Charter school leaders turn vision into results. CSP grant programs can help charter school leaders fulfill their mission through federal funding.
Current CSP Grantees
CCSE offers technical assistance on how to effectively manage a federal grant and meet goals set forth in the approved application. Visit the Grantee TA Center to access materials and ensure you are receiving emails from CCSE to learn more about other opportunities for support.
Interested in becoming a CSP grantee? Visit the Prospective Grantee page on CCSE's website to learn more.
CCSE has published numerous resources that support charter school leaders in managing their school, adopting innovative practices, and more. These resources can be found on the Sector Resources page on CCSE's website.
Prospective Charter School Leaders
Individuals or groups of individuals interested in starting a new charter school should consider following the steps below to turn their idea into a reality.
- Identify the community need for a charter school. This work may include conducting demographic analyses to study population trends and education needs of the community, as well as a review of existing schools to identify gaps in offerings, academic achievement, and the types of curricula offered.
- Define the mission and vision. Use the information you obtain to clearly articulate the purpose of the new school, the student population and community served, the academic focus, and long-term goals for success.
- Assemble the founding team, including the proposed board. The founding board members should have a variety of backgrounds, including educators, parents, community leaders, and business professionals. This team will help with planning, governance, and outreach for the new school.
- Understand state laws and requirements, including which entities can authorize the new school. Review the state law, including requirements to open and operate a new charter school and which entities can be authorizers. Every state and authorizer is different. Carefully review this information to give the school the best chance of opening.
- Develop the business plan for the new charter school. The business plan should include the overall budget, enrollment projections, facilities plan, staffing model, enrollment and marketing strategies, and governance structure. Use this plan as a guide to bring the school to life.
- Create the academic model and determine the instructional approach. Determine which grade levels the new charter school will initially offer, as well as how you will provide special education services, support for English learners, and other student services. Also consider the assessment and accountability systems that will be leveraged as part of the new school model.
- Draft and submit the charter school application. Follow all guidelines set forth by the charter school authorizer, including deadlines, necessary documentation, and other requirements. The authorizer will review the application and either approve or deny the request for a charter. In some cases, the authorizer will issue a conditional approval which requires the founding team to adjust the application to receive approval.
- Execute the business plan for the new charter school. Once the charter school is approved, it is time to hit the ground running. This includes securing the facilities, engaging with the community, launching marketing efforts, enrolling new students, hiring the administrative and teaching staff, and acquiring funding.
- Open the school. After executing the business plan, it is time to open the school. Be sure to host orientation events and celebrate the major accomplishment of bringing more high-quality public school choices to the community.
There are a multitude of resources to help prospective charter school leaders open new charter schools, including state CSSOs and national organizations.