The United States Department of Education's (Department or ED) Public Charter Schools Program (PCSP) provides support for the planning, program design, and initial implementation of charter schools; the evaluation of the effects of charter schools; and the dissemination of information about charter schools and successful practices in charter schools. The PCSP was originally authorized in October 1994, under Title X, Part C of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), 20 U.S.C. 8061-8067. Congress reauthorized the program in October 1998 by enacting the Charter School Expansion Act of 1998, Public Law No. 105-278. As amended, section 10306 of the ESEA requires the Secretary and State educational agencies (SEAs) to take measures to ensure that charter schools receive the Federal-to-State formula funds for which they are eligible within five months of opening or expanding their enrollment. On December 22, 1999, the Secretary published in the Federal Register (64 Fed. Reg. 71,964) final regulations implementing section 10306 of the ESEA (hereinafter referred to as "final regulations"). The final regulations set forth general requirements that States and local school districts must meet in order to ensure that charter schools opening for the first time or significantly expanding their enrollment receive the Federal-to-State formula funds for which they are eligible. This nonregulatory guidance addresses the implementation issues that have arisen under the various programs to which section 10306 of the ESEA and the final regulations apply. It does not impose requirements beyond those in the ESEA and other applicable Federal statutes and regulations.