PRESS RELEASE, September 9, 2004

From:
Office of Innovation and Improvement-Charter Schools Program
U.S. Department of Education
Office of Public Affairs, News Branch
Contacts: Jim Bradshaw or Susan Aspey
(202) 401-1576

California Awarded $49.2 Million “No Child Left Behind” Grant to Provide More Educational Options for Parents
Funds Will Match State Efforts to Pay for Charter School Facilities

California has been awarded a $49.2 million grant over five years to support its efforts to provide more educational options to parents through charter schools, U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige announced today. On behalf of Secretary Paige, Assistant Secretary of Education Sally Stroup presented a grant check to the California School Finance Authority during an event at the Animo Leadership Charter High School in Inglewood, Calif.

"One of the greatest challenges charter schools face is affording to pay the rent or a mortgage," Secretary Paige said. "These grants support states' efforts to pay for these costs, thus enabling them to provide parents with more educational options for their children."

The Charter School Facilities Incentive Grants program encourages states to develop and expand per-pupil facilities aid programs. A per-pupil facilities aid program is one in which a state makes payments to charter schools to provide them with financing that must include or be used only for the funding of facilities. The payments are based on a formula that takes into account the number of pupils in the charter school.

Unlike traditional public schools, charter schools do not typically have access to facilities through bonding or taxing authority. Most charter schools must pay for facilities out of their general revenue, which could be better targeted for educational purposes.

Charter schools are independent public schools of choice designed and operated by educators, parents, community leaders and educational entrepreneurs. They are given greater flexibility in return for strict accountability for improving student achievement. The first U.S. public charter school opened in 1992. More than 3,000 charter schools serve nearly one million students in 40 states and Washington, D.C.

The No Child Left Behind Act is the bipartisan landmark education reform law designed to change the culture of America's schools by closing the achievement gap among groups of students, offering more flexibility to states, giving parents more options and teaching students based on what works. Under the law's strong accountability provisions, states must describe how they will close the achievement gap and make sure all students, including those with disabilities, achieve academically.

More information about the No Child Left Behind Act is available at www.ed.gov.

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