Twenty-one Arizona charter entities were awarded up to $230,000 from the Arizona Charter Schools Incentive Program (AZSCIP) at the Arizona State Board of Education’s April 26th meeting. Awarded entities are the following:
- Alhambra Education Partnership, Inc.
- Anthem Preparatory Academy
- AZ Compass Schools, Inc.
- BASIS School, Inc. (Oro Valley)
- Compass Points International, Inc.
- Glendale Preparatory Academy
- Great Hearts Academies - Phoenix Core
- Northview Public Charter High School
- Phoenix Collegiate Academy, Inc.
- Pima Prevention Partnership
- Presidio School, Inc. (Artisan)
- Presidio School, Inc. (Presidio de las Sierra)
- Research Based Education Corp.
- Scottsdale Preparatory Academy
- Sonoran Science Academy - Broadway
- Sonoran Science Academy- Davis Monthan
- Sonoran Science Academy - Phoenix Metro
- South Valley Academy, Inc.
- The Odyssey Preparatory Academy, Inc.
- Verde Secondary Academy Public Charter High School
- Vista Point Public Charter Elementary School
Previously, charter school developers had to apply directly to the U.S. Department of Education (ED) Charter Schools Program (CSP) office for startup funds. At best, only five to seven charter developers per year would receive federal CSP awards. Because I strongly support the vital role that charter schools fulfill in Arizona’s education landscape, I put together a team last year to negotiate with the ED CSP office to allow the Arizona Department of Education to apply directly for these CSP startup funds. The team, which included Department and the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools (ASBCS) staff, was very successful in securing this grant, and the state is now eligible for over $53 million over five years. It has already received $14 million, which is supporting the first two years.
Arizona has many of the finest charter schools in the nation. It is my goal to replicate these excellent schools and also encourage our best educators to form new, innovative charter schools. By securing these federal funds, ADE now has the resources to annually award three times as many high-quality charter startups, up to $230,000 per year.
Dr. Karen Butterfield and Dr. Mark Francis have been organizing AZCSIP informational meetings around the state. Feel free to contact either of them: Karen.Butterfield@azed.gov; Mark.Francis@azed.gov.
Details of the grant are now posted on ADE’s web page under Hot Topics. The links provide guidelines for the application and the application itself. The grant calendar award is from April 1 through March 31 annually. Only charter entities that have already been approved by their sponsor may apply. AZCSIP will not accept applications from schools that are in pre-charter approval status.
AZSCIP is a competitive, nondiscretionary grant that offers financial incentives to charter school developers to create schools that can and will implement challenging curricula, innovative instruction, and rigorous assessments that will prepare students for college, technical school, or career. Preference points (up to 15 points) are added to schools that are urban or rural, have more than 30% free and reduced lunch student populations, and include grades 9-12.
Grants are evaluated on their ability to communicate a relentless commitment to enhanced standards, challenging curricula, engaging instruction, and rigorous assessment. Exemplars include, but are not limited to, the following: Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and ACT Quality Core and school-developed curricula with enhanced standards that can be assessed post-10th grade AIMS. preference points for rigorous high schools should not discourage equally rigorous K-8 schools from applying.
The next round of AZCSIP grant training will take place in October. Attendees must have completed one of the following steps to attend:
- A submitted charter application to the ASBCS that has passed its Administrative Completeness Review;
- An approved replication charter from the ASBCS;
- An Arizona school district-sponsored application that conforms to ARS § 15-183 (C).
2011 AZCSIP applications will be received in January 2011 following the ASBCS meeting.
Tom Horne is the Arizona Department of Education schools superintendent.