Charter Schools Program: Empowering Schools and Students

The Charter Schools Program (CSP) is the only source of federal funding that supports the growth of charter schools to meet the needs of students and families. In our Dear New Leader Series geared toward educating elected officials on important charter school topics, we break down the CSP and discuss its impact on schools and students. The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools’ Director of Policy, Fiona Sheridan-McIver and the President & CEO of Helix Community Schools in Louisiana, Preston Castille, share more about this vital program on the Get Schooled on Public Education podcast.


Featured Guest:

• Fiona Sheridan-McIver, Director of Policy, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
• Preston Castille, President & CEO of Helix Community Schools in Louisiana

Key Takeaways:

• Charter schools are free, public, and open to all.
• The Charter Schools Program (CSP) is the nation's only source of dedicated federal funding to support the creation, expansion, and replication of public charter schools.
• Charter schools face significant hurdles when it comes to securing facilities.
  • A proposed federal bill, The Equitable Access to School Facilities Act, would expand facilities support programs for charter schools.
  • A proposed federal bill, The Empowering Charter School Educators to Lead Act would provide more equitable access to pre-planning resources needed to open a charter school.
• Helix Aviation Academy is a K-12 public charter school located in Louisiana and features a curriculum focused on careers in aviation, space exploration, and cyber technology.
  • Helix Aviation Academy is a 2023 CSP grant recipient and has been able to provide more resources for students with the funds.
• Policymakers can help increase the impact of the CSP for students and families by increasing funds and the flexibility of the program.

Quotes:

• Fiona Sheridan-McIver, Director of Policy, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
  • “The Charter Schools Program exists to help expand opportunities for students…by providing critical funding to address the challenges of opening and operating new charter schools around the country”
• Preston Castille, President & CEO of Helix Community Schools in Louisiana
  • “We teach the core courses, but we add something extra, we create an opportunity for children to be exposed to and learn about the aviation profession.”