Empower Charter School Educators to Lead Act

Bill: 118-s-3072
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
Introduced: 2023-10-18
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Education programs funding

Educational facilities and institutions

Elementary and secondary education

School administration
Latest action: action_date: 2023-10-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-10-18
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Empower Charter School Educators to Lead Act</strong></p><p>This bill makes changes to the Charter Schools Program (CSP).&nbsp;</p><p>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).</p><p>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.</p>

tv_txt: II 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 3072 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES October 18, 2023 Mr. Cornyn (for himself, Mr. Booker , Mr. Cassidy , Ms. Hassan , Mr. Scott of South Carolina , Mr. Bennet , Mr. Braun , and Mr. Schatz ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL 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 ) is amended— (1) in subsection (b)— (A) in paragraph (1)(C), by striking and after the semicolon; (B) in paragraph (2)— (i) by inserting which may include assistance in locating and accessing a facility and funding a revolving loan fund or a similar mechanism for expenses under subsection (h) prior to an eligible applicant receiving reimbursement, after paragraph (1), ; and (ii) by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and ; and (iii) 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 have not yet submitted an application for a charter to an authorized public chartering agency, or to nonprofit or public entities for the provision of financial support to such developers, provided that such developers— (A) are led by educators— (i) with 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) that have demonstrated leadership competencies and success with students, as determined by the State entity; and (B) have successfully completed the development of an initial plan for opening a public 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 planned charter school will be suited to meet those needs. ; and (2) in subsection (c)(1)— (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking 90 percent and inserting 80 percent ; (B) in subparagraph (B)— (i) by striking not less than 7 percent and inserting not more than 10 percent ; and (ii) by striking and after the semicolon; (C) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (D); (D) in subparagraph (D), as redesignated by subparagraph (C), by striking 3 percent and inserting 5 percent ; and (E) 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 .