The Administration recommends that the Board of Education, acting in its capacity as Board of Directors of Philadelphia Intermediate Unit No. 26 (IU 26), authorize IU 26, through the Executive Director or his designee, to execute and perform contracts, subject to funding, as follows:  

With:  Ad Prima Charter School, Alliance for Progress Charter School, Antonia Pantoja Charter School, ASPIRA Bilingual Cyber Charter School, Belmont Charter School, Boys Latin of Philadelphia Charter School, Christopher Columbus Charter School, Community Academy of Philadelphia Charter School, Deep Roots Charter School, The Jacqueline Y. Kelley Discovery Charter School, Esperanza Academy Charter School, Esperanza Cyber Academy Charter School, Eugenio Maria de Hostos Charter School, First Philadelphia Preparatory Charter School, Folk Arts Cultural Treasures Charter School, Franklin Towne Charter Elementary School, Franklin Towne Charter High School, Frederick Douglass Mastery Charter School, Freire Charter School, Global Leadership Academy Charter School, Global Leadership Academy Charter School Southwest at Huey, Green Woods Charter School, Harambee Institute of Science and Technology Charter School, Imhotep Institute Charter High School, Independence Charter School, Independence Charter School West, Inquiry Charter School, Keystone Academy Charter School, KIPP DuBois Charter School, KIPP North Philadelphia Charter School, KIPP Philadelphia Charter School, KIPP West Philadelphia Charter School, Laboratory Charter School of Communication and Languages, Lindley Academy Charter School at Birney, Mariana Bracetti Academy Charter School, Maritime Academy Charter School, Mathematics Sciences and Technology Community Charter School, Mathematics Sciences and Technology Community Charter School II, MAST Community Charter School III, Mastery Charter High School, John Wister Mastery Charter School, Mastery Charter School – Cleveland Elementary, Mastery Charter School – Clymer Elementary, Mastery Charter School Pastorius - Richardson Elementary, Mastery Charter School Simon Gratz Campus, Hardy Williams Academy Charter School, Mastery Charter School Harrity Elementary, Mastery Charter School Mann Elementary, Mastery Charter School - Pickett Campus, Mastery Charter School - Shoemaker Campus, Mastery Charter School Smedley Elementary, Mastery Charter School - Thomas Campus, Mastery Prep Elementary Charter School, Mathematics, Civics and Sciences Charter School, Memphis Street Academy Charter School at J.P. Jones, Multicultural Academy Charter School, New Foundations Charter School, Northwood Academy Charter School, Pan American Academy Charter School, People for People Charter School, Philadelphia Academy Charter School, Philadelphia Electrical & Technology Charter High School, Philadelphia Hebrew Public Charter School, Philadelphia Montessori Charter School, Philadelphia Performing Arts Charter School: A String Theory Charter School, The Preparatory Charter School of Mathematics, Science, Technology and Careers, Richard Allen Preparatory Charter School, Russell Byers Charter School, Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School, Southwest Leadership Academy Charter School, Tacony Academy Charter School, TECH Freire Charter School, Philadelphia Charter School for Arts and Sciences at H. R. Edmunds, Universal Alcorn Charter School, Universal Audenried Promise Neighborhood Partnership Charter School, Universal Bluford Charter School, Universal Creighton Charter School, Universal Daroff Charter School, Universal Institute Charter School, Universal Vare Promise Neighborhood Partnership Charter School, West Oak Lane Charter School, West Philadelphia Achievement Charter Elementary School, Wissahickon Charter School, Young Scholars Charter School, YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School, and other eligible Charter schools authorized, approved and licensed by the Board of Education.

Purpose:

Distribution of IDEA Part B funds to Philadelphia charter schools to supplement the provision of special education and related services for students with disabilities attending those charter schools

Start date:  7/1/2023

End date: 6/30/2024

Compensation not to exceed: $27,000,000

Separate Compensation by Vendor:

All entities will be paid out of the aggregate amount not to exceed $27,000,000.00

Location: Philadelphia charter schools as approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) for IDEA Fund Allocation

Description:

Why is the contract needed?

 The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part B is a federal program which provides grant funds on a formula basis to states and Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to support the education of children with disabilities. The amount of IDEA, Part B funds that an LEA receives is calculated according to a rate based on the number of special education students the LEA reported as having compliant IEPs on December 1st of the previous year. After PDE approves and finalizes the IDEA Part B allocation amounts for each LEA, the funds are given to the 29 Pennsylvania Intermediate Units (IUs) for distribution to the LEAs located within their jurisdictions. Charter schools are considered LEAs, and IUs must distribute or "pass-through" these allocated Part B funds to all eligible charter schools that have students with disabilities located within their boundaries. This action item is to request authorization for IU 26 to pass through the PDE approved IDEA, Part B funds allocated to each eligible charter school within the IU 26 jurisdiction, and enter into sub-award agreements with these charter schools to ensure that these funds are used to supplement the education of students with disabilities in compliance with IDEA. 

How is this work connected to the District’s plan to achieve Goals & Guardrails?

The passthrough of state allocated IDEA funds to Philadelphia charter schools by the IU shall help ensure that all attending students with disabilities receive the funding and supports they need to meet the goals and objectives of their IEPs and to perform at proficient levels on annual state academic and vocational assessments. 

How will the success of this contract be measured?

The IU monitors individual charter school spending and use of state awarded IDEA funds through entering into individual charter school Agreements, and by reviewing and approving budgets and narratives submitted by charter schools regarding the allowable use of allocated IDEA-B funds. 

Funding Source(s):

FY23-24 IDEA-B