Central Louisiana News

A bipartisan group of representatives - Congresswoman Julia Letlow, Congresswoman Jill Tokuda, Congressman John James, and Congressman Juan Ciscomani - have introduced the Empower Charter School Educators to Lead Act. This legislation aims to support the application process and development of new charter schools by authorizing State Entities to use a portion of their funding for pre-planning and technical assistance.

Currently, the Charter Schools Program (CSP) does not allow funding to be used for the planning phase of charter schools. However, if the Empower Charter School Educators to Lead Act is passed, up to 5% of CSP grants can be allocated towards the pre-planning required to apply for a new charter school. This funding will provide high-quality prospective charter school applicants with the necessary tools and assistance to successfully complete the application process.

In addition to supporting the pre-planning phase, the bill also allows State Entities to use a percentage of grant funds for technical assistance and quality improvements for charter schools. By raising the cap on the percentage of grant funds that can be used for these purposes from 7% to 10%, the bill aims to alleviate major barriers that often hinder the establishment of charter schools in communities.

Representative Julia Letlow emphasizes the importance of charter schools in providing children with excellent educational opportunities. She states, "I’m proud to introduce this critical legislation with my colleagues Congresswoman Jill Tokuda, Congressman John James, and Congressman Juan Ciscomani to support high-quality charter school developers so we can continue to expand learning opportunities for our students."

Congresswoman Jill Tokuda highlights the need for equitable access to pre-planning resources for educators looking to start public charter schools. She states, "In Hawaiʻi, public charter schools provide our keiki with innovative, high-quality educational opportunities in their community. This bill will provide the funding and support needed for the often burdensome and complex process of opening a public charter school."

Congressman John James shares his belief that every child should have the best possible shot at success through education. He states, "By slashing red tape and making it easier to start a charter school through legislation like the Empower Charter School Educators to Lead Act, we can expand academic opportunity, put parents back in the driver’s seat, and ensure students reach their full potential."

Congressman Juan Ciscomani emphasizes the importance of providing families with options in the education system. He states, "Our education system cannot be one size fits all, and families should have all options available to them when finding an education that best fits their child. The Empower Charter School Educators to Lead Act alleviates major burdens on high-quality charter school developers, which often serve as barriers for establishing charter schools in our communities."

Nina Rees, President and CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, applauds the Empower Charter School Educators to Lead Act for attracting a diverse pool of educators and community leaders to open high-quality public charter schools. She states, "This is a win for communities, families, and students. Local educators and leaders know best how to serve their students, and this bill offers them the critical resources they need to put a plan to open a charter school. On behalf of the charter school community, we thank Representative Letlow for her leadership in introducing this bill and Representatives Tokuda, James, and Ciscomani for sponsoring the bill and their lifelong support for greater educational opportunities for all kids and families."

The Empower Charter School Educators to Lead Act would authorize State Entities to make pre-planning awards of up to $100,000 to prospective charter applicants. It would also allow State Entities to use up to 5% of their CSP grant funds for these pre-planning awards. Furthermore, the bill raises the cap on the percentage of grant funds that can be used for state technical assistance and quality improvement from 7% to 10%. Additionally, the bill confirms that states' technical assistance activities can include assistance to charter schools for locating and accessing a facility, addressing a major barrier to starting a charter school.

The Empower Charter School Educators to Lead Act is a companion bill originally led by Senator John Cornyn of Texas.

To learn more, click on this link: https://letlow.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-julia-letlow-la-05-rep-jill-tokuda-hi-02-rep-john-james-mi-10-and-rep-juan