Federal Charter Schools Program Opens $500,000 Collaboration Grant Competition

The federal Charter Schools Program (CSP) on July 30, 2012 opened a $500,000 competition to encourage high-quality public charter schools to partner with non-charter public schools to “share and transfer best educational and operational practices.” The application deadline for the Charter School Exemplary Collaboration Awards is August 29, 2012.

The CSP, part of the U.S. Department of Education, expects to award three to five grants, ranging from $50,000 to $200,000, according to the agency’s announcement. Additional awards may be made in 2013 from the list of unfunded 2012 applications.

“By promoting strong partnerships and supporting the dissemination of information about the activities carried out through these partnerships, these Collaboration Awards should facilitate the exchange of best practices between public charter schools, non-chartered public schools, and non-chartered LEAs; and help the (Department) identify and publicize successful collaborations,” the announcement states. “The Collaboration Awards competition is designed to encourage public charter schools, non-chartered public schools, and non-chartered LEAs to share resources and responsibilities; build trust and teamwork; boost academic excellence; and provide students and their parents with a range of effective educational options.”