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 non-disadvantaged enrolled students. Payments for each fiscal year are calculated using the 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 Department of Education and Workforce makes grant payments to each community school meeting quality criteria in January.

To be designated as a Community School of Quality, a community school shall satisfy at least one of the following criteria:

Criteria One

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 received a higher performance index score than the school district in which the school is located on the two most recent report cards issued for the school under section 3302.03 of the Revised Code.
(3) The school received a performance rating of four stars or higher 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 rating for the value-added progress dimension on the most recent report card.
(4) At least fifty per cent of the students enrolled in the school are economically disadvantaged, as determined by the Department.

No application is required for schools meeting Criteria One performance requirements.

Criteria Two

The community school meets all 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 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 less than four school years.
(3) The school is replicating an operational and instructional model used by a community school that met Criteria One based on the 2022-23 report card.
(4) If the school has an operator, the operator received a "C" or better on its most recent performance report published under section 3314.031 of the Revised Code.

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, November 29, 2023. 

Criteria Three

The community school meets all 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:

  1. 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.
  2. (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.
  3. (III) The operator is in good standing in all states where it operates schools, as determined by the Department.
  4. (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 section (2)(b) of Criteria Three opened on July 1, 2023, and has not previously been designated as a Community School of Quality.  

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, November 29, 2023. 

A school designated as a Community School of Quality under this section 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 CRITERIA ONE. The school shall maintain that designation for the two fiscal years following each fiscal year in which CRITERIA ONE is met.

Award by Year

Last Modified: 2/23/2024 12:18:43 PM