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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 12 (Tuesday, January 21, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7119-7131]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-01379]

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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.

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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 
pre-application 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-grade-12/charter-school-programs/charter-schools-program-grants-to-charter-management-organizations-for-the-replication-and-expansion-of-high-quality-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-started-discretionary-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/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-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: [email protected].
    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 
high-quality 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.
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    \1\ Terms defined in this notice are italicized the first time 
each term is used.
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    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 high-quality 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 pre-kindergarten through 
postsecondary education and unite around evidence-based 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

[[Page 7120]]

student with a pathway to multilingualism.
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    \2\ https://www.ed.gov/about/ed-initiatives/raise-bar.
    \3\ The 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.
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    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 educator- and 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.
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    \4\ Kotok, Stephen, and David DeMatthews. ``Challenging School 
Segregation in the Twenty-First 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.
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    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 
high-quality 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 high-quality 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

[[Page 7121]]

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 high-quality 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 evidence-based 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\
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    \5\ The 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).
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    (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

[[Page 7122]]

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

[[Page 7123]]

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 well-
implemented quasi-experimental study; or
    (iii) Promising evidence from at least one well-designed and well-
implemented 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.
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    \6\ Per 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.
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    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

[[Page 7124]]

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 
high-quality 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 high-quality 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 high-quality 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

[[Page 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 decision-making.
    (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,

[[Page 7126]]

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 for-profit 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)

[[Page 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)

[[Page 7128]]

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/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-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

[[Page 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 high-quality 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 high-quality 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)

[[Page 7130]]

    (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

[[Page 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 
project-specific 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
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