CONCORD, NH – On Wednesday the state Department of Education announced $6.8 million of first-round funding from federal charter school grants, including two Manchester schools.
These grants are for start-up and expansion costs, and replication grants for existing schools, part of a $46 million federal public charter school grant the state’s education department was awarded in a competitive grant proposal in 2019.
“We are excited to be able to award these grants for these innovative public education programs,” said Commissioner of Education Frank Edelblut. “It was a robust competition with 14 programs applying for the funds. The expansion of high-quality public education programming across our state serves our students and our families well.”
Two of the schools, The Founders Academy and Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies, are located in Manchester.
Each start-up grant can be up to $1.2 million, with an additional $300,000 for meeting Department identified priorities such as opening schools in under-served areas, targeting services for at-risk students, and showcasing unique and innovative educational programs not widely offered in the state.
The expansion grants can be up to $600,000 and provide funds for schools to expand enrollment, grade levels, and educational programming.
Expansion grants can be up to $1.2 million and provide funds for schools to replicate a successful charter program in another part of the state.
“Having worked in public charter schools for the last two decades, I know the positive influence that an education program that fits the child can be,” said Tal Bayer, state charter school administrator. “We are working with all of our programs to bring excellent and innovative educational opportunities to all students.”
The Department of Education anticipates releasing a second round of funding in the late fall.
For information on the federal charter school grant program, please reach out to the Office of Chartered Public Schools, NH Department of Education, at NHCSP@doe.nh.gov
First Round Awards
| School Name | Type of Award | Amount of Award |
| Gathering Waters Chartered Public School , Keene | Start-Up | $1,500,000 |
| Heartwood Public Charter School, Berlin | Startup | $1,199,043 |
| Northeast Woodland Chartered Public School, Conway | Start-Up | $1,500,000 |
| Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies, Manchester | Start-Up | $1,499,868 |
| MicroSociety Academy Charter School, Nashua | Expansion | $599,750 |
| The Founders Academy, Manchester | Expansion | $600,000 |
| CSI Charter School , Concord | Replication | $339,552 |
