Leadership from existing SAISD neighborhood schools and new SAISD startup schools may apply.  For existing schools, there must be an applicant leadership team consisting of three to five people, including the principal and two full-time teachers.  For new schools, the team must also be three to five people, including the principal and at least two other people who will be working at the campus full-time. Schools that are currently designated “Improvement Required” are not eligible to apply.

Ideally, a school would take one year to engage its school staff and community prior to applying.  The official timeline from submission of the letter of intent to board approval of the school’s in-district charter application, is typically 8 to 9 months (from August to March).

New in-district charter applicants may be eligible for federal Charter School Program (CSP) grants, which are one-time grants to support school planning and start up expenses like professional development and technology. (This is not a permanent infusion of school funding.) If a school has received a CSP grant in the past, it will not be eligible for another grant. This is a competitive grant, so the award is not guaranteed. Awards are typically in the range of $800,000 per school over two years.