The Charter School Facility Grant Program is a noncompetitive program that provides assistance with facilities rent and lease expenditures for charter schools that meet specific eligibility criteria. 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 funded $750 per unit of classroom-based average daily attends, up to 75 percent of its annual facilities rent and lease costs for the school.
Historically, the program funds were used to reimburse eligible charter schools for their prior year facilities rent and lease expenditures. Commencing with fiscal year 2009-10, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction allocates the facilities grants to eligible charter schools on a current year basis. However, funding appropriated in fiscal year 2010-11 must first be used to reimburse eligible charter schools for 2009-10 rent or lease costs, and then be used to fund eligible charter schools for fiscal year 2010-11.
