U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced that The Expanding Opportunity through Quality Charter Schools Program (Charter Schools Program or CSP) has awarded new grants this week to fund the creation and expansion of public charter schools across the nation, totaling approximately $253 million.

"These grants will help supplement state-based efforts to give students access to more options for their education," said Secretary DeVos. "What started as a handful of schools in Minnesota has blossomed into nearly 7,000 charter schools across the country. Charter schools are now part of the fabric of American education, and I look forward to seeing how we can continue to work with states to help ensure more students can learn in an environment that works for them."

The following grants slates were awarded:

The State Entities program awarded approximately $144.7 million in new grants to nine states.

The Replication and Expansion of High-Quality Charter Schools program awarded approximately $52.4 million in new grants to 17 non-profit charter management organizations.

The Credit Enhancement for Charter School Facilities program awarded approximately $56.25 million in new grants to six non-profit organizations and two state agencies.

These grants are awarded to state educational agencies and other state entities, charter management organizations (CMOs) and other non-profit organizations and represent the first cohort of new awards under the program's new authorizing statute, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

Please see below for the list of grantees, first year grant amounts and total recommended funding (contingent on future Congressional appropriations).

State Entity Grantees:

Grantee Name FY 17 Funding (Year 1 and 2 Funding) Total Recommended Funding Indiana Department of Education $24,002,291 $59,966,575 Maryland State Department of Education $5,490,859 $17,222,222 Minnesota Department of Education $22,381,611 $45,757,406 Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board* $4,240,819 $15,000,000 New Mexico Public Education Department $6,358,693 $22,507,805 Oklahoma Public School Resource Center, Inc.* $4,264,870 $16,499,722 Rhode Island Department of Education $1,953,000 $6,000,000 Texas Education Agency $38,034,535 $59,164,996 Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction $37,954,114 $95,777,775 Total $144,680,792 $331,896,501

* Eligible applicants under this program are state entities. A state entity is defined under ESSA as a state educational agency; a state charter school board; a Governor of a state; or a charter school support organization.

CMO Grantees:

Grantee Name State** FY17 Funding Total Recommended Funding Ascend Learning, Inc. NY $3,661,357 $9,484,885 Brooke Charter Schools MA $353,747 $836,136 Eagle Academy Public Charter School DC $449,066 $812,885 East Harlem Tutorial Program NY $542,640 $2,781,280 Environmental Charter Schools CA $566,063 $900,000 Family Life Academy Charter Schools, Inc. NY $739,260 $900,000 Fortune School of Education CA $1,350,600 $2,043,100 Freedom Preparatory Academy, Inc. TN $1,451,301 $4,297,000 Great Oaks Foundation, Inc. NY $1,958,400 $3,834,000 Hiawatha Academies MN $1,121,400 $1,875,000 IDEA Public Schools TX $26,316,168 $67,243,986 New Paradigm for Education, Inc MI $2,365,400 $5,084,100 Rocketship Education CA $5,090,134 $12,582,678 Success Academy Charter Schools, Inc. NY $3,225,240 $6,130,200 The Freedom and Democracy Schools Foundation, Inc. MD $603,003 $1,533,528 University Prep Inc. CO $1,360,730 $3,734,750 Voices College-Bound Language Academies CA $1,258,415 $2,699,999 Total: $52,412,924 $126,773,527

**State reflects where the organization is based; school expansion sites funded under this grant may differ.

Credit Enhancement Grantees:

Grantee Name State** FY17 and Total Project Funding Building Hope...A Charter Schools Facilities Fund DC $8,000,000 California School Finance Authority CA $8,000,000 Center for Community Self-Help NC $8,000,000 Charter Schools Development Corporation MD $5,000,000 Hope Enterprise Corporation MS $8,000,000 Low Income Investment Fund CA $8,000,000 Massachusetts Development Finance Agency MA $8,000,000 Raza Development Fund AZ $3,250,000 Total $56,250,000

**State reflects where the organization is based; school expansion sites funded under this grant may differ.

Additional information regarding these grant programs and awards, including copies of grantee applications, may be found at: https://innovation.ed.gov/what-we-do/charter-schools/.