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The California Department of Education (CDE) has announced the availability of $11.6 million for the Public Charter Schools Grant Program (PCSGP) to assist in the development and initial operations of newly established or conversion charter schools as well as to assist in the expansion and replication of high-quality charter schools. The maximum PCSGP subgrant award to charter school developers will be $1.9 million. Applications are due June 24, 2025.

What is the purpose and background of this program?

The PCSGP is a discretionary subgrant program funded by the federal Charter Schools Program (CSP), authorized under Title IV, Part C of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) (20 United States Code [U.S.C.] 7221–7221j. California was awarded approximately $93 million in grant funds for 2024–29. States that are awarded these federal funds distribute them in subgrants to charter school developers, known as PCSGP Start-Up Subgrants in the state of California, to assist in the development and initial operations of newly established or conversion charter schools as well as to assist in the expansion and replication of high-quality charter schools.

Who is eligible to apply for the PCSGP?

In order to qualify for funds under the CSP, a charter school must meet the federal definition of a charter school or charter school developer (see Request for Applications for definition). Applicants must have an approved charter petition from an authorized public chartering authority by the due date (June 24, 2025), and must meet all eligibility requirements for the subgrant for which they are applying.

What subgrant awards will the PCSGP fund?

There are four PCSGP Start-Up Subgrants offered through this project’s Request for Applications (RFA): Planning, Implementation, Replication, and Expansion. Each is described in detail below.

1. Planning Subgrants: The applicant school must be a newly established or conversion charter school that is not currently serving students, but intends to begin serving students within 18 months of the application due date. Planning subgrants end on the day prior to the first day of instruction. Once the planning subgrantee charter school begins serving students, has met all reporting requirements, and has completed the planning subgrant Project Goals, they are eligible to apply for additional implementation funding. Planning subgrants cannot exceed $300,000 baseline, but may also be eligible for supplemental funding of up to $300,000 for Career Technical Education (CTE) and Innovation and Sharing Best Practices.
2. Implementation: The applicant school must be a newly established or conversion charter school, that did not begin serving students prior to July 1, 2023. Implementation subgrants may go up to 36 months. Implementation subgrants that are awarded as additional funding to Planning subgrantees cannot exceed a combined time frame of 36 months. Total implementation grant funding cannot exceed $800,000 in baseline funding, but supplemental funding of up to $1.1 million is also available for applications that meet certain criteria such as serving students with disabilities, English learners, socioeconomically disadvantaged students, and more, for a maximum award of $1.9 million. 
3. Replication: Charter school operators seeking “to open a new charter school or a new campus of a high-quality charter school, based on the educational model of an existing high-quality charter school, under an existing charter or an additional charter, if permitted or required by state law” may be eligible to apply for a Replication subgrant. Replication subgrants cannot exceed 36 months or $800,000 in baseline funding, with supplemental funding of up to $1.1 million also available for applications that meet certain criteria such as serving students with disabilities, English learners, socioeconomically disadvantaged students, and more, for a maximum award of $1.9 million. 
4. Expansion: Continuing charter schools are only eligible for expansion subgrant funding. Charter schools may be eligible for an Expansion subgrant if they are significantly increasing enrollment (more than 25 percent of its current or prior year certified enrollment) OR adding one or more grade levels to be served within the current fiscal year or succeeding fiscal year. The addition of transitional kindergarten (TK) at a school currently providing kindergarten is not considered the addition of a new grade level. Expansion subgrants cannot exceed 36 months or $800,000 in baseline funding, with supplemental funding of up to $1.1 million also available for applications that meet certain criteria such as serving students with disabilities, English learners, socioeconomically disadvantaged students, and more, for a maximum award of $1.9 million. 

What is the timeline for PCSGP subgrants?

PCSGP applications are due before midnight on June 24, 2025. Applicants must have an approved charter petition by the application due date. Eligibility screening and peer evaluation will take place June 25-July 31, 2025, and applicants will be notified of their application status on August 1, 2025. Subgrant awards are expected to start September 1, 2025, pending budget approval and grant award notification.

The RFA can be found here.

For more information on this grant or how to apply with Morrison’s assistance, please contact the Morrison Grants Team by email at grants@morrisonco.net or call us at 530-893-4764.