A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

       EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 10 a.m. EST                                            News Contact: Melinda Kitchell Malico     October 3, 1996                                      (202) 401-1576                                            Program Contact: John Fiegel                                                             (202)260-2671

Riley Announces $17 Million in Support for Charter Schools

Nineteen states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia are receiving grants to support start up and development of hundreds of additional charter schools.

Charter schools are public schools under contract -- or charter -- from a public agency to groups of parents, teachers, school administrators or others who want to create alternatives and choice within the public school system. The schools are free, open to all, and designed to be publicly accountable, as well as creative, flexible and responsive to student and parent needs.

"As the fastest growing public school choice movement of the 1990s, charter schools provide a good way for communities to roll up their sleeves and move forward -- with charter in hand -- to strengthen options within public schools and encourage effective innovation coupled with public accountability," Riley said.

Congress acted on President Clinton's request to increase funding for the Charter Schools Program in Fiscal Year 1997 by appropriating $51 million, Riley said. The added funds will help the department support even more charter schools next year, an important piece of the $3.5 billion increase for improving education to be signed into law this week, Riley added.

Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, a New Mexico school, New Jersey, North Carolina, Wisconsin, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico are receiving new grants totaling nearly $8.8 million. Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, two New Mexico schools, Oregon, and Texas are receiving second-year grants to continue charter schools development, totaling nearly $8 million.

Charter schools supported by the U.S. Department of Education do not limit admissions based on achievement or aptitude. They may not be religiously affiliated and must abide by civil rights, health and safety laws. The schools also must meet standards set forth in their charters for students and the school as a whole, or they risk losing the charters.

Under the Public Charter Schools Program, proposed by President Clinton in 1993 and passed into law in 1994 as part of the Improving America's Schools Act, states conduct competitions and award sub grants to provide start up funds for new or recently established charter schools. These funds help pay for planning, design and start-up costs -- areas often identified as critical for successful charter schools.

In Connecticut, for instance, charter schools support will allow schools to offer more alternative programs and enable parents and students to choose from a wider range of rigorous academic experiences available both locally and regionally. Florida plans to use charter schools to promote academic accountability and to encourage deregulation and local control of public education.

Charter schools support is being continued this year to fund both the start up and development of about 200 charter schools in 11 states. In addition, Goals 2000, Title I and other federal funds can be used to support charter schools and to share lessons learned with other schools.

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