include any 

program-specific limitation on 

administrative expenses. All 

administrative expenses must be 

reasonable and necessary and conform 

to Cost Principles described in 2 CFR 

part 200 subpart E of the Uniform 

Guidance. 

3. Subgrantees: A grantee under this 

competition may not award subgrants to 

entities to directly carry out project 

activities described in its application. 

4. Reasonable and Necessary Costs: 

The Secretary may elect to impose 

maximum limits on the amount of grant 

funds that may be used to replicate or 

expand a high-quality charter school (34 

CFR 75.101(a)(2) and 75.104(b)). 

For this competition, the maximum 

limit of grant funds that may be used to 

replicate or expand a single high-quality 

charter school is $2,000,000. 

In accordance with 2 CFR 200.404, 

applicants must ensure that all costs 

included in the proposed budget are 

reasonable and necessary in light of the 

goals and objectives of the proposed 

project. Any costs determined by the 

Secretary to be unreasonable or 

unnecessary will be removed from the 

final approved budget. 

5. Other CSP Grants: A charter school 

that previously received funds for 

replication or expansion under this 

program, or that has been awarded a 

subgrant or grant for opening and 

preparing for the operation of a new or 

replicated high-quality charter school, 

or expanding a high-quality charter 

school, under the CSP Grants to State 

Entities (SE Grants) program (ALN 

84.282A) or CSP Grants to Developers 

for the Opening of New Charter Schools 

and for the Replication and Expansion 

of High-Quality Charter Schools 

(Developer Grants) program (ALNs 

84.282B and 84.282E), may not receive 

funds under this program to carry out 

the same activities (see 2 CFR 200.403). 

However, such a charter school may be 

eligible to receive funds through a CSP 

CMO Grant awarded under this 

competition to expand the charter 

school beyond the existing grade levels 

or student count. 

Likewise, a charter school that is 

included in an approved application for 

funding under this competition is 

ineligible to receive a subgrant or grant 

to carry out the same activities under 

the CSP SE Grant program (ALN 

84.282A) or CSP Developer Grant 

program (ALNs 84.282B and 84.282E), 

including opening and preparing for the 

operation of a new charter school or 

replicated high-quality charter school or 

expanding a high-quality charter school 

(2 CFR 200.403). 

IV. Application and Submission 

Information 

1. Application Submission 

Instructions: Applicants are required to 

follow the Common Instructions for 

Applicants to Department of Education 

Discretionary Grant Programs, 

published in the Federal Register on 

December 23, 2024 (89 FR 104528), and 

available at https://

www.federalregister.gov/documents/ 

2024/12/23/2024-30488/commoninstructions-for-applicants-todepartment-of-education-discretionarygrant-programs, which contain 

requirements and information on how to 

submit an application. 

2. Submission of Proprietary 

Information: Given the types of projects 

that may be proposed in applications for 

this competition, your application may 

include business information that you 

consider proprietary. In 34 CFR 5.11, we 

define ‘‘business information’’ and 

describe the process we use in 

determining whether any of that 

information is proprietary and, thus, 

protected from disclosure under 

Exemption 4 of the Freedom of 

Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552, as 

amended). 

Because we plan to make successful 

applications available to the public, you 

may wish to request confidentiality of 

business information. 

Consistent with Executive Order 

12600 (Predisclosure Notification 

Procedures for Confidential Commercial 

Information), please designate in your 

application any information that you 

believe is exempt from disclosure under 

Exemption 4. In the appropriate 

Appendix section of your application, 

under ‘‘Other Attachments Form,’’ 

please list the page number or numbers 

on which we can find this information. 

For additional information please see 34 

CFR 5.11(c). 

3. Intergovernmental Review: This 

competition is subject to Executive 

Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 

CFR part 79. Information about 

Intergovernmental Review of Federal 

Programs under Executive Order 12372 

is in the application package for this 

competition. 

4. Funding Restrictions: Grantees 

under this program must use the grant 

funds to replicate or expand the charter 

school model or models for which the 

applicant has presented evidence of 

success. Specifically, grant funds must 

be used to carry out allowable activities, 

as described in section 4305(b)(1) of the 

ESEA. In addition, grant funds must be 

used to carry out one or more of the 

activities described in section 4303(h), 

which include— 

(a) Preparing teachers, school leaders, 

and specialized instructional support 

personnel, including through paying 

costs associated with— 

(1) Providing professional 

development; and 

(2) Hiring and compensating, during 

the eligible applicant’s planning period, 

one or more of the following: 

(i) Teachers. 

(ii) School leaders. 

(iii) Specialized instructional support 

personnel; 

(b) Acquiring supplies, training, 

equipment (including technology), and 

educational materials (including 

developing and acquiring instructional 

materials); 

(c) Carrying out necessary renovations 

to ensure that a new school building 

complies with applicable statutes and 

regulations, and minor facilities repairs 

(excluding construction); 

(d) Providing one-time, startup costs 

associated with providing transportation 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 12 / Tuesday, January 21, 2025 / Notices 7129 

to students to and from the charter 

school; 

(e) Carrying out community 

engagement activities, which may 

include paying the cost of student and 

staff recruitment; and 

(f) Providing for other appropriate, 

non-sustained costs related to the 

replication or expansion of high-quality 

charter schools when such costs cannot 

be met from other sources. 

Further, within the context of opening 

and preparing for the operation of one 

or more replicated high-quality charter 

schools or expanding one or more highquality charter schools, a portion of 

grant funds may be used for appropriate, 

non-sustained costs associated with the 

expansion or improvement of the 

grantee’s oversight or management of its 

charter schools, provided that (i) the 

specific charter schools being replicated 

or expanded under the grant are the 

intended beneficiaries of such 

expansion or improvement; (ii) such 

expansion or improvement is intended 

to improve the grantee’s ability to 

manage or oversee the charter schools 

being replicated or expanded under the 

grant; and (iii) the costs cannot be met 

from other sources (20 U.S.C. 7221b(h) 

and 7221d(b)(1)). In order to use grant 

funds for this purpose, an applicant 

must describe how the proposed costs 

are necessary to meet the objectives of 

the project and reasonable in light of the 

overall cost of the project (2 CFR 

200.403). 

We reference additional regulations 

outlining funding restrictions in the 

Applicable Regulations section of this 

notice. 

5. Recommended Page Limit and 

English Language Requirement: The 

project narrative is where you, the 

applicant, address the priorities, 

selection criteria, and application 

requirements that peer reviewers use to 

evaluate your application. We 

recommend that you (1) limit the project 

narrative to no more than 60 pages, and 

(2) use the following standards: 

• A ‘‘page’’ is 8.5′′ x 11′′, on one side 

only, with 1′′ margins at the top, bottom, 

and both sides. 

• Double-space (no more than three 

lines per vertical inch) all text in the 

project narrative, including titles, 

headings, footnotes, quotations, 

references, and captions, as well as all 

text in charts, tables, figures, and 

graphs. 

• Use a font that is either 12 point or 

larger or no smaller than 10 pitch 

(characters per inch). 

• Use one of the following fonts: 

Times New Roman, Courier, Courier 

New, or Arial. 

Applications must be in English, and 

peer reviewers will only consider 

supporting documents submitted with 

the application that are in English. 

The recommended page limit does not 

apply to the cover sheet; the budget 

section, including the narrative budget 

justification; the assurances and 

certifications; any request to waive 

requirements and the justification; or 

the one-page abstract, the resumes, the 

bibliography, or the letters of support. 

However, the recommended page limit 

does apply to all of the project narrative. 

6. Notice of Intent to Apply: The 

Department will be able to review grant 

applications more efficiently if we know 

the approximate number of applicants 

that intend to apply. Therefore, we 

strongly encourage each potential 

applicant to notify us of their intent to 

submit an application. To do so, please 

email the program contact person listed 

under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT with the subject line ‘‘Intent to 

Apply,’’ and include the applicant’s 

name, a contact person’s name and 

email address, and the Assistance 

Listing Number. Applicants that do not 

submit a notice of intent to apply may 

still apply for funding. 

V. Application Review Information 

1. Selection Criteria: The selection 

criteria for this competition are from 34 

CFR 75.210, the 2018 NFP, and the 2022 

NFP. The maximum possible score for 

addressing all of the selection criteria is 

100 points. The maximum possible 

score for addressing each criterion is 

indicated in parentheses following the 

criterion. 

In evaluating an application for a CSP 

CMO Grant, the Secretary considers the 

following criteria: 

(a) Quality of the Eligible Applicant 

and Adequacy of Resources (up to 35 

points). 

In determining the quality of the 

eligible applicant and the adequacy of 

resources, the Secretary considers the 

following factors: 

(1) The extent to which the academic 

achievement results (including annual 

student performance on statewide 

assessments, annual student attendance 

and retention rates, and, where 

applicable and available, student 

academic growth, high school 

graduation rates, college attendance 

rates, and college persistence rates) for 

educationally disadvantaged students 

served by the charter schools operated 

or managed by the applicant have 

exceeded the average academic 

achievement results for such students 

served by other public schools in the 

State (up to 15 points). (2018 NFP) 

(2) The extent to which one or more 

charter schools operated or managed by 

the applicant have closed; have had a 

charter revoked due to noncompliance 

with statutory or regulatory 

requirements; or have had their 

affiliation with the applicant revoked or 

terminated, including through voluntary 

disaffiliation (up to 5 points). (2018 

NFP) 

(3) The extent to which one or more 

charter schools operated or managed by 

the applicant have had any significant 

issues in the area of financial or 

operational management or student 

safety, or have otherwise experienced 

significant problems with statutory or 

regulatory compliance that could lead to 

revocation of the school’s charter (up to 

5 points). (2018 NFP) 

(4) The extent to which the budget is 

adequate to support the proposed 

project and the costs are reasonable in 

relation to the objectives, design, and 

potential significance of the proposed 

project (up to 5 points). (34 CFR 75.210) 

(5) The level of initial matching funds 

or other commitment from partners, 

indicating the likelihood for potential 

continued support of the project after 

Federal funding ends (up to 5 points). 

(34 CFR 75.210) 

(b) Quality of the Needs Analysis (up 

to 25 points). 

In determining the quality of the 

needs analysis, the Secretary considers 

the following factors: 

(1) The extent to which the needs 

analysis demonstrates that the proposed 

charter school will address the needs of 

all students served by the charter 

school, including underserved students; 

will ensure equitable access to highquality learning opportunities; and 

demonstrates sufficient demand for the 

charter school (up to 10 points). (2022 

NFP) 

(2) The extent to which the needs 

analysis demonstrates that the proposed 

charter school has considered and 

mitigated, whenever possible, potential 

barriers to application, enrollment, and 

retention of underserved students and 

their families (up to 10 points). (2022 

NFP) 

(3) The extent to which the proposed 

charter school is supported by families 

and the community, including the 

extent to which parents and other 

members of the community were 

engaged in determining the need and 

vision for the school and will continue 

to be engaged on an ongoing basis, 

including in the academic, financial, 

organizational, and operational 

performance of the charter school (up to 

5 points). (2022 NFP) 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
7130 Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 12 / Tuesday, January 21, 2025 / Notices 

(c) Quality of the Project Design and 

Evaluation Plan for the Proposed Project 

(up to 10 points). 

In determining the quality of the 

project design and evaluation plan for 

the proposed project, the Secretary 

considers the following factors: 

(1) The quality of the logic model or 

other conceptual framework underlying 

the proposed project, including how 

inputs are related to outcomes (up to 2 

points). (34 CFR 75.210) 

(2) The extent to which the methods 

of evaluation include the use of 

objective performance measures that are 

clearly related to the intended outcomes 

of the proposed project, as described in 

the applicant’s logic model, and that 

will produce quantitative and 

qualitative data by the end of the grant 

period (up to 6 points). (2018 NFP) 

(3) The extent to which the goals, 

objectives, and outcomes to be achieved 

by the proposed project are clearly 

specified, measurable, and ambitious 

yet achievable within the project period, 

and aligned with the purposes of the 

grant program (up to 2 points). (34 CFR 

75.210) 

(d) Quality of the Management Plan 

(up to 30 points). 

In determining the quality of the 

management plan for the proposed 

project, the Secretary considers the 

following factors: 

(1) The feasibility of the management 

plan to achieve project objectives and 

goals on time and within budget, 

including clearly defined 

responsibilities, timelines, and 

milestones for accomplishing project 

tasks (up to 6 points). (34 CFR 75.210) 

(2) The extent to which the time 

commitments of the project director and 

principal investigator and other key 

project personnel are appropriate and 

adequate to meet the objectives of the 

proposed project (up to 6 points). (34 

CFR 75.210) 

(3) The adequacy of the applicant’s 

plan to maintain control over all CSP 

grant funds (up to 6 points). (2022 NFP) 

(4) The adequacy of the applicant’s 

plan to make all programmatic decisions 

(up to 6 points). (2022 NFP) 

(5) The adequacy of the applicant’s 

plan to administer or supervise the 

administration of the grant, including 

maintaining management and oversight 

responsibilities over the grant (up to 6 

points). (2022 NFP) 

2. Review and Selection Process: We 

remind potential applicants that in 

reviewing applications in any 

discretionary grant competition, the 

Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 

75.217(d)(3), the past performance of the 

applicant in carrying out a previous 

award, such as the applicant’s use of 

funds, completion of grant activities, 

achievement of project objectives, and 

compliance with grant conditions. The 

Secretary may also consider whether the 

applicant failed to submit a timely 

performance report or submitted a 

report of unacceptable quality. 

In addition, in making a competitive 

grant award, the Secretary requires 

various assurances, including those 

applicable to Federal civil rights laws 

that prohibit discrimination in programs 

or activities receiving Federal financial 

assistance from the Department (34 CFR 

100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23). 

3. Risk Assessment and Specific 

Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR 

200.206, before awarding grants under 

this competition the Department 

conducts a review of the risks posed by 

applicants. Under 2 CFR 200.208, the 

Secretary may impose specific 

conditions and, under 2 CFR 3474.10, in 

appropriate circumstances, high-risk 

conditions on a grant if the applicant or 

grantee is not financially stable; has a 

history of unsatisfactory performance; 

has a financial or other management 

system that does not meet the standards 

in 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; has not 

fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; 

or is otherwise not responsible. 

4. Integrity and Performance System: 

If you are selected under this 

competition to receive an award that 

over the course of the project period 

may exceed the simplified acquisition 

threshold (currently $250,000), under 2 

CFR 200.206(a)(2) we must make a 

judgment about your integrity, business 

ethics, and record of performance under 

Federal awards—that is, the risk posed 

by you as an applicant—before we make 

an award. In doing so, we must consider 

any information about you that is in the 

integrity and performance system 

(currently referred to as the Federal 

Awardee Performance and Integrity 

Information System (FAPIIS)), 

accessible through the System for 

Award Management. You may review 

and comment on any information about 

yourself that a Federal agency 

previously entered and that is currently 

in FAPIIS. 

Please note that, if the total value of 

your currently active grants, cooperative 

agreements, and procurement contracts 

from the Federal Government exceeds 

$10,000,000, the reporting requirements 

in 2 CFR part 200, Appendix XII, 

require you to report certain integrity 

information to FAPIIS semiannually. 

Please review the requirements in 2 CFR 

part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant 

plus all the other Federal funds you 

receive exceed $10,000,000. 

VI. Award Administration Information 

1. Award Notices: If your application 

is successful, we notify your U.S. 

Representative and U.S. Senators and 

send you a Grant Award Notification 

(GAN); or we may send you an email 

containing a link to access an electronic 

version of your GAN. We also may 

notify you informally. 

If your application is not evaluated or 

not selected for funding, we notify you. 

2. Administrative and National Policy 

Requirements: We identify 

administrative and national policy 

requirements in the application package 

and reference these and other 

requirements in the Applicable 

Regulations section of this notice. 

We reference the regulations outlining 

the terms and conditions of an award in 

the Applicable Regulations section of 

this notice and include these and other 

specific conditions in the GAN. The 

GAN also incorporates your approved 

application as part of your binding 

commitments under the grant. 

3. Open Licensing Requirements: 

Unless an exception applies, if you are 

awarded a grant under this competition, 

you will be required to openly license 

to the public grant deliverables created 

in whole, or in part, with Department 

grant funds. When the deliverable 

consists of modifications to pre-existing 

works, the license extends only to those 

modifications that can be separately 

identified and only to the extent that 

open licensing is permitted under the 

terms of any licenses or other legal 

restrictions on the use of pre-existing 

works. Additionally, a grantee or 

subgrantee that is awarded competitive 

grant funds must have a plan to 

disseminate these public grant 

deliverables. This dissemination plan 

can be developed and submitted after 

your application has been reviewed and 

selected for funding. For additional 

information on the open licensing 

requirements please refer to 2 CFR 

3474.20. 

4. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a 

grant under this competition, you must 

ensure that you have in place the 

necessary processes and systems to 

comply with the reporting requirements 

in 2 CFR part 170 should you receive 

funding under the competition. See the 

standards in 2 CFR 170.105 to 

determine whether you are covered by 

2 CFR part 170. 

(b) At the end of your project period, 

you must submit a final performance 

report, including financial information, 

as directed by the Secretary. If you 

receive a multiyear award, you must 

submit an annual performance report 

that provides the most current 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 12 / Tuesday, January 21, 2025 / Notices 7131 

performance and financial expenditure 

information as directed by the Secretary 

under 34 CFR 75.118. The Secretary 

may also require more frequent 

performance reports under 34 CFR 

75.720(c). For specific requirements on 

reporting, please go to www.ed.gov/ 

fund/grant/apply/appforms/ 

appforms.html. 

(c) Under 34 CFR 75.254, the 

Secretary may provide a grantee with 

additional funding for data collection 

analysis and reporting. In this case the 

Secretary establishes a data collection 

period. 

5. Performance Measures: The 

Department has developed the following 

performance measures for the purpose 

of Department reporting under 34 CFR 

75.110: 

(a) Program Performance Measures. 

(1) The performance measures for this 

program are: (i) The number of charter 

schools in operation around the Nation, 

and (ii) the percentage of fourth- and 

eighth-grade charter school students 

who are achieving at or above the 

proficient level on State assessments in 

mathematics and reading/language arts. 

Additionally, the Secretary has 

established the following measure to 

examine the efficiency of the CSP: The 

Federal cost per student in 

implementing a successful school 

(defined as a school in operation for 

three or more consecutive years). 

(2) In accordance with 34 CFR 

75.110(b), applications must describe: 

(i) The data collection and reporting 

methods the applicant would use and 

why those methods are likely to yield 

reliable, valid, and meaningful 

performance data. 

(ii) The applicant’s capacity to collect 

and report the quality of the 

performance data, as evidenced by 

quality data collection, analysis, and 

reporting in other projects or research. 

(b) Project-Specific Performance 

Measures. Applicants must propose 

project-specific performance measures 

and performance targets consistent with 

the objectives of the proposed project. In 

accordance with 34 CFR 75.110(c), 

applications must include the following: 

(1) Project-specific performance 

measures. How each proposed projectspecific performance measure would: 

accurately measure the performance of 

the project; be consistent with the 

program performance measures 

established under paragraph (a) of this 

section; and be used to inform 

continuous improvement of the project. 

(2) Baseline data. (i) Why each 

proposed baseline is valid and reliable, 

including an assessment of the quality 

data used to establish the baseline; or 

(ii) if the applicant has determined that 

there are no established baseline data 

for a particular performance measure, an 

explanation of why there is no 

established baseline and of how and 

when, during the project period, the 

applicant would establish a valid 

baseline for the performance measure. 

(3) Performance targets. Why each 

proposed performance target is 

ambitious yet achievable compared to 

the baseline for the performance 

measure and when, during the project 

period, the applicant would meet the 

performance target(s). 

All grantees must submit an annual 

performance report with information 

that is responsive to these performance 

measures. 

6. Continuation Awards: In making a 

continuation award under 34 CFR 

75.253, the Secretary considers, among 

other things: whether a grantee has 

made substantial progress in achieving 

the goals and objectives of the project; 

whether the grantee has expended funds 

in a manner that is consistent with its 

approved application and budget; and, 

if the Secretary has established 

performance measurement 

requirements, whether the grantee has 

made substantial progress in achieving 

the performance targets in the grantee’s 

approved application. 

In making a continuation award, the 

Secretary also considers whether the 

grantee is operating in compliance with 

the assurances in its approved 

application, including those applicable 

to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit 

discrimination in programs or activities 

receiving Federal financial assistance 

from the Department (34 CFR 100.4, 

104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23). 

7. Project Directors’ Meeting: 

Applicants approved for funding under 

this competition must attend a meeting 

for project directors during each year of 

the project. The meeting may be held 

virtually or in person at a location to be 

determined in the continental United 

States. Applicants may include, if 

applicable, the cost of attending these 

meetings in their proposed budgets as 

allowable administrative costs. 

8. Technical Assistance: Applicants 

approved for funding under this 

competition must participate in all 

technical assistance offerings required 

by the CSP Office, including project 

directors’ meetings and other on-site 

and virtual gatherings sponsored by the 

Department and its contracted technical 

assistance providers and partners 

throughout the performance period. 

VII. Other Information 

Accessible Format: On request to the 

program contact person listed under FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, 

individuals with disabilities can obtain 

this document and a copy of the 

application package in an accessible 

format. The Department will provide the 

requestor with an accessible format that 

may include Rich Text Format (RTF) or 

text format (txt), a thumb drive, an MP3 

file, braille, large print, audiotape, 

compact disc, or other accessible format. 

Electronic Access to This Document: 

The official version of this document is 

the document published in the Federal 

Register. You may access the official 

edition of the Federal Register and the 

Code of Federal Regulations at 

www.govinfo.gov. At this site, you can 

view this document, as well as all other 

Department documents published in the 

Federal Register, in text or Portable 

Document Format (PDF). To use PDF, 

you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, 

which is available free at the site. 

You may also access Department 

documents published in the Federal 

Register by using the article search 

feature at www.federalregister.gov. 

Specifically, through the advanced 

search feature at this site, you can limit 

your search to documents published by 

the Department. 

Adam Schott, 

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, 

Delegated the Authority to Perform the 

Functions and Duties of the Assistant 

Secretary, Office of Elementary and 

Secondary Education. 

[FR Doc. 2025–01379 Filed 1–16–25; 11:15 am] 

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission 

[Docket No. RM98–1–000] 

Records Governing Off-The-Record 

Communications; Public Notice 

This constitutes notice, in accordance 

with 18 CFR 385.2201(b), of the receipt 

of prohibited and exempt off-the-record 

communications. 

Order No. 607 (64 FR 51222, 

September 22, 1999) requires 

Commission decisional employees, who 

make or receive a prohibited or exempt 

off-the-record communication relevant 

to the merits of a contested proceeding, 

to deliver to the Secretary of the 

Commission, a copy of the 

communication, if written, or a 

summary of the substance of any oral 

communication. 

Prohibited communications are 

included in a public, non-decisional file 

associated with, but not a part of, the 

decisional record of the proceeding. 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1