DOE''s CMO competition

An email from Scott Pearson at the US DOE with exciting news for CMOs looking to expand/replicate (note the deadline of July 7^th):

 

We just opened our first ever "CMO competition" with grants to expand or replicate high-quality CMOs:

 

A new grant competition has just been announced by the U.S. Department of Education's Charter Schools Program.  The CSP grant competition for the Replication and Expansion of High-Quality Charter Schools will provide $50,000,000 to assist non-profit charter management organizations, and other entities that are not for-profit entities, in replicating or expanding high-quality charter schools with demonstrated records of success.  Applicants must have experience operating more than one high-quality charter school.

 

Applications are due by July 7, 2010, and must be submitted through the Department's e-Application system, at http://e-grants.ed.gov.  A pre-application meeting will be held on June 8, 2010, in Washington, DC.  For those interested in attending, either in person or by phone, please RSVP to charterschools@ed.gov.  More information is available at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/charter/applicant.html.

 

Also, we continue to look for great peer reviewers for this competition:

 

The Office of Charter School Programs (CSP) is seeking peer reviewers (field readers) to read and evaluate grant applications for the following competition:

 

Charter Management Organizations and Other non-Profit Entities Replicating and Expanding High Quality Charter Schools - to replicate or expand high-quality charter schools with demonstrated records of success based on the charter school model for which the eligible applicant has presented evidence of success.

 

The CSP is seeking peer reviewers with expertise in at least one of the following areas:

 

State Education Agency (SEA) Charter School Program (CSP) grant administration

Charter Management Organizations

Charter school planning, program design and implementation

Charter school assessment and evaluation

Charter school policy and research

Charter school authorizing

Charter school technical assistance and resources

Charter school leadership and professional development

Charter school administration and operation

 

REQUIREMENTS:  In addition to the expertise highlighted above, Peer reviewers will independently read, score, and provide written comments for grant applications submitted to the U. S. Department of Education under the CSP programs.  Expectations for peer reviewers selected are:

 

·         The application review will be conducted electronically from the reviewer's location.

·         The reviewer must have access to the Internet, a phone, a printer and have the ability to interact within a web-based environment.  

·         The reviewer must be available to participate in an orientation session by conference call prior to evaluating the applications and participate in daily conference calls during the application review, typically a two week review period. 

·         The reviewer must provide detailed, objective, constructive, and timely written reviews for each assigned application.

·         These reviews will be used to recommend applications for funding.

 

IF INTERESTED: If you would like to be considered as a peer reviewer for the CSP, please e-mail a copy of your current résumé or vitae to CharterSchools@ed.gov noting your desire to serve as a peer reviewer for the CMO competition.

 

Resumes will be kept on file and panel reviewers will be notified on an as needed basis.  Reviewers will receive an honorarium for their services.

 

CONFLICT OF INTEREST:  Please remember that if your organization intends to apply for a grant under any of the fore mentioned competitions, you may not be eligible to serve as a reviewer. As a reviewer you will have a conflict of interest if:

·         You helped prepare an application, regardless of financial interest in the success or failure of that application;

·         You have agreed to serve, or if you have been offered a position, as an employee, advisor or consultant on the project; or

·         Your personal financial interests will be affected by the outcome of the competition, which would include any family members, employees or associates of the project applying for funding.

 

PROGRAM INFORMATION: For more information about the CSP, go to http://www2.ed.gov/programs/charter/index.html