Empower Charter School Educators to Lead Act

To modify the program of grants to support high-quality charter schools. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Empower Charter School Educators to Lead Act 2. Grants to support high-quality charter schools Section 4303 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 7221b (1) in subsection (b)— (A) in paragraph (1)(C), by striking and (B) in paragraph (2)— (i) by inserting which may include assistance in locating and accessing a facility, and technical assistance in assessing financial options, prior to an eligible applicant receiving a subgrant under this section, paragraph (1), (ii) by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and (C) by adding at the end the following: (3) provide pre-charter planning subgrants (in amounts of no more than $100,000 per prospective applicant) to charter school developers that— (A) intend to submit an application— (i) to an authorized public chartering agency to operate a charter school; or (ii) to nonprofit or public entities for the provision of financial support to such developers; (B) are led by educators who— (i) have not less than 54 months of school-based experience (which may include experience in teaching in or administering after school or summer school programs); and (ii) have demonstrated leadership competencies and success with students, as determined by the State entity; and (C) have successfully completed the development of an initial plan for opening a charter school, as evidenced by a description of the educational needs of the community in which the proposed charter school will be located and how the proposed charter school will be suited to meet those needs. ; (2) in subsection (c)(1)— (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking 90 percent 82 percent (B) in subparagraph (B)— (i) by striking not less than 7 percent not more than 10 percent (ii) by striking and (C) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (D); and (D) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following: (C) reserve not more than 5 percent of such funds to carry out the activities described in subsection (b)(3); and ; (3) in subsection (d)(1)(B), by striking this section subsection (b)(1) (4) in subsection (e)(2), by striking this section subsection (b)(1) (5) in subsection (f)(1)(A)(vi)— (A) in the matter preceding subclause (I), by inserting under subsection (b)(1) program (B) in subclause (II), by striking subgrant funds under this section subgrant funds under subsection (b)(1) (6) in subsection (h), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking this section subsection (b)(1) June 4, 2024 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

Summary: Empower Charter School Educators to Lead ActThis bill makes changes to the Charter Schools Program (CSP).&nbsp;Specifically, the bill allows state entities (e.g., state educational agencies and state charter school boards) to use up to 5% of their CSP grant funds to make pre-charter planning subgrants to prospective charter applicants (or nonprofit or public entities that will support prospective applicants).Currently, state entities must use at least 7% of their CSP grant funds to provide technical assistance to eligible applicants and authorized public chartering agencies. The bill instead allows state entities to use not more than 10% of these funds for technical assistance.