Quality Community School Support Fund
Quality Community School Support Fund
The Quality Community School Support grant provides additional funding to community schools that meet criteria established by the General Assembly. Community schools meeting eligibility criteria can receive $3,000 in each fiscal year for each pupil identified as economically disadvantaged and $2,250 in each fiscal year for all enrolled students. Payments for each fiscal year are calculated using the final adjusted full-time equivalent number of students enrolled in the community school for the current fiscal year as reported by the school pursuant to section 3314.08 of the Ohio Revised Code. The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce makes grant payments to each community school meeting quality criteria in January.
Note: The Department will utilize the most recent sponsor evaluation rating as permitted by law.
Community schools must satisfy at least one of the following criteria to receive funding:
Criteria One
The community school meets all the following criteria:
(a) The school’s sponsor was rated “Exemplary” or “Effective” on the sponsor’s most recent evaluation conducted under section 3314.016 of the Revised Code.
(b)The school received a higher Performance Index score than the school district in which the school is located on the two most recent Ohio School Report Cards issued for the school under section 3302.03 of the Revised Code.
(c)The school received an overall rating of four stars or better for the Value-Added progress dimension on the most recent report card issued for the school under section 3302.03 of the Revised Code or is a school described under division (A)(4) of section 3314.35 of the Revised Code and did not receive a grade for the Value-Added progress dimension on the most recent report card.
(d)At least 50 percent of the students enrolled in the school are economically disadvantaged, as determined by the Ohio Department of Education.
No application is required for schools meeting Criteria One performance requirements.
Criteria Two
The community school meets all the following criteria:
- The school's sponsor was rated "Exemplary" or "Effective" on the sponsor's most recent evaluation conducted under section 3314.016 of the Revised Code.
- The school is in its first year of operation or the school opened as a kindergarten school and has added one grade per year and has been in operation for fewer than four school years.
- The school is replicating an operational and instructional model used by a community school described in division (B)(1) of this section.
View the list of schools who are potentially eligible for the Quality Community School Support Grant under Criteria Two.
Schools seeking funding under Criteria Two must complete and submit a Request for Information to Community.Schools@education.ohio.gov no later than 4:59 pm, December 2, 2024.
Criteria Three
The community school meets all of the following criteria:
(1) The school's sponsor was rated "exemplary" or "effective" on the sponsor's most recent evaluation conducted under section 3314.016 of the Revised Code.
(2) The school satisfies either of the following:
(a) The school contracts with an operator that operates schools in other states and meets at least one of the following criteria:
(i) Has operated a school that received a grant funded through the federal Charter School Program established under 20 U.S.C. 7221 within the five years prior to the date of application or received funding from the Charter School Growth Fund;
(ii) Meets all of the following criteria:
- One of the operator's schools in another state performed better than the school district in which the school is located, as determined by the Department.
- (II) At least fifty per cent of the total number of students enrolled in all of the operator's schools are economically disadvantaged, as determined by the Department.
- (III) The operator is in good standing in all states where it operates schools, as determined by the Department. (IV) The Department has determined that the operator does not have any financial viability issues that would prevent it from effectively operating a community school in Ohio.
(b) The school is replicating an operational and instructional model through an agreement with a college or university used by a community school or its equivalent in another state that performed better than the school district in which the school is located, as determined by the Department of Education and Workforce.
(3) The school is in its first year of operation or, if not in its first year of operation and qualifying under division (C)(2)(b) of this section, opened on July 1, 2022, and has not previously been designated as a Community School of Quality under this section, in which case the first payment under Section 265.430 of this act shall be made on or before January 31, 2024, and shall be calculated based on the adjusted full-time equivalent number of students enrolled in the school for fiscal year 2024.
View the list of schools who are potentially eligible for the Quality Community School Support Grant under Criteria Three.
Schools seeking funding under Criteria Three must complete and submit a Request for Information to Community.Schools@education.ohio.gov no later than 4:59 pm, December 2, 2024.
Continued Eligibility
A school designated as a Community School of Quality under one of the above criteria shall maintain that designation for the two fiscal years following the fiscal year in which the school was initially designated as a Community School of Quality.
A school designated a Community School of Quality may renew its designation each year that it satisfies the requirements under Criteria One. The school shall maintain that designation for the two fiscal years following each fiscal year in which the requirements under Criteria One of this section are satisfied.
Preliminary List
Award by Year
Last Modified: 12/12/2024 2:48:07 PM