diff --git a/app/controllers/api/projects_controller.rb b/app/controllers/api/projects_controller.rb
index f44710faf..2ac99ca99 100644
--- a/app/controllers/api/projects_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/api/projects_controller.rb
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ def show
     end
 
     def create
-      result = Project::Create.call(project_hash: project_params)
+      result = Project::Create.call(project_hash: project_params, current_user:)
 
       if result.success?
         @project = result[:project]
@@ -80,8 +80,8 @@ def load_projects
     end
 
     def project_params
-      if school_owner?
-        # A school owner must specify who the project user is.
+      if school_owner? || current_user&.experience_cs_admin?
+        # A school owner or an Experience CS admin must specify who the project user is.
         base_params
       else
         # A school teacher may only create projects they own.
diff --git a/app/graphql/mutations/create_project.rb b/app/graphql/mutations/create_project.rb
index c7135168a..07c98c3f7 100644
--- a/app/graphql/mutations/create_project.rb
+++ b/app/graphql/mutations/create_project.rb
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ def resolve(**input)
         components: input[:components]&.map(&:to_h)
       )
 
-      response = Project::Create.call(project_hash:)
+      response = Project::Create.call(project_hash:, current_user: context[:current_user])
       raise GraphQL::ExecutionError, response[:error] unless response.success?
 
       { project: response[:project] }
diff --git a/app/models/ability.rb b/app/models/ability.rb
index bca1f2dfa..a7b65202e 100644
--- a/app/models/ability.rb
+++ b/app/models/ability.rb
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ def initialize(user)
       define_school_teacher_abilities(user:, school:) if user.school_teacher?(school)
       define_school_owner_abilities(school:) if user.school_owner?(school)
     end
+
+    define_experience_cs_admin_abilities(user)
   end
 
   private
@@ -100,6 +102,12 @@ def define_school_student_abilities(user:, school:)
     can(%i[show_finished set_finished], SchoolProject, project: { user_id: user.id, lesson_id: nil }, school_id: school.id)
   end
 
+  def define_experience_cs_admin_abilities(user)
+    return unless user&.experience_cs_admin?
+
+    can %i[read create update destroy], Project, user_id: nil
+  end
+
   def school_teacher_can_manage_lesson?(user:, school:, lesson:)
     is_my_lesson = lesson.school_id == school.id && lesson.user_id == user.id
     is_my_class = lesson.school_class&.teacher_ids&.include?(user.id)
diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index a7d90a6be..386ab2615 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -51,7 +51,15 @@ def student?
   end
 
   def admin?
-    (roles&.to_s&.split(',')&.map(&:strip) || []).include?('editor-admin')
+    parsed_roles.include?('editor-admin')
+  end
+
+  def experience_cs_admin?
+    parsed_roles.include?('experience-cs-admin')
+  end
+
+  def parsed_roles
+    roles&.to_s&.split(',')&.map(&:strip) || []
   end
 
   def ==(other)
diff --git a/lib/concepts/project/operations/create.rb b/lib/concepts/project/operations/create.rb
index 625cdba85..a2e942889 100644
--- a/lib/concepts/project/operations/create.rb
+++ b/lib/concepts/project/operations/create.rb
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@
 class Project
   class Create
     class << self
-      def call(project_hash:)
+      def call(project_hash:, current_user:)
         response = OperationResponse.new
-        response[:project] = build_project(project_hash)
+        response[:project] = build_project(project_hash, current_user)
         response[:project].save!
         response
       rescue StandardError => e
@@ -16,9 +16,9 @@ def call(project_hash:)
 
       private
 
-      def build_project(project_hash)
-        identifier = PhraseIdentifier.generate
-        new_project = Project.new(project_hash.except(:components).merge(identifier:))
+      def build_project(project_hash, current_user)
+        project_hash[:identifier] = PhraseIdentifier.generate unless current_user&.experience_cs_admin?
+        new_project = Project.new(project_hash.except(:components))
         new_project.components.build(project_hash[:components])
         new_project
       end
diff --git a/spec/concepts/project/create_spec.rb b/spec/concepts/project/create_spec.rb
index 2af9426f1..519b7d788 100644
--- a/spec/concepts/project/create_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/concepts/project/create_spec.rb
@@ -3,9 +3,10 @@
 require 'rails_helper'
 
 RSpec.describe Project::Create, type: :unit do
-  subject(:create_project) { described_class.call(project_hash:) }
+  subject(:create_project) { described_class.call(project_hash:, current_user:) }
 
-  let(:user_id) { 'e0675b6c-dc48-4cd6-8c04-0f7ac05af51a' }
+  let(:current_user) { create(:user) }
+  let(:user_id) { current_user.id }
 
   before do
     mock_phrase_generation
@@ -16,7 +17,7 @@
     let(:project_hash) { ActionController::Parameters.new({}).merge(user_id:) }
 
     context 'with valid content' do
-      subject(:create_project_with_content) { described_class.call(project_hash:) }
+      subject(:create_project_with_content) { described_class.call(project_hash:, current_user:) }
 
       let(:project_hash) do
         {
diff --git a/spec/factories/user.rb b/spec/factories/user.rb
index 473db5ec7..d7470f672 100644
--- a/spec/factories/user.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/user.rb
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@
       roles { 'editor-admin' }
     end
 
+    factory :experience_cs_admin_user do
+      roles { 'experience-cs-admin' }
+    end
+
     factory :student do
       email { nil }
       username { Faker::Internet.username }
diff --git a/spec/features/project/creating_a_project_spec.rb b/spec/features/project/creating_a_project_spec.rb
index bbcd47836..c8b671deb 100644
--- a/spec/features/project/creating_a_project_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/project/creating_a_project_spec.rb
@@ -3,16 +3,11 @@
 require 'rails_helper'
 
 RSpec.describe 'Creating a project', type: :request do
-  before do
-    authenticated_in_hydra_as(teacher)
-    mock_phrase_generation
-  end
-
+  let(:generated_identifier) { 'word1-word2-word3' }
   let(:headers) { { Authorization: UserProfileMock::TOKEN } }
   let(:teacher) { create(:teacher, school:) }
   let(:school) { create(:school) }
   let(:owner) { create(:owner, school:) }
-
   let(:params) do
     {
       project: {
@@ -24,11 +19,24 @@
     }
   end
 
+  before do
+    authenticated_in_hydra_as(teacher)
+    mock_phrase_generation(generated_identifier)
+  end
+
   it 'responds 201 Created' do
     post('/api/projects', headers:, params:)
     expect(response).to have_http_status(:created)
   end
 
+  it 'generates an identifier for the project even if another identifier is specified' do
+    params_with_identifier = { project: { identifier: 'test-identifier', components: [] } }
+    post('/api/projects', headers:, params: params_with_identifier)
+    data = JSON.parse(response.body, symbolize_names: true)
+
+    expect(data[:identifier]).to eq(generated_identifier)
+  end
+
   it 'responds with the project JSON' do
     post('/api/projects', headers:, params:)
     data = JSON.parse(response.body, symbolize_names: true)
@@ -200,4 +208,64 @@
       expect(response).to have_http_status(:forbidden)
     end
   end
+
+  context 'when an Experience CS admin creates a starter Scratch project' do
+    let(:experience_cs_admin) { create(:experience_cs_admin_user) }
+    let(:params) do
+      {
+        project: {
+          identifier: 'test-project',
+          name: 'Test Project',
+          locale: 'fr',
+          project_type: Project::Types::SCRATCH,
+          user_id: nil,
+          components: []
+        }
+      }
+    end
+
+    before do
+      authenticated_in_hydra_as(experience_cs_admin)
+    end
+
+    it 'responds 201 Created' do
+      post('/api/projects', headers:, params:)
+      expect(response).to have_http_status(:created)
+    end
+
+    it 'sets the project identifier to the specified (not the generated) value' do
+      post('/api/projects', headers:, params:)
+      data = JSON.parse(response.body, symbolize_names: true)
+
+      expect(data[:identifier]).to eq('test-project')
+    end
+
+    it 'sets the project name to the specified value' do
+      post('/api/projects', headers:, params:)
+      data = JSON.parse(response.body, symbolize_names: true)
+
+      expect(data[:name]).to eq('Test Project')
+    end
+
+    it 'sets the project locale to the specified value' do
+      post('/api/projects', headers:, params:)
+      data = JSON.parse(response.body, symbolize_names: true)
+
+      expect(data[:locale]).to eq('fr')
+    end
+
+    it 'sets the project type to the specified value' do
+      post('/api/projects', headers:, params:)
+      data = JSON.parse(response.body, symbolize_names: true)
+
+      expect(data[:project_type]).to eq(Project::Types::SCRATCH)
+    end
+
+    it 'sets the project user_id to the specified value (i.e. nil to represent a public project)' do
+      post('/api/projects', headers:, params:)
+      data = JSON.parse(response.body, symbolize_names: true)
+
+      expect(data[:user_id]).to be_nil
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/features/project/updating_a_project_spec.rb b/spec/features/project/updating_a_project_spec.rb
index 41d325ce5..b0f31c34a 100644
--- a/spec/features/project/updating_a_project_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/project/updating_a_project_spec.rb
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@
   end
 
   let(:headers) { { Authorization: UserProfileMock::TOKEN } }
-  let!(:project) { create(:project, name: 'Test Project', user_id: owner.id) }
+  let(:project_type) { Project::Types::PYTHON }
+  let(:user_id) { owner.id }
+  let!(:project) { create(:project, name: 'Test Project', user_id:, locale: 'en', project_type:) }
   let(:owner) { create(:owner, school:) }
   let(:school) { create(:school) }
 
@@ -53,4 +55,27 @@
     put("/api/projects/#{project.id}", params:)
     expect(response).to have_http_status(:unauthorized)
   end
+
+  context 'when an Experience CS admin creates a starter Scratch project' do
+    let(:experience_cs_admin) { create(:experience_cs_admin_user) }
+    let(:user_id) { nil }
+    let(:project_type) { Project::Types::SCRATCH }
+    let(:params) { { project: { name: 'Test Project' } } }
+
+    before do
+      authenticated_in_hydra_as(experience_cs_admin)
+    end
+
+    it 'responds 200 OK' do
+      put("/api/projects/#{project.identifier}?project_type=scratch", headers:, params:)
+      expect(response).to have_http_status(:success)
+    end
+
+    it 'sets the project name to the specified value' do
+      put("/api/projects/#{project.identifier}?project_type=scratch", headers:, params:)
+      data = JSON.parse(response.body, symbolize_names: true)
+
+      expect(data[:name]).to eq('Test Project')
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/models/ability_spec.rb b/spec/models/ability_spec.rb
index 39624d64e..e3d959581 100644
--- a/spec/models/ability_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/ability_spec.rb
@@ -139,6 +139,32 @@
       end
     end
 
+    context 'with an experience-cs admin' do
+      let(:user) { build(:experience_cs_admin_user, id: user_id) }
+      let(:another_project) { build(:project) }
+
+      context 'with a starter project' do
+        it { is_expected.to be_able_to(:read, starter_project) }
+        it { is_expected.to be_able_to(:create, starter_project) }
+        it { is_expected.to be_able_to(:update, starter_project) }
+        it { is_expected.to be_able_to(:destroy, starter_project) }
+      end
+
+      context 'with own project' do
+        it { is_expected.to be_able_to(:read, project) }
+        it { is_expected.to be_able_to(:create, project) }
+        it { is_expected.to be_able_to(:update, project) }
+        it { is_expected.to be_able_to(:destroy, project) }
+      end
+
+      context 'with another user\'s project' do
+        it { is_expected.not_to be_able_to(:read, another_project) }
+        it { is_expected.not_to be_able_to(:create, another_project) }
+        it { is_expected.not_to be_able_to(:update, another_project) }
+        it { is_expected.not_to be_able_to(:destroy, another_project) }
+      end
+    end
+
     # rubocop:disable RSpec/MultipleMemoizedHelpers
     context "with a teacher's project where the lesson is visible to students" do
       let(:user) { create(:user) }
diff --git a/spec/models/user_spec.rb b/spec/models/user_spec.rb
index 103e90ada..ce42c44b3 100644
--- a/spec/models/user_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/user_spec.rb
@@ -277,6 +277,28 @@
     end
   end
 
+  describe '#parsed_roles' do
+    it 'returns array of role names when roles is set to comma-separated string' do
+      user = build(:user, roles: 'role-1,role-2')
+      expect(user.parsed_roles).to eq(%w[role-1 role-2])
+    end
+
+    it 'strips leading & trailing spaces from role names' do
+      user = build(:user, roles: ' role-1 , role-2 ')
+      expect(user.parsed_roles).to eq(%w[role-1 role-2])
+    end
+
+    it 'returns empty array when roles is set to empty string' do
+      user = build(:user, roles: '')
+      expect(user.parsed_roles).to eq([])
+    end
+
+    it 'returns empty array when roles is set to nil' do
+      user = build(:user, roles: nil)
+      expect(user.parsed_roles).to eq([])
+    end
+  end
+
   describe '#admin?' do
     it 'returns true if the user has the editor-admin role in Hydra' do
       user = build(:user, roles: 'editor-admin')
@@ -287,15 +309,17 @@
       user = build(:user, roles: 'another-editor-admin')
       expect(user).not_to be_admin
     end
+  end
 
-    it 'returns false if roles are empty in Hydra' do
-      user = build(:user, roles: '')
-      expect(user).not_to be_admin
+  describe '#experience_cs_admin?' do
+    it 'returns true if the user has the experience-cs-admin role in Hydra' do
+      user = build(:experience_cs_admin_user)
+      expect(user).to be_experience_cs_admin
     end
 
-    it 'returns false if roles are nil in Hydra' do
-      user = build(:user, roles: nil)
-      expect(user).not_to be_admin
+    it 'returns false if the user does not have the experience-cs-admin role in Hydra' do
+      user = build(:user, roles: 'another-admin')
+      expect(user).not_to be_experience_cs_admin
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/requests/projects/destroy_spec.rb b/spec/requests/projects/destroy_spec.rb
index f1d54066d..bf139f029 100644
--- a/spec/requests/projects/destroy_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/projects/destroy_spec.rb
@@ -36,6 +36,29 @@
         expect(response).to have_http_status(:forbidden)
       end
     end
+
+    context 'when an Experience CS admin destroys a starter Scratch project' do
+      let(:project) do
+        create(
+          :project, {
+            project_type: Project::Types::SCRATCH,
+            user_id: nil,
+            locale: 'en'
+          }
+        )
+      end
+      let(:experience_cs_admin) { create(:experience_cs_admin_user) }
+
+      before do
+        authenticated_in_hydra_as(experience_cs_admin)
+      end
+
+      it 'deletes the project' do
+        expect do
+          delete("/api/projects/#{project.identifier}?project_type=scratch", headers:)
+        end.to change(Project.unscoped, :count).by(-1)
+      end
+    end
   end
 
   context 'when no token is given' do
diff --git a/spec/support/user_profile_mock.rb b/spec/support/user_profile_mock.rb
index 4f56e353a..c694d158c 100644
--- a/spec/support/user_profile_mock.rb
+++ b/spec/support/user_profile_mock.rb
@@ -31,7 +31,8 @@ def user_to_hash(user, user_type, id_field = :id)
       id_field => user_type ? "#{user_type}:#{user.id}" : user.id,
       name: user.name,
       email: user.email,
-      username: user.username
+      username: user.username,
+      roles: user.roles
     }
   end