Evergreen Excellence

Facilitated by Excellent Schools Washington, the Washington State Charter School Program helps launch, expand, and replicate high-quality public charter schools across Washington State. The program gives innovative leaders and proven school models the funding and technical assistance they need to open more great public schools, with a focus on students in educationally disadvantaged communities.

Connect with ESWA

ESWA receives Charter School Program grant

Grant Impact

$33.3 Million

Five-year grant is the largest-ever U.S. Department of Labor grant to a Washington nonprofit according to USAspending.gov.

15 Subgrants

9 for new schools, 5 to expand local models with a track record of sustained success, and 1 to replicate a proven, high-quality school model, all awarded across three annual cohorts.

5,470 Seats

Estimated new CSP-funded public charter school seats this grant will create – a 113% increase over current charter enrollment capacity.

What is the Charter School Programs (CSP) State Entity Grant?

Federal funds flow to states and state entities, which then award subgrants to schools opening, expanding, or replicating high-quality charter models.

The grant supports new school launches, helping leaders get ready for operations, governance, and long-term success.

It also pays for technical assistance and the sharing of best practices, so schools and their authorizers are prepared for opening, day-to-day operations, replication and expansion, and the fiscal oversight and auditing that keep charter schools accountable.

Finally, it strengthens accountability by building authorizer capacity to oversee fiscal, operational, and academic performance.

Grant Goals

Grow High-Quality Seats

Increase the number of high-quality public charter school seats in Washington State, particularly for disadvantaged students.

Strengthen Sector Quality

Improve the quality of Washington's public charter sector by strengthening student outcomes, building school and authorizer capacity, and extending best practices to districts serving struggling students.

How the Grant Works

Schools apply through Excellent Schools Washington's competitive grant cycle, which runs in the first three years of the grant.

An independent panel of peer reviewers scores each application. The strongest applicants receive awards of up to $2 million per school to launch, replicate, or expand a charter school.

Eligible applicants get technical assistance before and after they are awarded.

Once schools are funded, Excellent Schools Washington's grants team monitors them for fiscal, operational, and academic performance, and subgrantees report on their progress every quarter.

Each year, at least 75% of subgrantees serve student populations that are majority educationally disadvantaged.

Elevating the Ecosystem

Excellent Schools Washington also hosts workshops, webinars, and an annual Teaching and Learning Conference to share best practices, provide technical assistance, and strengthen collaboration across the sector. These convenings bring together Washington's two authorizers, the Washington State Charter School Commission and Spokane Public Schools, along with subgrantees, district schools, and the wider education community. The conference currently reaches roughly 250 educators from about 75 districts, and will grow to at least 90 districts by Year 5.

Excellent Schools WA (ESWA) is bringing together educators who share an interest in innovative, community-based, equitable, and student-centered learning. This year’s conference will explore research-aligned literacy practices for teachers and school leaders driving for change and better outcomes for their kids.