Less than a month ago the US Department of Education notified the Oregon Department of Education’s Charter School Program (CSP) that the most recent competitive grant application submitted for Oregon was not funded. Of the 14 states applying for funding, only two, New York and Florida, received funding. This threw us for a loop, as it had been funded every year in the past and we had already been working with a grant writer to apply for this incentive grant.
We were not disheartened, though! Because Oregon wasn't funded we now qualified for the highly competitive Federal non-SEA Charter School Dissemination Grant. The application, however, was due much sooner than expected. We have been working tirelessly on the 88 page application and are happy to say that it was submitted yesterday. We will know by October 1st if we are one of the recipients. We are counting down the days, and moving forward with preparations to submit our charter application to the West Linn-Wilsonville School District.
When sponsored, Pathfinder will be the first public charter school in Oregon to combine the Montessori method with environmental awareness, a Positive Discipline philosophy, and a curriculum based on appreciation of cultural diversity.
