April 20, 2022 — When several charter schools in Polk County were concerned about an ESSER 2 memo and submission deadline, they reached out to FCSA for help. The Polk school district had given charter schools a deadline of April 20, 2022, to submit all their ESSER 2 grant budget amendments. Thanks to the great working relationship the Alliance has with Polk Superintendent Fred Heid and the Florida Department of Education, we were able to get our members an immediate response and some clarity.
“The deadline was the district’s attempt to encourage charter schools to submit ESSER 2 documents quickly to ensure that reimbursements and amendment requests were processed before the governor signs the GAA,” explains Ralph Arza, FCSA Director of Governmental Affairs.
Once the Governor signs the Florida State General Appropriations Act (GAA) for 2022-2023, districts will be unable to draw down funds related to GAA. Since there is no set date for the signing of the GAA, it is recommended to have updated grant reimbursements and documentation prepared and submitted quickly to your district to ensure they are processed.
The FCSA has a positive collaborative relationship with many superintendents and district board members in Florida, including Superintendent Heid in Polk County. “Superintendent Heid and his team addressed our concerns,” continued Arza. “There was a genuine willingness to do what is right for all students.”
In 2021, FCSA, in collaboration with the Florida Department of Education, brought together educational leaders from across the state in an effort to better equip them in their leadership roles. The first initiative of its kind, the District/Charter Collaborative created a platform where charter school leaders, school board members, and superintendents can come together to share their best practices and learn from each other. Setting aside their differences, these leaders in public education have decided to collaborate today, in order to determine our tomorrow. Click here to learn more about the District/Charter Collaborative.
The Florida Charter School Alliance is a non-profit, member-driven advocacy and support organization. The voice of the charter school movement, our mission is to improve student achievement, teacher quality, and promote parental choice by advocating for, supporting, defending, and collaborating with public charter schools in the state.