S. 1795

119 S1795 IS: Empower Charter School Educators to Lead Act
 U.S. Senate
 2025-05-15
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  II
  119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
  S. 1795
  IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
  May 15, 2025
  Mr. Cornyn  (for himself,  Mr. Booker ,  Mr.
  Cassidy , and  Mr. Bennet )
  introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
  Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
  Pensions
  A BILL
To modify the program of grants to support high-quality charter
  schools.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Empower Charter School Educators to Lead Act  .
2.
Grants to support high-quality charter schools
Section 4303 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 7221b ) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (b)—
(A)
in paragraph (1)(C), by striking  and  after the semicolon; and
(B)
by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:
(2)
(A)
provide technical assistance to eligible applicants and authorized public chartering agencies in carrying out the activities described in paragraph (1);
(B)
work with authorized public chartering agencies in the State to improve authorizing quality, including developing capacity for, and conducting, fiscal oversight and auditing of charter schools; and
(C)
at the State entity’s discretion—
(i)
fund a revolving loan fund or similar mechanisms for expenses under subsection (h) prior to an eligible applicant receiving reimbursement; and
(ii)
provide assistance to eligible applicants in locating and accessing a facility; and
(3)
provide pre-charter planning subgrants (in amounts of no more than $100,000 per prospective applicant) to charter school developers that—
(A)
intend to submit an application—
(i)
to an authorized public chartering agency to operate a charter school; or
(ii)
to nonprofit or public entities for the provision of financial support to such developers;
(B)
are led by educators who—
(i)
have not less than 54 months of school-based experience (which may include experience in teaching in or administering after school or summer school programs); and
(ii)
have demonstrated leadership competencies and success with students, as determined by the State entity; and
(C)
have successfully completed the development of an initial plan for opening a charter school, as evidenced by a description of the educational needs of the community in which the proposed charter school will be located and how the proposed charter school will be suited to meet those needs.
  ;
(2)
in subsection (c)(1)—
(A)
in subparagraph (A), by striking  90 percent  and inserting  80 percent ;
(B)
in subparagraph (B)—
(i)
by striking  not less than 7 percent  and inserting  not more than 10 percent ; and
(ii)
by striking  and  after the semicolon;
(C)
by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (D);
(D)
in subparagraph (D), as so redesignated, by striking  3 percent  and inserting  5 percent ; and
(E)
by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following:
(C)
reserve not more than 5 percent of such funds to carry out the activities described in subsection (b)(3); and
  ;
(3)
in subsection (d)(1)(B), by striking  this section  and inserting  subsection (b)(1) ;
(4)
in subsection (e)(2), by striking  this section  and inserting  subsection (b)(1) ;
(5)
in subsection (f)(1)(A)(vi)—
(A)
in the matter preceding subclause (I), by inserting  under subsection (b)(1)  after  program ; and
(B)
in subclause (II), by striking  subgrant funds under this section  and inserting  subgrant funds under subsection (b)(1) ; and
(6)
in subsection (h), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking  this section  and inserting  subsection (b)(1) .