From the California Department of Education.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell, announced Monday, that 196 California charter schools will share $23.5 million in Charter School Facilities Grants.

“Charter schools allow communities to explore innovative education strategies, without the burden of many state bureaucratic rules,” said O’Connell. “However, along with this freedom often comes the additional cost of having to rent facilities. These grants will help charter schools established in low-income communities with facility costs so they may concentrate on helping students succeed academically.”

A charter school is a public school that usually is created or organized by a group of teachers, parents, and community leaders or by community-based organizations. A charter school may be sponsored by an existing local public school board or county board of education. They are generally exempt from most laws governing school districts, except where noted by law. Under certain circumstances, school districts may charge rent to charter schools for the use of district facilities.

The Charter School Facility Grant is noncompetitive. The grant program was enacted in 2002 to reimburse charter schools for rental and lease costs in low-income areas.

This program is targeted toward schools and communities with high proportions of economically disadvantaged students. Eligible applicants must have at least 70 percent of students enrolled at the charter school who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals or the charter school must be physically located in an elementary school attendance area where at least 70 percent of students enrolled are eligible for free or reduced-price meals.

The charter school must also give a preference in admissions to students who reside in the elementary school attendance area. The charter schools are reimbursed $750 per unit of classroom-based average daily attendance, up to 75 percent of the 2007-08 annual facilities rent and lease costs for the school.

For more information on the Charter School Facilities Grant program, please visit www.cde.ca.gov.