An unprecedented $182 million will go to help set up, develop and expand charter schools and to promote the exchange of information regarding what works to improve student performance among charter schools across the nation, U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige announced today.

Nearly $89 million in new grants is being awarded to Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, Rhode Island and Texas for the first year of three-year grants. Indiana, which recently passed charter school legislation, is being funded for the first time. Unlike the other states, Arizona's $10 million will go to 65 schools that receive funds directly from the department, including 14 schools that will share information on what works.

"Just this week we received new evidence from New Jersey that charter schools are helping boost the academic achievement of children who previously were left behind by failing schools," Paige said, "and our own recent research reveals that competition from charter schools encourages the entire public school system to improve. High-quality charter schools offer tremendous opportunities to our children, and I'm proud to give them this significant level of support."

To provide ongoing support to start-up charter schools and to share best practices, more than $86 million in second- and third-year funding will go to 20 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

In most cases, the U.S. Department of Education's Public Charter School Program made the awards to states, which in turn make subgrants to eligible charter schools. The funds provide support for planning and program design; measuring student progress; professional development; and for acquiring curricula, materials and supplies. In addition, charter schools that have strong leaders, have been open for at least three consecutive years, have raised student achievement, and report high levels of parent satisfaction may receive two-year grants to share best practices with those who are creating new schools or converting existing public schools to charters.

The remaining $7 million will support field-initiated national activities including: research and data collection; technical assistance; providing information on facilities, and sharing best practices in instruction and assessment. For instance, following up on research that shows that charter school leaders have unique educational needs that are not typically met by higher education, Arizona State University received a $348,547 grant to establish a two-year leadership training program for charter school leaders and educational entrepreneurs to help train them in both education and business.

The department estimates that about 2,100 charter schools are operating this school year around the country. Charter schools are public schools operating with a contract, or charter, from a public agency. They are created by groups of parents, teachers, school administrators or others who want to provide alternatives within the public school system, with museums, local businesses and community organizations among their partners. They are intended to stimulate the creativity and commitment of teachers, parents, students and citizens and therefore to contribute to better student achievement.

Charter schools are free of cost to parents and open to all students, but exempted from most statutory and regulatory requirements in exchange for performance-based accountability. They must meet standards set forth in their charters for students and the school as a whole, or else the chartering agency can close the school. Charter schools must be non-sectarian and abide by civil rights, health and safety laws.

NOTE TO EDITORS: A list of grantees, by state, contacts and grant amounts follows.

FY2001 NEW GRANTS - PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS PROGRAM

STATE EDUCATION AGENCIES (SEA) - PROGRAM PLANNING/PROGRAM
DESIGN/IMPLEMENTATION AND DISSEMINATION

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