CSP Background

On September 27, 2023, the U.S. Department of Education awarded approximately $235.8 million in new funds to qualifying states through the U.S. Department of Education’s Charter Schools Program (CSP). New Mexico was one of the qualifying states and Public Charter Schools of New Mexico (PCSNM) was awarded a 5-year $52,777,778 CSP grant. The CSP grant will allow PCSNM to award subgrants to applicants, through a competitive grant process, who are looking to achieve one of the following:

• Expand existing high-quality charter schools,
• Replicate existing high-quality charter schools, or
• Create new charter schools based on models that have been proven to successfully increase student achievement, especially for educationally disadvantaged students.

PCSNM’s CSP objectives are aligned to the major purposes of the U.S. Department of Education CSP and are specifically targeted to:

1. Expand access to high-quality public school seats across New Mexico by awarding 28 subgrants to new, expanding, and replicating schools, including the launch of schools in new communities that currently lack a charter school presence.
2. Improve learning outcomes for high-need students by catalyzing the growth of schools that meet or exceed academic achievement of state and district averages and by using charters as a vehicle to drive systemic improvement within the communities in which they are located.
3. Strengthen the overall sustainability of New Mexico’s charter sector by sponsoring fellowship opportunities for emerging leaders, by conducting needs analyses and furnishing customized technical assistance opportunities, and by building the capacity of both mature and developing authorizers.

Public Charter Schools of New Mexico’s CSP grant will award 28 subgrants to qualified applicants over the course of 5 years.

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PCSNM is excited to announce the upcoming timeline for Round Four of the NMCSP subgrant competition! Round Four will include the availability of 8 subgrant awards: 4 expansion subgrant awards of $1.5 million each, 1 replication grant of $2 million, and 3 new school subgrant awards of $2 million each. Round Four will also include the launch of The Mind Trust (TMT) Fellowship, a growth and expansion capacity-building program for charter school leaders that will support CSP subgrantees pre and post award. 

If you have any questions or need support with the application process, don’t hesitate to reach out to PCSNM’s CSP Grant Manager Melissa Fox at Melissa@pcsnm.org

We look forward to your application!

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About the Charter Schools Program

The U.S. Department of Education awarded PCSNM a five-year, $52.7 million Charter Schools Program (CSP) grant in 2023 to support the creation, expansion, and replication of high-quality charter schools in New Mexico. These subgrants are awarded through a competitive selection process to schools that have demonstrated exceptional student outcomes and operational strength. The goal of the CSP grant is to expand educational opportunities, particularly for students in underserved communities.

About Public Charter Schools of New Mexico

Public Charter Schools of New Mexico (PCSNM) is the state’s leading organization advocating for and supporting charter schools. Its mission is to increase student academic achievement by serving charter schools and advocating for charter school quality, growth, and autonomy.

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