Empower Charter School Educators to Lead Act

This bill would modify the Charter Schools Program, a federal grant program that supports charter school development. Currently, states cannot use these federal funds to help with the planning phase of new charter schools. If enacted, the bill would allow states to use up to 5% of their federal grant funds to provide planning assistance to educators and organizations seeking to open new charter schools. The bill would also allow states to use these funds to help charter schools locate and access facilities, which supporters identify as a major barrier to starting new schools. Additionally, the bill would increase the flexibility of how states can use federal funds for technical assistance and state administration, raising the cap on technical assistance spending from 7% to 10% and state administration from 3% to 5%. Supporters argue the changes would reduce bureaucratic obstacles and make it easier for experienced educators to start charter schools in their communities.