Seven charter schools to receive federal funds from $46 million grant

Josie Albertson-Grove, The New Hampshire Union Leader, Manchester
·2 min read

Aug. 12—Seven charter schools are set to receive a total of $7.2 million from the first round of funds from the $46 million federal grant for charter schools.

The New Hampshire Department of Education announced the seven schools on Wednesday.

Four schools received "start-up" grants — money intended to help with capital costs like renovating buildings or buying equipment. A school set to open in the fall of 2022, Heartwood Public Charter School, was awarded nearly $1.2 million.

Northeast Woodland Charter School in Conway, the Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies in Manchester and Gathering Waters in Keene — set to open this fall in the former Monadnock Waldorf School building — will get $1.5 million each.

In a news release, the department said Northeast Woodland, Gathering Waters and Spark Academy got $300,000 more than Heartwood because they targeted areas the department thinks are under-served, students who are not likely to succeed in school, or had "unique and innovative educational programs."

MicroSociety Academy in Nashua will receive almost $600,000 to expand. The school's leadership voted earlier this year to stop offering middle school, and to focus on elementary school.

The Founders Academy in Manchester will also receive $600,000 for its expansion. The school received state approval to add fifth grade starting in the 2021-22 school year.

The final grant for the first year of funding went to CSI Charter School in Concord. The school will receive $400,000 to duplicate its competency-based high school diploma program in another town.

According to the Department of Education, seven other schools applied, but did not receive funding.

The money awarded to schools was part of $10.1 million approved by legislators in December 2020. State legislators approved the grant spending in December. The rest of the money, nearly $2.9 million, is being used to administer the grant program, including to pay additional staff at the Department of Education.