HILO » Efforts to convert Laupahoehoe High and Elementary School on the Big Island to a charter school are continuing, thanks to an extension of a federal grant.

Under the terms of the $450,000 U.S. Department of Education grant to launch the school, charter status needed to be obtained from the state by September.

But there was an unexpected delay.

Between November and May, the state Charter School Review Panel did not accept applications, citing Hawaii’s budget crunch.

The project director for the grant, Fred Pollock, told the Hawaii Tribune-Herald he has received word from the department that the grant has been extended.

Charter school proponents must now convince the panel to grant a charter.