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Contact: Erica Lepping
(202) 401-4389
RILEY ANNOUNCES $68 MILLION IN SUPPORT FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS
The Clinton Administration today announced the award of over $68 million in 45 grants to help meet the growing demand for public charter schools.
In sixteen states, a total of $36 million is being awarded in first-year grants to support start-up and development of additional charter schools. Another eleven states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, one school in New Mexico and two schools in Hawaii will receive almost $32 million in second- or third-year funding.
"More than 900 charter schools nationwide receive federal charter school support to help give parents more choices of public school options, encourage innovation and ensure accountability," Riley said. "I urge Congress to provide parents and students with public school choices -- and keep the charter schools movement alive and well -- by funding the President's request for $100 million."
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. Museums, local businesses and community groups are among the partners involved. 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.
President Clinton has asked Congress for more than $100 million for the Public Charter Schools Program in Fiscal Year 1999 to provide start-up funds for a new round of schools as well as continued support for existing charter schools that face costs associated with start-up. The budget would support up to 1,400 charter schools, serving some 400,000 students, with a target of 3,000 schools by 2001. The House bill currently meets this request of $100 million, while the Senate's level falls short at $80 million.
The Public Charter Schools Program is a three-year grant program, with states receiving either initial, second- or third-year continuation funding.
Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Rhode Island and Texas are receiving new grants this year. Pennsylvania, South Carolina and two schools in Hawaii are receiving second-year grants. Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, New Jersey, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Wisconsin and one school in New Mexico are receiving their final year of support to continue charter schools development.
Charter schools supported by the U.S. Department of Education must be non-sectarian and 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 their chartering agency can close the school.
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.
Over 900 charter schools, grown from 250 just three years ago, now receive federal support in 29 states nationwide for start up and development. In addition, Goals 2000, Title I and other federal funds can be used to support charter schools and to share lessons learned with other public schools. Federal grants, from previous years, have served 94% of charter schools in the planning stages, 73% of operating charter schools -- 583 schools -- and some 66% of schools with approved charters but that are not yet operating.
NOTE TO EDITORS: Attached is a list of grantees.
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FISCAL YEAR 1998
Public Charter Schools Program Grantees-New Grants
| Little Rock | Little Rock School District Contact: Francis Cawthon (501) 324-2000 | $93,044 |
ARIZONA
| Gilbert | Desert Springs Scholastic Institute Contact: Nick Moeller (602) 545-7660 | $100,000 | ||
| Glendale | Career Pathways Academy Contact: DeAnna Foulds (602) 978-8838 | $105,512 | ||
| Lake Havasu | Desert Technology High School Contact: Cathleen Olson (602) 968-6429 | $113,000 | ||
| Phoenix | The Learning Institute Contact: Adele Ferrini (602) 840-2302 | $50,935 | ||
| Phoenix | Precision Academy Contact: Daniel Martinez (602) 829-1903 | $100,000 | ||
| Phoenix | The Village Contact: Sheila Moore (602) 258-6990 | $109,358 | ||
| Surprise | Paradise Education Center Contact: Jack Caudle (602) 527-0360 | $95,325 | ||
| Tempe | Integrity Charter School Contact: Cathleen Olson (602) 968-6429 | $75,500 | ||
| Tucson | Children's Academy of Arizona Contact: Cathleen Olson (602) 968-6429 | $111,000 | ||
| Tucson | Ha:san Preparatory and Leadership School Contact: Cathleen Olson (602) 968-6429 | $87,025 | ||
| Winslow | Little Singer Community Junior High School Contact: Cathleen Olson (602) 968-6429 | $100,400 | ||
| Winslow | Seba Dalkai School Board Contact: Dr. Calsoyas (520) 657-3208 | $108,000 |
CALIFORNIA
| Sacramento | State Department of Education Contact: David Patterson (916) 327-5929 | $7,626,896 |
COLORADO
| Denver | State Department of Education Contact: Bill Windler (303) 866-6631 | $3,000,000 |
GEORGIA
| Atlanta | State Department of Education Contact: John Rhodes (404) 656-0644 | $2,421,053 |
LOUISIANA
| Baton Rouge | State Department of Education Contact: Kathy Matheny (225) 219-4540 | $665,968 |
MASSACHUSETTS
| Malden | State Department of Education Contact: Scott Hamilton (617) 727-0075 | $3,996,192 |
MICHIGAN
| Lansing | State Department of Education Contact: Joan May (517) 373-4631 | $5,000,000 |
MINNESOTA
| Saint Paul | State Department of Education Contact: Jessie Montano (612) 296-2181 | $3,000,000 |
MISSISSIPPI
| Cleveland | Cleveland School District Contact: Beverly Hardy (601) 748-2734 | $107,785 |
MISSOURI
| Jefferson City | State Department of Education Contact: Stephen Barr (573) 751-3250 | $853,334 |
NEVADA
| Reno | I Can Do Anything, Inc. Contact: Margaret Williamson (702) 857-1544 | $111,100 |
NEW HAMPSHIRE
| Bedford | Bedford Charter high School Contact: Bruce Olsen (603) 472-2805 | $33,900 | ||
| Bedford | The Bedford Academy Contact: Edward Kruger (603) 471-2985 | $36,600 | ||
| Tamworth | Tamworth Charter High School Contact: Maura King (603) 323-2038 | $80,000 |
OHIO
| Columbus | State Department of Education Contact: Patricia Hughes (614) 466-2370 | $1,578,947 |
RHODE ISLAND
| Providence | State Department of Education Contact: Dennis Cheek (401) 222-4600 | $789,474 |
TEXAS
| Austin | State Department of Education Contact: Brooks Flemister (512) 463-9575 | $5,932,500 |
ALASKA
| Juneau | State Department of Education Contact: Marjorie Menzi (907) 465-8720 | $887,279 |
CONNECTICUT
| Hartford | State Department of Education Contact: Jennifer Niles (860) 566-1233 | $2,045,233 |
DELAWARE
| Dover | State Department of Education Contact: Larry Gabbert (302) 739-4629 | $600,000 |
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
| Washington | District of Columbia Public Schools Contact: Gloria Kinzer-Browner (202) 442-5570 | $4,500,000 |
FLORIDA
| Tallahassee | State Department of Education Contact: Tracey Bailey (904) 414-0780 | $5,985,000 |
HAWAII
| Honolulu | Waialae Charter School Contact: Amy Kwock (808) 733-4880 | $76,995 | ||
| Kailua | Lanikai Elementary School Contact: Donna Estomago (808) 266-7844 | $156,900 |
ILLINOIS
| Springfield | State Department of Education Contact: Gail Lieberman (217) 524-0713 | $1,215,000 |
KANSAS
| Topeka | State Department of Education Contact: Phyllis Kelly (913) 296-3069 | $1,263,158 |
NEW JERSEY
| Trenton | State Department of Education Contact: Mary Lynn Fracarolli (609) 292-5850 | $1,852,632 |
NEW MEXICO
| Santa Fe | Turquoise Trail Elementary School Contact: Nycha Leia Zenderman (505) 471-7282 | $155,441 |
NORTH CAROLINA
| Raleigh | State Department of Education Contact: Grova Bridgers (919) 715-1730 | $2,250,000 |
PENNSYLVANIA
| Harrisburg | State Department of Education Contact: Tim Daniels (717) 783-9781 | $3,000,000 |
PUERTO RICO
| San Juan | State Department of Education Contact: Angel Mellendez (787) 7759-2000 | $2,947,368 |
SOUTH CAROLINA
| Columbia | State Department of Education Contact: Cathryn Samulski (803) 734-8277 | $1,447,461 |
WISCONSIN
| Madison | State Department of Education Contact: John Sauerberg (608) 266-5728 | $3,150,000 |
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