New Mexico Public Education Department: Charter Schools Program Distance Learning Grants

Deadline: January 8, 2021

The U.S. Department of Education has granted states permission to award distance learning subgrants, through the Charter Schools Program (CSP), to all charter schools to address the immediate needs of schools to provide high quality distance learning opportunities for students, in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. New Mexico has been approved to award $5,000,000 in subgrants for this new opportunity. Funding decisions will be based on need and will consider at-risk indicators.

Allowable expenditures include, but are not limited to:
·         Hardware, software, and software licenses through 2020-21 school year needed for remote learning
·         Professional development associated with providing instruction by distance learning
·         Social work, educational counseling, and family engagement costs relating to the pandemic
·         Costs associated with returning to in-person instruction after the COVID-19 emergency has passed

Amount: Average award size is $50,000, with a maximum request amount of $180,000.

Eligibility: Charter schools in New Mexico that do not have the resources to provide for students’ educational needs in a context of distance learning.

Note: Preference is given to schools serving student populations that have been underserved in the past.