DPI awards $7 million to 11 new and expanding charter schools

MADISON — The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction approved 11 awards totaling more than $7 million in federal funds to plan, open, or expand charter schools in the state. The department received 21 grant applications, requesting a total of $13.9 million.

"Charter schools are one way for educators to innovate and engage the wide range of students in our communities," State Superintendent Carolyn Stanford Taylor said. "As we determined these awards, we prioritized expanding opportunities to students who face challenges. We want all students, no matter who they are or where they live, to have access to the resources and educational rigor they need to succeed."

This is the second round of funding in a five-year, $95 million grant awarded to Wisconsin by the U.S. Department of Education to support charter school activities. The program provides three types of awards: planning and implementation grants for charter schools opening in the fall of 2020, implementation grants for schools which recently opened or will open in 2019, and grants to help existing, high-quality charter schools expand. Grant activities span from four to five years.

The state's program prioritizes growth for high-quality charter schools, especially those that increase access to alternative public school models and improve equity and academic outcomes for students. The program focuses on grades six through 12. High-quality charter schools:

• show evidence of strong academic results, which may include student academic growth;
• operate in a safe and fiscally appropriate manner that meets statutory and regulatory requirements; and
• demonstrate success in significantly increasing student academic achievement, including graduation rates for all students and for each subgroup of students served by the school.

Additionally, grant evaluators considered applications that would work to promote best practices and collaboration between charter schools and other schools in the state.

Any school district in the state can authorize a charter school. Independent charter schools may be authorized by a list of public agencies given such authority by the Legislature. Applications for the third round of competitive charter school grants for the 2020-21 school year will open in late fall or early winter.

Rice Lake Area School District
RLASD ARISE, $800,625

Ripon Area School District
Barlow Park, $800,000

Mondovi School District
Anthony Acres, $800,000

University of Wisconsin-System, Office of Educational Opportunity
Milestone Democratic School, $800,000

Implementation Grants (2) $1,008,675

Lakeland Union High School
Lakeland Star Academy, $258,050

Milwaukee Public Schools
Green Tree Preparatory Academy, $750,625

Expansion Grants (5) $3,150,000

Green Bay Area Public Schools
John Dewey Academy of Learning, $450,000

Milwaukee Public Schools
Academia de Lenguaje y Bellas Artes (ALBA), $750,000

Mauston School District
Mauston Montessori, $550,000

Sheboygan Area Public School District
Etude Elementary School, $650,000

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Tenor High School, $750,000