21st Century California School Leadership Academy, Cohort 3

The 21st Century California School Leadership Academy Regional Academy program is administered by the California Department of Education through its Professional Learning Support Division as part of a statewide effort to strengthen school leadership capacity. Established under California Education Code 44690 and supported by federal Title II, Part A funding under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the program focuses on improving student achievement by enhancing the quality of principals and other school leaders. The initiative is implemented in collaboration with the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence and the State Board of Education, forming part of the Statewide System of Support designed to improve outcomes across California’s public education system. The primary purpose of the program is to fund institutions of higher education, nonprofit educational service providers, and local educational agencies to serve as Regional Academies. These entities are responsible for delivering high-quality professional learning, coaching, and mentoring to principals, teacher leaders, and other school leaders serving transitional kindergarten through grade twelve. The program emphasizes leadership development aligned with the California Professional Standards for Education Leaders and the California Quality Professional Learning Standards. It also supports statewide priorities such as Universal Design for Learning, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, and initiatives focused on English learners and transitional kindergarten. Funding is structured as a competitive grant with up to seven awards, each corresponding to a designated geographic region in California. Each Regional Academy will receive a minimum of one million dollars per year over a three-year cycle, contingent upon continued federal funding and state budget authority. Funds are distributed on a reimbursement basis and must be used for allowable activities such as professional learning delivery, coaching services, partnership coordination, and development of instructional materials. Restrictions prohibit use of funds for supplanting existing efforts, purchasing furniture or food, or engaging in unrelated activities. Budgets must demonstrate alignment with project goals and are subject to review and approval. Eligible applicants include California-based institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and local educational agencies with demonstrated expertise in leadership development and school improvement. Applicants must apply to serve a single geographic region and demonstrate capacity to deliver services across that region. Partnerships are encouraged, and applicants must document roles, responsibilities, and formal agreements among partners. The application requires detailed responses to multiple narrative sections covering capacity, program facilitation, goals and outcomes, partnerships, staffing, participant engagement, and budget justification. The application process includes a mandatory Intent to Submit an Application form, which must be completed prior to submitting a full application. Only applicants who complete this initial step are eligible to proceed. Applications are submitted electronically through the California Department of Education website and must include all required forms and attachments. Incomplete or late submissions are not considered. Applications are reviewed using a structured rubric evaluating completeness, responsiveness, and alignment with program goals, and may include interviews as part of the selection process. Key timeline milestones include the Intent to Submit deadline on May 27, 2026, and the full application deadline on June 24, 2026. Award notifications are expected in early September 2026, with a formal appeals process concluding by mid-September. The project start date is October 1, 2026, and the initial grant period runs through September 30, 2027, with potential annual renewals through September 30, 2029. The program operates on a recurring cycle, with future cohorts expected depending on funding and program performance. Program performance is evaluated through defined metrics and deliverables, including staffing requirements, participant engagement, reporting compliance, and evidence of continuous improvement. Grantees must participate in quarterly reporting and collaborate with the 21CSLA Center, which coordinates data collection and program coherence. Failure to meet performance expectations may affect eligibility for future funding cycles. Contact for program inquiries is available via the program email and phone number provided by the California Department of Education.

Ensure full compliance with all required components; align proposal with CPSEL and QPLS standards; demonstrate regional capacity and measurable outcomes; avoid non-allowable costs