New York State Education Department

Charter Schools Program
Planning and Implementation Awards, 2007 – 2008
Questions and Answers

With regard to the pre-planning stages of the Charter School Programming and Implementation Grant, what is the maximum dollar amount that could be requested.

Preplanning grants can be for a maximum of twelve months. Projects can be funded for up to $175,000.

An entity intends to prepare a charter application this year. Do they need to prepare a multi-year budget summary since this is a one year grant and the charter school is not yet funded or in operation?

Applicants applying for a preplanning grant should complete the first year only on the budget summary page of the application.

For a pre charter application, what do you suggest in regard to answering questions such as describing implementation of the charter school when this grant will provide the means to determine that?

The SED expects that some initial ideas have been generated based on research and the individual’s understanding of how schools in general and charter schools in particular operate.

Clarification on the amount that can be awarded for planning and implementation. If an applicant applies for a 3 year project period, does this mean the applicant can apply for a maximum award of $525,000 (or $175,000 per year)?

Up to a maximum of $175,000 for each project period (same as project year) can be awarded, for a grand total of no more than $525,000. A project year is twelve months from 7/1 to the following 6/30 each year.

Since an applicant is eligible for only one CSP award, can an applicant who does not yet have an approved charter, apply for a 3 year award, such as an 18 month planning period followed by an 18 month implementation period? Can the planning period begin before the charter has been secured?

An applicant may apply for three years of funding as described above BUT in order to be awarded a planning and implementation grant they must be chartered by July 1,2007.

When does the "planning period" end and the "implementation period" begin? Does the implementation period mean that the Charter School must be up and running or could an implementation period include six months of professional development for initial teaching staff prior to the opening of the Charter School?

The planning period can begin as soon as the school is chartered. Implementation begins when the school opens. Professional development offered to teachers prior to school opening would be considered planning.

Can the CSP funds be used to hire qualified support personnel that may be certified in one state and working towards NYS certification (example: school psychologist with N.J. certification and excellent references that will not be certified in New York upon opening of school)? How does the issue of certification work regarding all NYS employees and CSP funding?

Employing staff is not a CSP issue. Rather it is a school management and personnel issue. All hiring practices must meet NYS requirements regardless of funding. After following good hiring practice, allowable staff costs, as per the RFP, can be paid for out of the CSP grant.

The area on the FS 20 to be filled out for agency code and project number, do we have to fill this out and what is the necessary information if we do?

The agency code is the twelve digit SED code issued to a school. This number should be filled in. The SED will fill in the project number.

What is the difference between a "not for profit" and a "non-profit" agency?

As used in this RFP the terms are interchangeable.

If we apply for one fiscal year, but need more time to actually implement the charter school can we amend the budget to extend it for another fiscal year?

This is a competitive grant application and the amount of funds awarded, as well as the terms of the grant are specified in the resulting grant contract. As a rule, extensions are not accepted unless there are extenuating circumstances. Applicants should apply for activity that they believe they can complete in the time frames allowed.

If you have not applied to an authorized chartering authority to operate a charter school, can you still apply for funds both for a pre-charter planning award and initial implementation of a charter school?

A pre-planning charter proposal can be submitted by an individual and can be awarded, prior to selecting an authorizer. A planning and implementation grant will not be awarded if the authorizer has not chartered the school by 7/1/07.