FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: 9/28/23

Media Contact: Ted Beasley | ted.beasley@la.gov

LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AWARDED $55 MILLION

TO INCREASE SCHOOL CHOICE OPTIONS FOR FAMILIES

Competitive grant allows LDOE to catalyze charter growth in high-need communities

(BATON ROUGE, LA) - The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) has been awarded $55 million to increase school choice options for families across the state. The Expanding Opportunities Through Quality Charter Schools Program (CSP) grant provides Louisiana with funding to support the addition of new, expanding, or replicating charter schools.

“Choice expands opportunities for students and families,” said Dr. Cade Brumley, Louisiana State Superintendent of Education. “We crafted a strong proposal to increase student seats in high-quality public charter schools across Louisiana. We look forward to the impact this will have on the future of education in our state as we partner with stakeholders and communities.”

By winning this competitive five-year grant, the LDOE will catalyze growth in high-need communities to meet parental demand for charter schools. Through the CSP grant, the LDOE plans to:

·   Broaden access to high-quality public school seats for educationally disadvantaged students throughout Louisiana

·   Improve educational outcomes for educationally disadvantaged students attending Louisiana charter schools

·   Enhance the quality of charter school authorization across Louisiana

The LDOE will work to gather parental insights, cultivate pipelines of innovation and provide essential start-up support. By leading impactful technical assistance, the LDOE will build the human, organizational, policy and resources capacity of all public Louisiana chartering agencies.

The Expanding Opportunities Through Quality Charter Schools Program is a competitive grant program that enables state entities to award subgrants to eligible applicants in their state to open and prepare for the operation of new charter schools and to replicate and expand high-quality charter schools.

###