Staying current on federal funding for schools can be a bit like a game of whack-a-mole, with confusing updates being announced seemingly weekly. Reg Leichty, Founding Partner of Foresight Law & Policy, a firm that helps translate complex education policy and funding developments into actionable strategies, shared his insight on the state of the funding union at the recent Tech & Learning Ed Exec Summit.

Here is an overview of the current and future education policy and funding landscape as of August 19, 2025, including budget impacts, legislative outlooks, and implications for education technology companies.

Federal Education Funding and Policy

Leichty noted that while federal education funding and policy debates will likely be tumultuous in the near future, overall, directly appropriated federal spending for programs authorized by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is not likely to decline significantly. Modest, new opportunities may be available for edtech, particularly in areas such as AI, career and technical education (CTE), and workforce education, but companies will have to actively seek out these.

Leichty also emphasized that taking the time to understand the education policy landscape—at the federal, state, and local levels—can powerfully inform business and school district planning. Becoming an advocate for public education and edtech is one way to learn more about policy and make a difference for students. To stay informed, you can:

• Subscribe to federal education policy updates and newsletters from organizations, such as Foresight, which publishes a weekly update, that cover education politics and policy.
• Follow legislative updates from professional associations and advocacy groups.
• Regularly check the websites of the U.S. Department of Education and state-level education agencies.
• Stay connected with education journalists and policy experts on platforms such as LinkedIn for real-time developments.

Key Legislative and Funding Highlights

Leichty's presentation detailed several key areas with significant implications for schools and their partners:

One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBA/P.L.119-21): This act includes an estimated $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts over 10 years, which could cause significant local budget strain. For edtech, this might lead to a slowdown or delay in special education and assistive technology purchases. The act also launches private school tax credits in January 2027, which could expand the demand for services such as tutoring, online learning, and supplemental services.

FY25 Funding Delays: A delay in releasing nearly $7 billion in frozen state and district grants for FY25, which was later lifted by the Trump administration, caused significant disruption, including contract cancellations and staff layoffs. To prepare for future delays, companies should maintain flexible timelines and diversify customer funding sources.

FY26 Federal Education Appropriations: A Senate committee bill maintained about $79 billion in funding for FY26, rejecting a requested White House cut of 15.6%. While core formula programs such as ESSA Title I and IDEA, state grants are expected to be stable, competitive grants may see reductions. A government shutdown on October 1 is possible due to the political difficulty of completing the budget process.

Children's Privacy Legislation: Leichty outlined two key bills:

• Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA/S.1748): This act would impose a "duty of care" on online platforms likely to be used by minors to mitigate harm. Products with social features may need new safety tools and parental controls, and covered entities may need to revise contracts with local education agencies (LEAs).
• Children & Teens' Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0/S.836): This bill would extend privacy protections to individuals under 17, ban targeted ads to kids and teens, and require an "eraser button" for data deletion. This could lead to limitations on ad-revenue models and require new consent workflows.

E-rate and Cybersecurity: A Supreme Court decision in June 2025 upheld the constitutionality of the Universal Service Fund, which provides ongoing support for E-rate. This ensures stability for federal broadband funding for schools for now. Leichty also mentioned a new $200 million cybersecurity pilot program that may inform the modernization of E-rate's eligible cybersecurity investments.

Trump Administration AI Initiatives: The White House's interest in AI and education is evident in several executive orders and action plans. While no new dedicated funding for AI exists, this interest may help preserve tech-related funds like ESSA Title IV and E-rate. Ed tech companies are advised to let this focus inform their sales strategies.

In a complex and often unpredictable environment, Leichty's presentation provided a clear guide for navigating the intersection of policy and education. The key takeaways for schools and their partners are the expectation of stable core federal funding, potential state and local budget stress from Medicaid and SNAP cuts, the emergence of a new market due to private school scholarships, the necessity of new compliance measures for children's privacy, and the strategic importance of aligning with the White House's focus on AI and workforce development. By staying informed and proactive, education leaders and technology providers can adapt to these changes and continue to support students effectively.

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Educational technology budgets continue to be a challenge, especially with so many schools’ finances stretched thin to start. In many cases there aren’t many concrete practices to create, maintain, and update budgets to make sure funds are being used in the best ways possible.

Here we speak with Frank Murray, Director of Instructional Technology and Campus Support for Belton ISD in Belton, Texas, about the best practices schools and districts can use to help efficiently improve their technology budgets.

Weighing Your Educational Needs

In understanding how to leverage an educational technology budget, knowing what your school or district needs is important. This can help you make informed decisions during a tech audit, a budget revision, or at the end of a budget cycle. It can also reveal areas in which you may be spending too much on individual tools and programs that could be eating into your budget.

“The hardest thing is how do you make data-driven decisions on what you’re using in the school,” says Murray. “The main thing to us is usage results. What are our usage reports on devices? We use a piece of software that tells us exactly how many times a kid has logged [into a device] and how long they were there. How long they stay and whether they were on task with it. And we break that down.”

With this kind of information, Murray says schools can create realistic expectations about where the money needs to go and whether existing uses of the budget should continue or be altered.

What Obstacles Should You Prepare For?

When it comes to spending, having a clear objective in mind for your budget outcome can help you circumvent many obstacles. Focusing on services that handle similar tasks might be able to help you identify the ones you want to keep and the ones that you can stop using.

For example, Murray says, “We had three hall pass softwares for student’s digital hall passes. It tracks where they are. We had three different vendor names, three different companies for three different softwares that did the same thing. So you lose buying power there. So when you get everyone on one system, it would be cheaper for us as a district.”

Making fiscally responsible decisions on what software to allot your current budget is important, as is planning for the future.

“We should never sign on to a software or a subscription that we do not plan to use for at least three years,” Murray says. “We should have vetted the software to the point that we know it is something that we need. It’s not something that we are trying out, it’s something we need now and this is the problem it’s going to solve. So we started doing multiyear deals on a lot of our software contracts that saved between five and 20 percent.”

What happens when a vendor you want to contract for three years wants all the money upfront for the contract?

“For those who need it all upfront, we looked at financing,” Murray says. “Even with the financing, we were still able to save 20 percent on a lot of our deals. So we’re financing three years. The finance companies are paying it upfront. We’re paying the payment companies.”

How To Get the Most Out of Your Vendor Negotiations

As an educational decision-maker, it can be difficult to know whether a vendor has your best interests at heart or if they just want to make a sale. Murray suggests that before you enter into negotiations with a vendor for their services, you do your due diligence and come prepared.

“Enter negotiations with a clear understanding of your budget,” says Murray. “Know your desired outcomes and your potential alternatives. We need to research [this service] heavily before we know that this is something we will use for a while. Tell the vendors what you have to spend. That’s the kicker. You have to build a relationship with your vendors. You have to help them understand what’s going on with your budget constraints. Let them know exactly what you can afford.”

Having a firm understanding of your budget will not only help you in your negotiations with your vendors, it will also help vendors understand how they can best serve you. Vendors and educators are in this together, and having a high level of communication can benefit both sides when it comes to educational technology and budget management.

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• Best Grants for Education

The pandemic changed much about how students and teachers saw education. Remote teaching, communication applications, and connectivity services became extremely important to keep students and teachers engaged in the learning process while school buildings were shuttered. 

With this emphasis on remote learning and digital tools, emergency pandemic funding was an important part of keeping students and teachers safely connected. However, there is a deadline for using the pandemic funding, and it is quickly approaching.

What Does The End of Pandemic Funds Mean for Your School?

If your school or district still has funding provided by a pandemic relief initiative, Susan Gentz, COO and Senior Consultant at K20Connect, says that it will go back to the powers that be once the September 30, 2024, deadline passes.

“If a district doesn’t have [obligated funds] contracted, it will be returned to the federal government,” says Gentz. “The government might create an educational grant with the returned funds, but most likely it will probably just go back to the Treasury to be reallocated somewhere else.”

According to Gentz, the main issue schools may face come the pandemic funding deadline is sustainability.

“Right now, there are tons of programs that were started,” she says. “And the scariest part about the education landscape is that this was a huge experiment. Did we collect enough data to evaluate how well these things work?”

In some cases, there is little information about what the pandemic spending actually went toward.

“That’s a big concern–how funds were spent in many districts,” Gentz says. “The category was marked as ‘other.’ So, what does that mean? What did we actually spend those dollars on? There are a few states that did really well with [spending] transparency and accountability, but only a few.”

How Spending May Look Moving Forward 

Depending on what items take priority when the time comes, some important learning tools might end up on the chopping block. Gentz makes it clear that these decisions will not be easy. However, some due diligence can make the process easier.

“Districts are going to have to make hard decisions,” she says. “Hopefully, they were somehow evaluating these things. A program that may be producing positive results could be kept and cuts could be made elsewhere. But if they were not keeping track [of program performance] it may just come down to a matter of whether the funding exists to keep the program. In some cases it might just be easier to go back to the way things were versus finding new cuts to be made.”

Funding and Its Connection to Chronic Absenteeism 

Funding also impacts how teachers are hired or retained in their schools. But it might not be a simple matter of having the money to pay a teacher. As Gentz points out, there might also be a connection between chronic absenteeism and teacher availability.

“So the teacher shortage is real,” she says “But what’s also been really interesting with that is chronic absenteeism. We don’t know where a lot of students went. We don’t have that information either. And that impacts how many teachers you need. We’re seeing this in rural and urban hard-to-fill districts. In those two demographic areas, we’re seeing the most chronic absenteeism in students. It will be interesting to see how those districts start making those decisions when the time comes.”

While the end of pandemic funding might create some challenges for certain districts, it will also shine a massive spotlight on the programs and hardware that works and those that don’t. This will cause serious considerations to be made about what survives the deadlines and, more importantly, what the resulting budget is spent on going forward.

• Best Grants for Education
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The best grants for education can help K-12 schools and districts as well as higher ed institutions with many of the challenges today and provide more than ever-shrinking budgets.

Grants for education vary in size and focus, and can make a big difference not only in the money you have to spend but also for the freedom to try new ideas. These funds range from federal and corporate to nonprofit and private organizations, as well as ones with hard submission deadlines and ongoing ones. Grants are available to bolster STEM, professional development, equity, literacy, and much more.

In addition to these grants for education, Tech & Learning’s free Grant Writing Guide includes resources, step-by-step proposal writing tips, checklists, and other strategies for grant-writing success.

2026 Education Grants

January 2026 Grants & Deadlines

January 15

The Mockingbird Foundation
To schools and nonprofit organizations that effect improvements in areas of importance to the Phish fan community, particularly music education for children.

January 21

American Chemical Society-Hach Professional Development Grant
To support high school chemistry teachers as they identify and pursue opportunities that advance their professional development and enhance the teaching and learning of chemistry in their classrooms.

January 22

Motorola Solutions Foundation Grants
For engaging students through hands-on engineering activities such as design, coding, and robotics as well as providing scholarship and workforce placement for underrepresented groups.

January 22

Fund for Teachers Fellowship Grant
For supporting educators' efforts to develop skills, knowledge and confidence that impact student achievement by trusting teachers to design unique fellowships. Fellowship grant applications are accepted annually from October to January.

January 30

2026 Fluency Innovator Grants
Selected teachers and administrators who serve students in grades 3 and above will each receive a free semester-long subscription to the online literacy solution WordFlight™. Early applications are encouraged, as grants will be awarded on a rolling first-come, first-serve basis.

February 2026 Grants & Deadlines 

February 1

Farrell Family Foundation Grants
To contribute to the betterment of society through the support of education, health, human welfare and the arts.

American Association of School Librarians Innovative Reading Grant
For the planning and implementation of a unique and innovative program for K-9 learners which motivates and encourages reading, especially with struggling readers. Applicant must be personal member of AASL.

February 2

The International Literacy Association (ILA) Diane Lapp & James Flood Professional Collaborator Award
To recognize an ongoing professional collaboration between two or three people who regularly contribute to the professional knowledge base of literacy educators.

February 8

Snapdragon Book Foundation
To worthy projects in PreK-12 schools that put books in the hands of disadvantaged children.

March 2026 Grants & Deadlines 

March 1

Whole Kids Foundation Garden Grant Program
To support a new or existing edible educational garden located at a K-12 school.

Association of American Educators Foundation Classroom Grant
For a variety of projects and materials including, but not limited to, books, software, calculators, math manipulatives, art supplies, audio-visual equipment, and lab materials.

Toshiba America Foundation Science and Math Grants for Grades 6-12
For an innovative idea for project-based STEM learning in a middle-school classroom.

March 2

NEA Foundation Learning & Leadership grants
For providing resources to educators hoping to engage in professional learning that can be implemented in their classrooms.

March 3

NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Program (S-STEM)
To support higher ed institutions to fund scholarships for academically talented low-income students and to study and implement a program of activities that support their recruitment, retention, and graduation in STEM.

March 15

Vernier Ecology/ Environmental Teaching Award
To a secondary school teacher who has successfully developed and demonstrated an innovative approach in the teaching of ecology/environmental science and has carried their commitment to the environment into the community.

National Association of Biology Teachers Awards
To recognize teachers for their expertise in specific subject areas, for contributions to the profession made by new teachers, and to recognize service to NABT, life science teaching, or leadership in learning communities.

March 26

National Weather Association Foundation Meteorological Satellite Applications Award Grants
To help improve the education of K-12 students in meteorology and related sciences.

April 2026 Grants & Deadlines 

April 1

American Association of School Librarians Research Grant
To recognize excellence in manuscripts, addressing a persistent and recurring challenge in the field of school librarianship.

April 15

McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation Teacher Development Grants
For supporting small teams of teachers in the formation and implementation of groundbreaking k-12 classroom instruction.

April 17

Voya Unsung Heroes Awards Program
To full-time educators, teachers, principals, paraprofessionals, or classified staff with effective and innovative projects that improve student learning.

April 30

Lawrence Foundation Education Grants
To support environmental, human services and other causes.

May 2026 Grants & Deadlines 

May 1

NCTM
To help math teachers, prospective teachers, and other math educators improve the teaching and learning of mathematics.

Toshiba America Foundation Science and Math Grants for Grades 6-12
For an innovative idea for project-based STEM learning in a middle-school classroom.

May 11

The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation Grant
To support IRS-qualified U.S. nonprofit organizations and programs for which a relatively small amount of funding might make a large difference.

June 2026 Grants & Deadlines 

June 1

American Chemical Society (ACS)-Hach High School Chemistry Classroom Grant
To support ideas that enhance classroom learning, foster student development, and reveal the wonders of chemistry.

Toshiba America Foundation Science and Math Grants For Grades 6-12
For an innovative idea for project-based STEM learning in a middle-school classroom.

June 5

National Weather Association Foundation Sol Hirsch Grants for K-12 Teachers
To help improve the education of K-12 students in meteorology and related sciences.

July 2026 Grants & Deadlines 

July 15

Walmart Community Grants
For afterschool enrichment, tutoring or vocational training for low-income individuals and families in the local service area.

August 2026 Grants & Deadlines 

August 15

The Lois Lenski Covey Foundation Bookmobile Grant Program
To organizations that operate a lending bookmobile that travels into neighborhoods populated by underserved youth.

August 31

Bayer Fund: STEM Education
Supporting high-quality educational programming by nonprofit organizations that enable access to knowledge and information and empower students and teachers in communities around the nation, with a focus on furthering STEM.

September 2026 Grants & Deadlines 

September 1

Toshiba America Foundation Science and Math Grants for Grades 6-12
For an innovative idea for project-based STEM learning in a middle-school classroom.

September 5

Foundation for Rural Service Annual Grant Program
To provide support to a variety of local education efforts to build and sustain a high quality of life in rural America.

September 30

P Buckley Moss Foundation for Children's Education
To provide funding for art supplies for teachers to support a new or evolving program that integrates the arts into education in the school classroom setting, with a special focus on those who learn differently.

ASM Foundation Living in a Material World K-12 Education Grants
To help K-12 teachers bring the real world of materials science into their classrooms.

October 2026 Grants & Deadlines 

October 1

Association of American Educators Foundation Classroom Grant
For a variety of projects and materials including, but not limited to, books, software, calculators, math manipulatives, art supplies, audio-visual equipment, and lab materials.

Toshiba America Foundation Science and Math Grants for Grades K-5
For an innovative idea for project-based STEM learning in a middle-school classroom.

October 14

NSF Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in Engineering and Computer Science program
For supporting summer research experiences for K-14 educators that foster long-term collaborations between universities, community colleges, school districts and industry partners.

October 15

Walmart Community Grants
For afterschool enrichment, tutoring or vocational training for low-income individuals and families in the local service area.

October 31

Lawrence Foundation Education Grants
To support environmental, human services and other causes.

Innovative Technology Education Fund Catapult Grant
For educators who want to innovate their teaching and student learning, but need basic technology or technological infrastructure.

November 2026 Grants & Deadlines 

November 1

NCTM
To help math teachers, prospective teachers, and other math educators improve the teaching and learning of mathematics.

Toshiba America Foundation Science and Math Grants for Grades 6-12
For an innovative idea for project-based STEM learning in a middle-school classroom.

ITEEA Awards and Scholarships
To support the advancement of STEM through technology and engineering education via programs that will make children technologically literate, transfer industrial and corporate research into schools, produce models of excellence in STEM, and more.

Mitsubishi Electric America Fund National Grant
For supporting innovative projects that help youth with disabilities develop the leadership and employment skills they need to succeed.

November 10

The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation Grant
To support IRS-qualified U.S. nonprofit organizations and programs for which a relatively small amount of funding might make a large difference.

November 14

U.S. Department of Energy Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship (AEF) Program
For accomplished K-12 STEM educators to serve in the national education arena.

November 14

Casey’s Cash for Classrooms Grants
For physical school improvements, teacher supports, material needs, and community engagement.

Nov 24

Samsung Solve for Tomorrow
For public school student (grades 6-12) projects in which students show how STEM can be used to create change in their communities.

December 2026 Grants & Deadlines 

December 1

Toshiba America Foundation Science and Math Grants for Grades 6-12
For an innovative idea for project-based STEM learning in a middle-school classroom.

Dec 2

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Foundation Classroom Grant
For providing opportunities for teachers to supplement their lesson plans with hands-on STEM activities that engage students in creative and innovative projects.

December 19

American Electric Power Teacher Vision Grants
For a project that has an academic focus and a goal to improve student achievement, especially in science, mathematics, technology as well as the study of energy and a sustainable environment, and energy efficiency.

National Science Teachers Association Recognizing Excellence in Science Teaching/Shell Science Teaching Awards
To recognize exceptional individuals for their accomplishments and outstanding work in the science education field.

December 31

Walmart Community Grants
For afterschool enrichment, tutoring or vocational training for low-income individuals and families in the local service area.

Ongoing Year-Round Education Grants

AFCEA Gravely and Paige Grants
To U.S. elementary and middle schools to promote STEM innovation in the classroom with an emphasis on academic programs.

Avantor Foundation Grants
To support worthy organizations dedicated to advancing science education and bringing healthcare to those in need.

Awesome Foundation
For awesome projects and initiatives in a wide range of areas including arts, technology, community development, and more.

Believe in Reading
For successful literacy programs that serve populations which show out of the ordinary needs, such as geographic areas with low reading scores and high poverty levels.

Brown Rudnick Community Grants
To fund a specific, one-time need or idea which will improve education in underserved communities in Boston, Providence, Hartford, New York, Washington, D.C., Orange County, or London (UK).

Classics for Kids Foundation
To support string programs by helping to provide access to fine instruments.

Computers for Learning
For encouraging agencies, to the extent permitted by law, to transfer computers and related peripheral equipment excess to their needs directly to schools and some educational nonprofit organizations.

ConocoPhillips Charitable Investments Grants
To support charitable organizations who help serve the strategic and critical needs of communities.

Corning Foundation
To community-based programs where Corning has a strong presence–typically, within an approximate 20-mile radius of a Corning business location with at least 50 employees.

Dollar General Literacy Foundation: Beyond Words
To public school libraries that have incurred substantial damage or hardship due to a natural disaster, fire, or an act recognized by the federal government as terrorism.

Grants.gov: Federal Grants & Programs
For ideas and projects that provide public services and stimulate the economy, such as supporting critical recovery initiatives, innovative research, and many other programs.

Honda USA Foundation
To provide funding to eligible organizations that support communities located near Honda operations that align with the pillars of education, environment, mobility, traffic safety, and community.

Lockheed Martin STEM Grants
To support the future STEM workforce, through building high school and postsecondary student interest and skills in engineering, computational science, and cyber, as well as providing access to networks and pathways into the workforce.

Michael and Susan Dell Foundation Grants
For organizations focused on creating opportunities for children and families living in urban poverty, with a deep emphasis on measuring impact.

Naiku Innovative Educator Grants
To support K-12 classroom teachers in public or private schools seeking to facilitate differentiated and data-driven instruction within teacher teams and/or personalize learning with learner-centric assessment strategies.

National Education Association Foundation Grants for Educators
To actively promote the inclusion of educator voice in leadership practice and policy.

National Endowment for the Humanities
For supporting research in the humanities, nurturing the nation’s humanities infrastructure, and expanding the reach of the humanities to all Americans.

National Science Teaching Association Awards & Recognition Program
To recognize exceptional individuals for their accomplishments and outstanding work in the science education field.

Reiman Foundation Grants
For supporting four types of endeavors—education, health care, the arts and children’s initiatives.

SC Johnson Grants
For institutions or organizations that serve or directly affect communities in which SC Johnson has operations.

Sony Corporation of America Grants
For art, culture, technology, and the environment, with a particular emphasis on education in each of those areas.

Verizon Foundation
For projects aligned around digital inclusion, climate protection and human prosperity.

Westinghouse Charitable Giving Program
For education with a focus on STEM to improve knowledge and literacy among students, teachers. and the general public.

• Grant Writing Guide

The FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program, which helps low-income families pay for home internet services, will end without Congressional action. The program, known as the ACP, will stop enrolling new applicants on Feb. 7, and funding for all participants will run out by May. This has huge implications for school connectivity and the digital divide as the program aids nearly 23 million households to obtain internet access. 

Despite the dire state of the ACP, John Harrington, chief executive officer of Funds for Learning, says there’s a possibility for better funding for schools going forward. 

“One of the shortcomings of the ACP has been the fact that it still relies on families applying for it,” he says. “It certainly helped reduce or shrink the number of students who are not connected, but there's still a certain percentage of students that when they go home, they're not connected.” 

Instead of funding for ACP, many of the school stakeholders who Harrington speaks with are focused on encouraging the FCC to expand eligibility for E-Rate funding. The E-Rate is an FCC program that makes internet access more affordable for schools and libraries but currently cannot be used to provide wireless hotspots to students to take home. 

Affordable Connectivity Program: A Best-Case Scenario  

The FCC has proposed a rule change to E-Rate that would allow wifi hotspots to be eligible for funding. If enacted, it could be a better means for schools to ensure internet access for students than the existing ACP programs, which require individual households to apply, something that isn’t always feasible for all students' families. Expanding E-Rate eligibility to the home would bypass this. 

“That would be a game changer for schools and libraries because then we would put them in the driver's seat for getting those connections into the hands of students and library patrons,” Harrington says. “They don't have to urge the parents to apply for it. They don't have to try to get community support drummed or run awareness campaigns. They literally can just get the wifi hotspots that they need for the students who need it.” 

He adds, “Another significant advantage of that is that schools can also manage things like filtering cybersecurity for that device that is connected to the student’s networks, so they have a lot more control.” 

The Worst-Case Scenario  

Harrington stresses the best-case scenario described above may not come to pass. Instead, E-Rate funding may not be broadened and ACP might lose funding.

“That's the real nightmare scenario,” Harrington says. “We've got all these devices in the hands of all these students, which is fantastic. We're really seeing how these learning management systems and content systems and all this stuff has really been incorporated to provide personalized learning, all these opportunities, and now we're approaching this cliff.” 

On top of these concerns, ACP funding has many applications beyond its use by students that wouldn’t be covered by E-Rate. “It doesn’t address the overall need for connectivity,” Harrington says. He notes that not every household has a student and people still need internet access for many aspects of modern life from applying for work to telehealth. 

Reasons For Optimism  

E-Rate funding was recently updated to include providing wifi access for schools. “That's a big step forward,” he says, which makes him optimistic the FCC is willing to update E-Rate. In addition, the FCC can change E-Rate without the need for increasingly elusive bipartisan political support, and possibly without allocating more funding. 

“The program has about a billion dollars in available spending that’s not requested each year. So there is money available. And it doesn't require an act of Congress to make those funds available, so that's why I'm pinning my hopes on this solution,” he says. “The FCC is well positioned to help support this need in a way that would better serve the community.” 

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The Federal Trade Commission recently announced that it is updating COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act). Many of the proposed changes are aimed at better protecting student data by requiring technology providers to take a bigger role in that effort, as well as limiting the ability to monetize student information.

Data privacy rules are generally outdated. COPPA became law in 2000 and hasn’t been updated since. When enacted, COPPA made it illegal for websites and online services to collect personal information from children under 13 without parents’ verifiable consent.

This isn’t to say that there are no student data privacy laws on the books since then. In 2016, California passed the Student Online Personal Information Protection Act (SOPIPA), which started an avalanche of student data privacy legislation across the country. Only a year after it took effect, 22 states had adopted all or parts of the law. 

All this to say that student data privacy has played out on a national scale as a big game of chicken. The federal government hasn’t acted, wondering what states will do, and states are looking for guidance from the feds. It’s set up a very interesting landscape for this issue, especially as technology in schools -- especially emerging ones such as AR, VR, and AI – have grown in the classroom. 

Be it state or federal, all laws are outdated for the current edtech landscape in which students and educators operate. This also means it is long past due for an update.

Key Proposed COPPA Updates 

After the FTC announced it was considering revisions to COPPA, it received more than 175,000 comments in response. Stakeholders included parents, educators, industry members, researchers, and others.

According to the FTC, here is a recap of the key proposed changes and what each means: 

• Requiring separate opt-in consent for third-party disclosures. This means that the default settings for edtech platforms and products would automatically be set to “no sharing” for students, and parents would have to specifically opt in to share or allow data to be shared with third-party advertisers. 
• Limiting the “support for internal operations” exception. Currently, edtech companies can collect information if it’s for internal business operations. The FTC wants to limit this going forward, as well as have companies post detailed disclosures on how any collected data is used or shared any with advertisers.
• Limiting companies’ nudging of kids to stay online. This is pretty straightforward–companies wouldn’t be allowed to use certain COPPA exceptions to send push notifications to encourage kids to keep using edtech products or platforms. This would also include getting parental consent to even send push notifications.  
• Limiting data retention. The FTC proposal would limit how long edtech companies could retain student data to essentially the time the student is actively using the product or platform, and not do anything with the data afterward. Also data retention policies would have to be clearly disclosed and publicly available. 
• Codifying edtech guidance. As the edtech industry has grown exponentially since COPPA was first enacted, this would formalize FTC guidance and safeguards, such as in cases when schools and districts allow edtech companies to collect student data for school-authorized purposes and not resale to advertisers. 
• Increasing accountability for Safe Harbor programs. This would increase transparency and accountability of COPPA’s Safe Harbor programs, including public disclosure of membership lists. 
• Strengthening data security requirements. This would focus on generally creating more stringent rules and safeguards that edtech companies have to follow when dealing with student data. 
• A change to the definition of “personal information” to include biometric identifiers. This would include protecting students’ biometric information collected by edtech companies, such as thumbprints, facial recognition patterns, retinal scans, etc. 

These proposals all have major implications for districts and providers. For example, codifying edtech guidance is very vague, and how this rule is interpreted and applied could change how schools operate in very big ways. 

These proposed rules are nowhere near finished. In fact, the FTC published the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, which incorporates much of the feedback from the initial review process. 

If you are interested in commenting on the proposed rules, file it at  https://www.regulations.gov by following the instructions on the web-based form. Write “COPPA Rule Review, Project No. P195404” on any comment. Public comment on the proposed changes must be received by March 11, 2024. 

Why is the FTC Leading Proposed Changes? 

It is interesting to see the updates to COPPA coming through an agency rather than legislatively. Although not uncommon, it certainly shows a doubt in legislation making it through both Congressional chambers and receiving the President’s signature. Rulemaking is one way to try and update what can be agreed upon while sorting out the more controversial challenges. 

Upon the announcement of FTC changes, Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Edward Markey (D-MA) released a joint statement that applauded the FTC’s proposed updates but also stated that this effort should not be considered a replacement for congressional action. 

The Senators also noted that they wish to quickly pass the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0) “to prioritize the well-being of our children,” adding, “Inaction is not an option.” 

The Senate has expressed more interest in student privacy bills, yet none have passed the full Senate or been introduced in the House. The FTC taking this step will likely lead to at least some modernization of privacy rules before Congress can act.

• Best Student Data Privacy Practices for Schools
• 5 Tips for Creating a Data Privacy Day in Your School

On September 30, 2023, the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund came to an end after two rounds of funding issued through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Act (CRRSA). 

Each of the U.S. states took a different approach and implemented different strategies, but at the end of funding, only four (Hawaii, Idaho, Washington, and Wyoming) returned nothing back to the federal government.

What is the GEER Fund? 

Governors were given great flexibility with how to use funding provided to their state from the federal government during the shutdowns forced by COVID-19 during 2020-2021. Congress passed three rounds of federal stimulus funds, and two out of those three included a block grant for governors to best decide who, how much, and what to fund related to the emergency in their state. Through both rounds of funding, the GEER fund received $4.3 billion for governors to spend at their discretion.

In a letter to governors, the U.S. Department of Education stated that, “This extraordinarily flexible emergency block grant empowers you to decide how best to meet the current needs of students, schools (including charter schools and non-public schools), postsecondary institutions, and other education-related organizations in your State so that faculty continue to teach and students continue to learn. My Department will not micromanage how you spend these funds, but I encourage you, at a time when so many school boards, superintendents, and institutions of higher education have had to close their brick and mortar campuses for the balance of the school year, to focus these resources on ensuring that all students continue to learn most likely through some form of remote learning.”

So What Happened? 

As of the latest update to the U.S. Department of Education Transparency portal, as a country we collectively returned $420,284,192, which is approximately 10% of the total allocation to the fund. 

Most states were able to spend down, but there were some especially high numbers in place such as Florida ($59m), Georgia ($27m), and Arizona ($23m). These numbers are not yet finalized, but paint a good picture of what was returned. By comparison, under the stimulus funds in 2009 (the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act - ARRA) the U.S. Department of Education returned $6.3b dollars, the second highest amount of the other federal agencies.

Oklahoma 

As previously mentioned, these numbers are not final. For example, after I went through and added up the totals for each state, I saw that Oklahoma had spent nothing out of GEER II. This was strange, so I started investigating. It turns out that Oklahoma had hundreds of thousands of the GEER I fund flagged for a federal audit. The state then required the office of Management and Enterprise Services to oversee the allocation of the GEER II funds.

It was just announced on October 23 (almost a month after the deadline) that Governor Stitt allocated $18m for several different projects, and the recipients have until January 31 to spend funds. This would leave Oklahoma with only $1.9m to return instead of $19m. 

What Does This Mean Going Forward? 

As GEER funds end and others continue, it is important to think about remaining federal funds in your district. The more stimulus funding returned back to the federal government, the more likely cuts will be made to formula funding in the coming years. 

Additionally, states may be pulling back monetary assistance in the potential likelihood of a recession happening after the federal funds expire. Governors had the opportunity to determine ways to support districts with the GEER fund, and many left significant amounts of funding on the table. 

We must strategically, thoughtfully, and efficiently spend the last round of ESSER dollars, otherwise it’s more than a fiscal cliff, it turns into a use-it-or-lose situation with long-term implications -- it’s likely further cuts from state budgets in the very near future.

• Best Grants for Education
• The End of ESSER: What Educators Need to Know

The U.S. government’s Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund and grant program, which helped so many educational institutes weather the rough days of the COVID-19 pandemic and continued recovery, is drawing to an end. 

Greg Bagby, Coordinator of Instructional Technology at Hamilton County Schools in Tennessee, discusses the impact ESSER funds have had on schools and how districts can prepare to soften the loss of the program’s assistance.

The End of ESSER: Using ESSER Funds to Best Advantage 

“With our funding, we worked to build student access to digital tools and connectivity for all the students in the district,” says Bagby. “We have connected all students with one-to-one devices, virtually eliminating the digital divide.”

This progressive thinking and spending has helped schools use funds in ways that will continue to benefit future students. As we have seen, many ideas that were introduced during the pandemic have become part of daily life, so it seems unlikely learning will ever return to exactly what it was beforehand. 

Connectivity and the understanding that in-person is not the only approach of imparting knowledge are two major elements of the new normal. Another positive by-product has been the end of socioeconomic barriers such as the digital divide that have long plagued schools in efforts to find true equity in the classroom.

“There was also a focus on learning loss through after-school and summer school programs,” says Bagby. “The impact we are seeing in regard to those concerns are the achievement scores reaching pre-pandemic numbers in many areas.”

While post-summer learning loss was an issue that was battled long before the arrival of COVID-19, it has taken on new importance in its wake, and to see improvement through an objective result is encouraging and a sign of ESSER funds are being used to best advantage.

Educators and ESSER 

Another major issue companies in all industries are facing in this new era is the resurgence of elevated expectations of worker rights and employees demanding equity in elements such as pay, benefits, and quality of life. Education also has been hindered by a lack of staffing and workers refusing to return to the pre-pandemic expectations of in-person work and hours. 

“We also focused on teacher retention through retention bonuses and differentiated compensation,” says Bagby. “This has provided us with the ability to retain a higher percentage of teachers than some surrounding districts.”

Some savvy districts have used ESSER funds to bolster their competitive employment offers, ensuring a happy and reliable staff, resulting in a successful restart and continuity for students when returning to in-person learning. 

Even in the education arena educators are reconsidering their options and demanding a better work-life balance. Recently, a district outside of Las Vegas was forced to suspend elementary and secondary classes due to a teacher shortage. Some savvy districts used ESSER funds to bolster their competitive offers, ensuring a happy and reliable staff, resulting in a successful restart and continuity for students when they returned.

4 Ways to Prepare for The End of ESSER Funding 

1. Use analytics to see which digital programs, platforms, and apps are actually being used by staff to determine if there are tools that are not or providing a good return on investment and can be jettisoned. 
2. Search for local grants and partnerships to pull in community resources to assist with building sustainable methods and programs. 
3. Create a timeline featuring the tools you have that may expire with lesser funding and search for ways these may be replaced through free resources or other comparable products. 
4. Look for education grants from the National Science Foundation, National Endowment for Humanities, and others to acquire funds for teacher training and PD in those areas. 

Looking to the Future 

The inevitable end of ESSER funds has schools scrambling to best protect the strides they have made in these pandemic-time improvements. Districts can still lessen the impact of the loss of these funds by resourceful analysis to determine overlap and superfluous programs. 

“Schools should look for duplication of services to see where services can be reduced,” says Bagby. “Either for software products or services provided by specific companies.”

Districts can also approach their tech partners to determine which programs might be continued at a discount or modified manner to still allow students the benefits of which they have become accustomed. Exploring education grants and other new funding options could also reveal programs designed to fill the ESSER fund void. 

• Best Grants for Education
• Have We Learned Any Lessons From Administering Federal Stimulus Funds for Education?

Tech & Learning is excited to announce a new partnership with the National Association of School Superintendents (NASS). Through this partnership, Tech & Learning will promote the work of NASS members and offer a new scholarship to cover the NASS membership fee to select superintendents. 

           To be considered for this scholarship, please complete this form.  

About NASS 

NASS was originally launched in 2009 to serve the unique needs and challenges faced by superintendents by leveraging its most powerful and reliable source of support, networking with other superintendents. It offered new superintendents immediate guidance and resources, while simultaneously affording their more seasoned and experienced colleagues opportunities to continue to refine their expertise as well as contribute advice and leadership to their profession.

Today, the organization is a new nonprofit undergoing its third realignment, beginning with developing an all-new resource center that will continue to grow and improve by the addition of features and opportunities for professional growth and advancement.

NASS Membership Benefits

Members join a coalition of dynamic superintendents from across the country to share their collective expertise with the goal of continuously advancing public education. Member benefits include: 

• Access to THE RESOURCE CENTER, a growing collection of advice, best practices and proven strategies can significantly advance school superintendents’ individual and combined success;
• Access to MY CONTRACT, an extensive collection of concepts and sample language to consider for your personal employment contract;
• Access to COLLABORATION, in which experienced members are available to share what they've learned as well and brainstorm solutions to the latest challenges;
• Eligible to be a FEATURED MEMBER, an article including your background, career highlights, and accomplishments, available to search firms, board members, and internet search engines, and the first step in the NASS Superintendent of the Year selection process, promoted to NASS’s 16,000 newsletter subscribers;
• Eligible to be recognized as an INFLUENCER for outstanding contributions to our profession achieved outside the duties and responsibilities of the position;
• Opportunity to PUBLISH articles and build your resume;
• Eligible for NASS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE membership; and
• Eligible for NASS Annual Awards.

About the NASS-Tech & Learning Partnership

Tech & Learning will expand the audience for the work of NASS members through profiles of select members in Tech & Learning’s newsletter and website, reaching 70,000 subscribers weekly and 2.5 million users annually, respectively. 

Tech & Learning is also offering scholarships to cover the NASS membership fee for 10 superintendents ($199/year). Accepted superintendents will also receive:

• An invitation to the monthly Tech & Learning Regional Leadership Summit in their region (find upcoming dates and locations here), which includes a two-night hotel stay for qualified superintendents and the opportunity to present. 
• A nomination for the Tech & Learning Innovative Superintendent award (read more here). Winners are named at the closing ceremony at the Regional Leadership Summit.
• All winners and finalists for the Tech & Learning Innovative Superintendent award receive an exclusive invitation to the Tech & Learning Innovation Summit, taking place on December 8, 2023, outside of New York City, and consideration for the NASS 2023 Superintendent of the Year.

         To be considered for this scholarship, please complete this form.  

“The superintendency is one of the most important and meaningful professions in our country,” says Theresa Daem, Founder of the National Association of School Superintendents. “While the work can be immensely rewarding, it is also extremely demanding and subject to new pressures and mandates on a regular basis. We look forward to building a coalition of dynamic superintendents with the collective expertise truly capable of continuously advancing public education.”

“We’re honored to partner with NASS to recognize the unique, sometimes challenging work that innovative leaders have taken on in their role as superintendents,” says Christine Weiser, Content Director for Tech & Learning. “These district leaders work hard to support the professional development of their school communities. By partnering with NASS, we’re glad to offer superintendents a place where they can develop their own personal and professional growth through collaboration with their peers, as well as promote their work to our national audience.”   

To share your feedback and ideas on this article, consider joining our Tech & Learning online community here.

It’s easy to separate the banking industry from the education market in our heads–privately held companies vs publicly funded entities. One failure should not impact the other, right? 

Well, in the case of Silicon Valley Bank, there are actually several implications for education entities.

What Is SVB? 

Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) is not really your typical bank. According to economics journalist and blogger Noah Smith, “SVB, as it’s known, was a bank that lent a lot of money to startups (or “startups,” i.e. bigger tech companies that are still private), and provided a lot of financial services to both startups and other tech companies.” 

In what is being called the first “twitter-fueled bank run,” $42 billion was withdrawn in a single day, leaving the bank with a negative $1 billion deficit. SVB was FDIC-certified, but that was not enough for the large accounts held there.

Massive venture capitalist funds were held at SVB, which meant that many accounts held at SVB were above the $250,000 threshold insured by the FDIC. This is important to note because if a bank is FDIC-certified, as SVB was, this means that the government would cover any cash the bank didn’t have up to $250,000 on every account. 

The problem in this scenario is that it is estimated that approximately 93% of accounts held at SVB had more funds in the account than $250,000. The bank and the government could not pay.

So, Why Was There A Run On SVB? 

This is where the story gets really tech 2023. According to CNN, “The staggering withdrawals unfolded at a speed enabled by digital banking and were likely fueled in part by viral panic spreading on social media platforms and, reportedly, in private chat groups.”

It was reported that Peter Thiel, a prominent startup investor, advised companies to pull their money from SVB amid concerns for financial instability. The rumors for bank runs have always moved swiftly, but in the era of social media and instant connection, the pace was greatly accelerated. 

Noah Smith again summarizes three basic possibilities here:

• a self-fulfilling prophecy 
• worries about the value of SVB’s assets 
• withdrawals due to a worsening venture capitalist investment situation 

Startups taking advice from master venture capitalists can start an avalanche of withdrawals, which is exactly what happened last week. It was truly a sight to behold, and we haven’t even talked about how the federal government stepped in. 

What Does This Mean For Education? 

Let’s look at what might have happened to some education entities had the federal government not worked to stabilize the situation.

John Bailey for Burbio does an excellent job of summarizing the specific ways this bank run would have impacted education entities: 

• A large number of education companies were impacted and potentially unable to make payroll this week if the Feds hadn't intervened. That could have disrupted curriculum, tutoring, and other services to schools. 
• SVB's clients also included nonprofits and charter schools. The inability to access funds could have impacted more than 15% of Massachusetts public charter schools, disrupting the education for more than 9,247 public school students. Some California charters also banked with SVB. 
• Telehealth companies were worried they wouldn't be able to make payroll for doctors and therapists. 
• At least 26 public pension funds (managing money for ~80 pension plans) directly hold stock in SVB Financial Group. 

These are some big things for districts to consider when selecting a bank, and we’re not out of the woods yet. John Bailey also alerts us to the fact that the immediate crisis has been averted for now but the FDIC still needs is also buyers for SVB, which it hopes to split in two. Meanwhile, First Citizens BancShares is also considering an offer for SVB, according to Bloomberg. 

It's also still unclear how much more flight there will be from regional banks to the “too big to fail” institutions. 

In the era of wildfire rumors, it is easy to get jumpy when someone of prominence questions the stability of a bank. Keep in mind the three reasons that this one happened, and make sure you are withdrawing funds for the right reasons, and maybe avoid Twitter for your banking decisions.

• Have We Learned Any Lessons From Administering Federal Stimulus Funds for Education?
• ARRA vs. ARPA: What Can Education Leaders Learn About Funding?

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) is not the first time K-12 education has seen an extraordinary amount of stimulus funding. 

However, a fiscal cliff will be coming in September 2024, and the context of the economy and education are very different than almost 10 years ago when the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) was passed. Lessons can be learned by examining both, but there are also different challenges for district leaders.

ARRA vs. ARPA: If we know there’s a fiscal cliff, why do we keep using stimulus funds? 

This is a question I’ve asked myself over and over again. Every time a new round of funding was announced, my first thought was, this is too much, too fast. What it forced me to do was look back to ARRA and try to understand what was successful about it, and why the federal government decided that this was the best strategy when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

This also required me to understand stimulative policies and strategies. Stimulative fiscal policy consists of lowering taxes, increasing transfers to individuals, and increasing government purchases, or some combination of the three. The federal government pursued all three of these strategies as part of ARRA.

This round of stimulus funding was a bit different from 2009. When ARRA was enacted, the economy was already in a recession. State revenues were falling, and with the last recession, the housing market was a large part of the problem -- foreclosures impacted a great deal of revenue for school districts as many are funded by property taxes (82% in the 2016-17 SY). States using sales tax also fared poorly as those also decreased in the recession.

The funding rounds during the pandemic came at a different point in the cycle. The markets were a bit shaky and jumpy, but the recession had not started. In fact, ARPA funds came when spending was at an all-time high, causing supply shortages and shooting housing and car markets through the roof. 

It is also important to look at when the funds were pumped into the economy, because it happened at two very different times. One was to boost the already recessionary economy, and the other was to prevent a recession from happening. 

The Great Recession (ARRA era) provided many lessons for economists and the Center on Budget Policy Priorities states that, “While the Great Recession measures were substantial and prevented an even more severe recession, they ended prematurely and were insufficient to promote a robust recovery. The protracted period of high unemployment and underemployment after the economy stopped contracting and began to grow again in June 2009 continued to generate human hardship and hurt long-term growth. Because lawmakers did not include provisions in the recently enacted coronavirus legislation to ‘trigger’ additional stimulus automatically, based on further deterioration in economic conditions, they must be prepared to enact additional measures as conditions require and to ensure they remain in place until the recovery is clearly underway.” 

This time, the Federal government actually wants a controlled recession 

With inflation reaching a 40-year high, the government is raising interest rates to slow down spending. The balancing act between recession and inflation is really hard, and tilting too far one way will have different negative effects. The Fed wants to get inflation back down, but wants to do it without a prolonged recession.

The economy is like a line of dominoes. The first domino to fall was inflation. Next, the Federal Reserve raised interest rates to create a “cooling off” period. Then, Russia invaded Ukraine. Then, the stock market started to tumble, economic anxiety led people to hold on to their money, and then we were back to Russia and increased oil prices. 

According to The Washington Post, two scenarios might emerge. “It’s possible the Fed could play things perfectly and stop a recession before one begins. They could end up slowing the economy without causing it to contract altogether. In this case, companies don’t end up laying workers off, inflation comes down, and people feel more assured about the economy.

But there’s another scenario: The dominoes keep falling. Companies lay off workers, and those families stop spending as much money. If people stop spending money, more companies lay off workers and the cycle intensifies — and the dominoes appear unstoppable.”

What does this mean for education? 

Comparing the ARRA era to the ARPA era really isn’t apples to apples, but there are lessons we can learn. For example, along with ARRA, Congress enacted the EduJobs Act, which included funds specifically for personnel. This is something ARPA funds did not include.

The U.S. Department of Education released a report on spending from 2009, and it is beneficial to look at some of those decisions as we move toward the end of ESSER dollars in September 2024.

The report states the following:

- Almost two-thirds of the 22 districts spent or planned to spend all of their ESF funds on personnel-related activities such as salaries and benefits for teachers and other staff. Overall, the 22 districts used or planned to use 84 percent of ESF funds for personnel expenditures. The remaining districts spent or planned to spend at least a portion of their ESF funds on nonpersonnel activities such as vocational courses, technology, and new construction. One district used all of its ESF funds for utilities. As mandated by the Ed Jobs statute, the 22 districts spent or planned to spend all of their Ed Jobs funds on personnel-related activities. District officials said they used or planned to use almost all of their ESF and Ed Jobs funds to maintain existing public education services and activities at prerecession levels and only a small percentage to expand existing or offer new services and activities. In contrast, the 22 districts used or planned to use about half of their Recovery Act Title I and IDEA funds for personnel costs and about half for nonpersonnel costs that were generally focused on student academic achievement, teacher performance, or parental support. District officials said they generally used or planned to use the majority of their Recovery Act Title I and IDEA funds to expand existing or offer new services and activities. Districts also used Recovery Act Title I or IDEA funds for regular grant expenditures so that they would spend Recovery Act funds within the grant period. 

- In some cases, districts used stimulus funds for unsustainable activities because they wanted more students to benefit from the one-time infusion of supplemental funds. The presence of a funding cliff does not mean that a district’s use of stimulus funds was unsuccessful or did not achieve the intended result. District officials planned to continue essential services to the extent possible by prioritizing spending and reducing costs, but in some cases districts may have to lay off staff or reduce educational services. 

- School districts that faced significant revenue shortfalls tended to spend their ESF and Ed Jobs funds more quickly than their Recovery Act Title I and IDEA funds. However, several districts delayed spending their ESF or Ed Jobs funds, which diminished immediate economic impacts. Districts more often used Recovery Act Title I and IDEA funds to support educational reforms than they did with ESF funds. As a result, educationally disadvantaged students and students with disabilities might have experienced more direct benefits related to educational reform from the Recovery Act than the student population as a whole. 

- To avoid funding cliffs, many districts used stimulus funds for purchases that required one-time or short-term outlays. They often used the funds for professional development and technology. 

- One district used stimulus funds for a major infrastructure project. These types of expenditures were intended to provide long-term benefits. Nine days before the grant period ended, the Department offered States a waiver to extend the grant period for Recovery Act Title I and other grants for an additional year so that districts could spend remaining funds. 

- The Department intentionally offered the waiver late in the grant period because it had previously encouraged districts to carefully plan for the appropriate and timely use of the funds. However, if the waiver had been available earlier, districts might have had more time to implement their plans or develop new plans for using the remaining Recovery Act Title I funds and might have used the funds differently.

- Because the IDEA does not allow waivers to extend the grant period, the Department could not offer a similar waiver for Recovery Act IDEA funds, and districts forfeited those funds not spent by the end of the grant period. 

Clear lessons are there to be learned from the ARRA era, but the variables for the economic and education climate are very different now under the ARPA era. It is my hope that district leaders look at how the funds were spent under ARRA and use lessons and strategies that worked, and avoid the ones that didn’t.

• Have We Learned Any Lessons From Administering Federal Stimulus Funds for Education?
• The Best Grants for Education for 2022 & Beyond

Everything about elections has been weird (well, since the beginning of elections) but it feels even more so now. From a surprisingly large contingent of the U.S. (40%!) that believes the last presidential election was stolen to polls that are no longer accurate at predicting who will win, it has been a wild ride. 

This election pollsters had some numbers wrong as the winds felt as if it would indeed be a huge red wave at the federal level. Instead it was a red trickle. 

Now we have split chambers, however, what does this mean for education? Let’s take a look.

The Midterm Elections: Split Chambers and Education 

For some, split chambers may not be what they’d like to see for education, but in my time in the field, one of the biggest events in education happened when Congress was controlled by Republicans and the president was a Democrat: The passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act. ESSA was the first federal piece of education legislation to provide flexibility for educators to start teaching in personalized ways, allow for multiple measures for accountability, and create multiple systems of assessments. It was groundbreaking for education policy. 

For me, it was truly a beautiful thing to watch senators Lamar Alexander (R) and Patty Murray (D) come together to work on the Every Student Succeeds Act. President Obama even called the signing of this bill a “Christmas Miracle” when he signed it. 

ESEA Reauthorization? 

Although it was eligible to be reauthorized in 2021, we likely won’t see the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) in the next two years or so. However, it likely won’t be too long until Congress starts eyeing reauthorization as a priority.

Some leading nonprofits and think tanks in the education space have already started putting recommendations out for ESEA upgrades. For example, Knowlegeworks have released their policy recommendations here, which include: 

• Improving and expanding the Innovative Assessment Demonstration Authority. 
• Increasing formula funding for state assessment systems and triple funding for the Competitive Grants for State Assessment (CGSA) program with a priority on state assessment designs that support student-centered teaching and learning approaches, such as personalized and competency-based learning. 
• Provide states the opportunity to explore new approaches to school accountability. 

The National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment also released some policy recommendations in anticipation of the ESEA reauthorization, which includes recommending balanced assessment systems and assessment sampling, maintaining equity, and aligning technical assessment requirements with the purposes of the assessment. 

So What’s the Impact of this Election? 

Although we aren’t quite ready to see any movement at the federal level, experts and activists expect the most impact of the recent elections will be seen at the state level. 

For example, several states are looking at some variation of “reinventing” high school, including Indiana, where Speaker Todd Huston (R-Fishers) said a top priority for House Republicans is “to ‘reinvent’ high school, so that students can work and use job-based opportunities to receive credit toward graduation.”

In Iowa, after a failed attempt last session, the focus will be on creating a private school scholarship program in the state.

In New Hampshire, $5.7 million of ESSER funds have been spent on Prenda, which states that it is a “unique education option that connects students with local microschools. Caring individuals, called Guides, run these microschools from their homes or other suitable locations while Prenda provides the learning experience, state standard-aligned curriculum, and supportive community.”

The tensions of public, charter, and private schools will be strong this session. Technology will still be part of the debate, mostly in terms of how much funding. Gender and race challenges will also again be a hot topic. Other issues will undoubtedly pop up, but one thing is for sure -- the battles will be the strongest at the state and local level for the time being.

Still, don’t get comfortable because ESEA reauthorization is right around the corner.

• Have We Learned Any Lessons From Administering Federal Stimulus Funds for Education?
• What 4 Atypical Shocks Are Coming in Education?

A lot of focus has been on what federal stimulus funds will do for education, but I thought it was important, for a moment, to take a look back at previous stimulus efforts. 

CARES, CRSSA, and ARPA have been federal stimulus funding targeted for education. In 2014 the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) wrote a lengthy report on how it could have gone better under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in 2009. Sadly, some of these challenges look similar today.

Administering Federal Stimulus Funds Lessons: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) 

In 2009, ARRA was enacted during the biggest economic downturn since the Great Depression. The Department of Education received $98 billion to help education-related programs and grants. When this money was given to the Department of Education, there was also $14 million for the Office of Inspector General (OIG), which was put in place to closely monitor the funds. 

The experience is immensely helpful. Let’s look at some of the challenges, lessons, and suggestions and evaluate how they did with ESSER Funds.

The following are lessons learned found directly from their report:

Challenge: Department, Recipients, and Subrecipients Faced Challenges as They Implemented Processes to Administer Grants 

Lesson: Grant recipients benefit from timely guidance, training, technical assistance, and outreach 

Suggestion: The Department should assess outreach and technical assistance activities performed in response to the Recovery Act and consider conducting similar activities for new programs and for existing programs that receive substantial increases in funding to ensure program integrity and effectiveness. This should include providing timely guidance for new grant programs and to new recipients. 

Challenge: The Department Addressed a Variety of Recovery Act Implementation Issues, But Persistent Monitoring and Oversight Challenges Remain 

Lesson: Addressing persistent challenges on monitoring and oversight should improve program integrity and compliance 

Lesson: Independent oversight is a key tool to promote transparency and accountability 

Lesson: The Department needs alternative processes for oversight and monitoring for new or temporary grant programs 

Suggestions: The Department should ensure that its program offices responsible for monitoring recipients are using robust, risk-based monitoring strategies that devote available resources to the highest risk recipients and issues, and work with recipients to ensure that they are employing similar strategies when monitoring their subrecipients. 

The Department should continue its efforts to enhance audit resolution, including identifying trends in audit findings, so that compliance issues can be timely resolved through agreed upon corrective actions. 

The Department should also identify effective corrective actions that can be employed to resolve common issues across various recipients and subrecipients. 

For future legislation like the Recovery Act, we encourage the Department to work with Congress and OMB to provide supplemental funds for State and local audit agencies to oversee new or supplemental Federal grant funds. The Department should also continue implementing early compliance oversight and monitoring processes for newly created or temporarily funded programs under legislation similar to the Recovery Act. 

For newly created programs or programs receiving temporary funding, the Department should work with the U.S. Treasury early in program implementation to determine whether the programs should be added to States’ Treasury-State Agreements for cash management purposes. 

Challenge: New Reporting and Transparency Requirements Created Implementation Challenges 

Lesson: The Department Took Steps to Improve Data Quality, But Accuracy and Reliability Issues Remained 

Suggestions: For future temporary legislation like the Recovery Act, other efforts intended to increase transparency, or to improve ongoing grant programs, the Department should, in conjunction with OMB when appropriate, look for additional ways to improve the quality of recipient and subrecipient data and continue to emphasize the need for appropriate data quality reviews by State and local agencies. Options to improve data quality include piloting new reporting requirements and mechanisms for new or existing programs, establishing a formal process to identify and remediate situations in which recipients or subrecipients demonstrate systemic or chronic reporting problems, ensuring that recipients implement adequate and effective internal controls to ensure high-quality data for key reporting elements and requiring reporting entities to submit management certifications on data quality and to disclose known data limitations. 

Takeaways for Administering Current Stimulus Funding 

The past administration of funds is hugely important when we think about current ESSER funds. For one thing, none of the three rounds of funding provided any additional funding for the OIG.

The current OIG website has materials and resources, but without dedicated funding, the OIG has a lot more work on their plate without additional help. There could be more funds in a larger operating budget, but it’s hard to know for sure what’s going specifically for the Department of Education, and is still different from the clearly allotted $14 million under ARRA.

According to the OIG website: 

“The OIG has produced a pandemic relief oversight plan that includes our plans for (1) auditing ED and grantee management and spending of coronavirus response funds, (2) examining the effectiveness of relief program, and (3) investigating misuse, theft, and other criminal activity involving these funds. The OIG has also produced a summary (PDF, 1.7M) of the most significant management challenges facing ED related to coronavirus emergency relief and response efforts. Our summary was included in the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee report highlighting the top challenges facing all agencies funded by coronavirus-related legislation

Our oversight efforts are well underway. The table below provides information on the OIG’s coronavirus audit and related review work. This table will be updated regularly, so be sure to check back with us for the latest information.”

With stimulus funding occurring every 10+ years, there is a lot of institutional turnover and lost experiential knowledge. The OIG released a report for COVID stimulus funds that references the 2014 report, but added the context that, “The report highlighted the most significant challenges the Department faced in administering Recovery Act programs and offered lessons and suggestions for the Department to consider in the event that emergency legislation providing a large yet temporary funding increase were to be enacted in the future. As detailed in the report, the Recovery Act presented several challenges for the Department, funding recipients, and subrecipients. Two of these are long-standing challenges that have appeared repeatedly in the OIG’s annual reports on the most serious management and performance challenges faced by the Department: (1) oversight and monitoring and (2) data quality and reporting. As it implements and administers the programs and provisions authorized under the CARES Act, the Department must remain alert and take necessary actions related to these two challenges to reduce vulnerabilities to fraud, waste, abuse, noncompliance, and other issues that could impact a grantee’s or subgrantee’s ability to achieve intended programmatic results.” 

There are two years left of stimulus funding. The Department must be strategic in oversight and monitoring and data quality and reporting. These two issues were prominent in 2009 and remain a challenge in 2022. 

Ultimately, districts would be best served by the Department if proper oversight, data quality, and monitoring mechanisms are in place to ensure that no one is held back by fund administration issues that have been challenging in the past.

• What 4 Atypical Shocks Are Coming in Education?
• The Best Grants for Education for 2022 & Beyond

We all keep hearing about the fiscal cliff headed our way after Covid relief funds come to an end. September 2024 will bring forth a great shift in the education market. Marguerite Roza and her team at Edunomics Lab out of Georgetown University are predicting not only the end of the stimulus dollar, but three other atypical shocks for education finance. 

It’s one thing to know that the shocks are coming, but even more to know the date of when one will begin. Let’s first take a look at each one of these shocks.

What are the 4 Atypical Shocks on the Horizon? 

None of these atypical shocks should come to a surprise to anyone who understands how the market works. The team at Edunomics Lab did an excellent job succinctly predicting what these shocks will be (the extent of each shock will be unknown for some time): 

• Federal funding will end: Fiscal Cliff (September 2024) 
• Enrollment is declining 
• Inflation and labor 
• Economic slowdown (recession) 

Federal Funding Obligation Deadline 

We all know it’s coming: The deadline for obligation from the $190 billion dollars allotted to ESSER will either be spent or returned back to the federal government. (For what purpose, we do not know. It could be turned into competitive education grants, or it could be sent to a completely different government agency.) 

Regardless of what happens, it will no longer be at the discretion of the district to spend. At the current rate, districts across the nation will need to draw down approximately $5 billion/month to meet the spending deadline. 

This is significant in itself, but after the dollars drop off, there are still three other shocks to consider.

Declining Enrollment 

This is a short-term and a long-term problem. The headlines have all shown how large urban districts, especially, have seen a decline in enrollment. In fact, The 74 reports that, “​​The Oakland Unified Public Schools offers a preview of what other districts with declining enrollment and birth rates will soon confront — the painful and unpopular decision to close schools. In February, the district, which saw a 5.6% enrollment decline compared to last year, decided it would close seven schools over the next two years. Four others will merge or reduce grade levels.” 

Regardless of why there is declining enrollment, many leaders will face hard decisions, and a shock to their budgets, in the coming years.

Inflation and Labor

We’ve all felt inflation over the last few months, this summer reaching an all time historic 40-year high of 9.1%. 

Districts are not immune to inflation and it will have a great impact on the labor market. Typically, districts will be able to give raises in the 3% to 5% range with COLA and steps. The use of federal funds to hire educators paired with inflation will up that number to the 5% to 8% range. 

This is huge and as we know, most of a district's budget (somewhere in the ballpark of 85%) is for human capital. Inflation will have a great impact on the budgets moving forward.

Economic Slowdown (Recession) 

A national recession will hit states differently. A lot of how hard this one shocks districts is the structure in which the state funds districts. 

Historically, a district that funds districts based off of property taxes have fared better during hard economic times, while states that rely on sales tax have a less stable mechanism that depends on citizens spending their money. Not to say that states that rely on sales tax are immune, as the housing bubble was proof of that. More foreclosures mean less taxes to allocate for schools.

This Is Hard

Between the market, test scores, chronic absenteeism, and school safety, sometimes being in education is hard and emotionally taxing. 

Over the next couple of weeks we will be unpacking each of these shocks in deeper detail, and looking back at history to see which districts handled these problems with the most grace and success, and we’re going to share what they did with you. We hope that this will help you to examine your own districts and provide strategies to help “absorb the shock” (be a shock absorber, if you will.) Come back for the history and lessons, stay for the great plays on words.

• The Final Countdown: GEER Edition
• The Time to Obligate ESSER Funds is Now

If there was ever a time to slam on the synthesizer as loud as possible – it’s now.

Last month I did all I could to sound the alarm, blow the horn, scream at the top of my lungs that the time to spend money out of the GEER I fund stimulus was upon us. Now, we are officially one month away from those funds going back to the federal government, so I thought we should take a look at how the dollars have or have not been spent.

GEER & ESSER Funding: Where Are We One Month Later? 

In my last piece (The Time to Obligate ESSER Funds is Now), I stated the following amounts were left in the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund: Colorado: approximately $25 million; Maryland: approximately $30 million; and Georgia: approximately $45 million.

Let’s take a look at where we are approximately a month later:

• Colorado: Same amount remaining 
• Maryland: Same amount remaining 
• Georgia: Approximately $5.5 million, so props to them for spending some, but this happened on August 22, 2022 -- the day I am writing this article. Gov. Kemp just announced that he would be allocating $36.5 million to “address learning loss.” The press release states that this money is going to organizations such as the YMCA, Boys & Girls Club, and the Georgia Department of Education. 

Getting the money spent is good, but there is concern on how this type of blanket and untargeted spending will help students to recover what was lost and why the funds were allocated. 

What Does This Mean?

As I’ve tried to make sense of this for the last four months as the obligation date was moving closer and closer, these are concerns I’ve had, specifically about the stimulus funds.

It was too much too fast. Advocates in the education realm have long lobbied for additional funding at every level. State and district education leaders were not set up to handle the flood of funding allocated on such a tight deadline. Even if plans were in place on how to spend the money, several administrative processes got in the way. The ambiguity from the U.S. Department of Education on processes (which was meant for freedom and local control on how to use the funds) ended up being something that actually made leaders hesitant to spend funds rather than be empowered. Even worse, decisions have been rushed, and the impact of the dollars could be minimal.

Governors don’t really know what districts need money for. COVID school closures thrust state-level leaders directly into the power of funds over school districts. At the time, this seemed like a great idea as they would be able to allocate for state-wide initiatives or support districts as needed, either through setting up a competitive grant or using a formula to distribute monies for each district. The problem arose with the Governors Emergency Education Relief (GEER) fund after the urgent needs of COVID passed. The Hunt Institute released a resource to identify how the funds were being spent, and after the needs of connectivity, some building maintenance (HVAC, cleaning, etc.), and safety protocols, most governors weren’t sure what else the districts needed money for.

This is only Round I; I am concerned about Round II. We have a whole year ahead of GEER II funds. I haven’t said much about ESSER funds because those (mostly) have been obligated. Districts had an idea for what they needed with those dollars. (For example, Maryland has approximately $20 million in GEER II and has spent 0.0%-- and multiple states have spent very little in GEER II while still holding those significant funds in GEER I).

We need to create a strategy as a field to help governors and state leaders understand where the money would best be spent going forward.

What Can We Do?

District leaders need to be asking for these dollars. (I’ll help you write a letter, just reach out!) 

Since governors and their staff don’t know your needs, it’s time to tell them. If you can clearly state what you need the dollars for and how it aligns with the governor’s education vision for the state, there should not be an issue in getting these dollars awarded. Use your stakeholders to help get the attention of the governor -- parents, constituents, your state senator and representative, and local city council members. Make the ask before your governor is so rushed to spend the money that the impact for your students is missed.

This is it, folks. One month and the funds go back. The U.S. Department of Education could create more competitive federal grants with the money, or they could decide to move the money somewhere else because it would appear that education leaders had what they needed. We don’t know what will happen, so we need to take advantage of the funds while they are still in our control.

• The Time to Obligate ESSER Funds is Now
• Leveraging Funds To Improve Schools and Meet the Needs of All Students

When the first obligation deadline for ESSER funds was announced upon the passage of the CARES Act back in March 2020 it seemed like there was plenty of time to formulate a plan, get the dollars out the door, and be reimbursed by the state for the purchases.

Fast forward to July 2022, and with just over two months left until the first deadline (September 30), some districts and states have done a better job of obligating funds than others. According to the Department of Education Covid Data Tracker, ESSER funds have been mostly obligated, but there are definitely still some dollars that must be spent – and STAT!

For instance, 75% of Nevada’s ESSER funds had been obligated as of the last reporting period, which means that there is still approximately $29 million still unobligated for spending. The list goes on like this with states having even more funding still to be obligated with the quickly approaching deadline – Virginia: approximately $38 million; Vermont: approximately $8 million; Maryland: approximately $43 million. 

The regulations for Elementary and Secondary School Education Relief (ESSER) funds state that, “Any funds that the SEA fails to award by the one-year deadline must be returned to the Department for reallocation consistent with the CARES Act.” 

The same goes for the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund.

The GEER Fund feels largely forgotten. Districts appear to have been so focused on planning for ESSER monies that they didn’t ever ask for these dollars. The Governors allocated some out of this fund at the very beginning of the pandemic, but after the initial plans for spending, the allocations seemed to really slow down.

Like ESSER, some states still have an astonishing amount of money in these GEER funds. Some states have spent down, but again, there are others that have significant resources sitting in the fund. For example, Colorado: approximately $25 million; Maryland: approximately $30 million; and Georgia: approximately $45 million. Similarly to ESSER funds, any funds that a governor fails to award by the one-year deadline must be returned to the Department for reallocation to the remaining states.

There are absolutely implications for education, but also implications politically. Why are the governors holding on to these funds, just to release them back so another state can take them? For years states and districts have dreamt of having financial resources such as these, and now that it is available, they do not appear to be taking full advantage of this opportunity. (If I were running for governor in any of these states and my opponent let this money go back to be given to other states, that would be a major campaign point for me.)

 What Should We Do with The Remaining ESSER Funds? 

One of the biggest hangups of these funds is that these are one-time funding. And although a fiscal cliff is looming in 2024, that should not freeze us from doing what we can with the remaining funds and time that are guaranteed.

Although masks, HVAC systems, and sterilization tools seem to have had their day in the sun, it’s now time to turn our attention to the data that we knew we would all see. NPR recently reported on some of the findings. “Even students who spent the least amount of time learning remotely during the 2020-21 school year — just a month or less — missed the equivalent of seven to 10 weeks of math learning, says Thomas Kane of the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University.” The focus of the remaining dollars must be teaching and learning.

Emergency remote learning was rough, we all know that. But now that the gates have been opened to allow online learning, these dollars would be well spent on teaching teachers how to teach online. Parents have indicated in surveys that if the option for online learning is there, they will take it, and the families most likely to stay are from disadvantaged subgroups.

Along those same lines, new learning models should be explored. If a district wants to focus on accelerating learning, there has to be multiple pathways available. Advocates for personalized learning have been beating this drum for decades, but for the students who have some remedial work to do, it’s a matter of what kind of life they will have access to upon graduating from the district.

When ESSER and GEER were first established, my advice to district leaders was to think outside of the box. Use these funds to really transform learning for students. I stick by that sentiment now and would add to start thinking about a sustainability plan for when the federal dollars run out. Don’t let the fear of losing the dollars in two years stop you from doing something truly impactful for students now.

• ESSER Funding: 5 Ways to Use it to Address Learning Loss
• Leveraging Funds To Improve Schools and Meet the Needs of All Students

Schools are an indispensable part of our society, deeply tied to the economy, with an undisputed role in building the nation’s future. One thing the Great Recession of the mid-2000s taught us is that an infusion of federal stimulus funds may have been helpful, but when those funds dried up, state and local revenues declined, leaving districts in a quandary. Economically, the housing bubble burst, local governments suffered from loss of property taxes, and state governments saw declines in income tax and sales tax revenue, so the Federal government provided a lifeline with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), supporting states with funding for public education since most spent at least half of their budgets on education. 

All indications are that we are headed into another challenging time for public education budgets. While student learning may not be affected directly during a recession, non-instructional services often are notably impacted, including transportation, utilities, student services, student activities, and technology. Why? When budgets are tight, leaders endeavor to keep cuts as far away from the classroom as possible. Thus, reductions are made in “nice to have” programs and projects, such as new technology, equipment upgrades, supplemental programs, professional development, and non-classroom staff, many of which are the backbone of the technology department. 

Don’t be fooled: the recent boom in demand for technology services during distance learning will not exempt technology departments from difficult budget conversations. 

What can school technology leaders do to recession-proof their departments and programs? 

Be transparent about the costs of maintaining technology. Tech is expensive, but it’s more expensive without a plan. Establish and communicate clear, written standards, and maintain a clearly budgeted refresh cycle for all standard equipment. This empowers strategic investments in the hardware and software needed, and helps to leverage any bulk buying discounts.

Identify positions as essential. Many positions will be evaluated when funds get tight, so proactively reviewing all technology department roles and their impact on essential services to students and school sites is critical. Consider creating (and sharing with district leadership) a matrix of responsibilities to clearly identify which positions support which programs. This will help demonstrate the impact of any future budget cuts. 

Tie spending to essential student programs. COVID taught us that the use of technology is a critically important learning tool. Whether used to deliver core instruction with digital materials or to deliver an assessment system, technology budgets should be positioned by their support for essential student learning. For example, keeping to a refresh schedule may be much less expensive than the cost of additional tech support positions to maintain outdated equipment.  

Consider multi-year contracts. During a recession, vendors may experience increased costs and pass these on to districts. Carefully negotiated, multi-year contracts can help lock in subsequent years at a reduced or stable rate. Contracts that should be explored include assessment programs, student information and data systems, core IT systems, and supplemental instructional programs used until a curriculum adoption takes place. Money up front can be a bargaining chip for reduced rates into the future to stay with those providers, assuming that any indirect cost to change to a competitor don’t outweigh the savings.

Reduce overhead through cooperative agreements. If you haven’t already joined a co-op, a board resolution with a commitment to participate starts the process. The advantage is that competitive prices can be obtained without a lot of haggling or time-consuming negotiations. 

Cross-train IT staff. When the cuts do come, make sure you’re ready. Identify all services that keep your operation running, and do the best you can to apply the 1+2 rule: one system owner with primary responsibility, and two individuals trained who are ready to step in if necessary. Consider entering a “just-in-case” ad hoc services contract with a partner vendor or managed service provider. Responsible vendors will work with you on this at no cost until you need their services to get you through a tough time. 

With a recession comes uncertainty. After the last two-and-a-half years of COVID-induced challenges, money remains a hot topic in public education. Recession-influenced spending cuts can significantly impact a technology department. Because the ill-effects of a recession through reduced spending can be felt for years to come, proactively protecting positions, investing in refresh programs, and maximizing remaining funds through long term contracts and partnerships are great ways to mitigate the consequences.

• Securing & Future-Proofing Your School IT
• Do’s and Don'ts with One-Time Funds

Once you’ve been through the process, finding and writing another grant proposal is a bit simpler. It may seem like you’re back to square one, but you’re actually way ahead. You have a good sense of what grant proposals require and what judges want to see.  

It’s a good idea to know why your original grant proposal didn’t win. Ask the funder for comments about it. Read the summaries of projects that did win. Try it again – tweak it, adapt it, or find a different funder. Or find a new idea. The important piece is to get started.

Your Next Grant Proposal: 10 Steps to Getting Started

1. What do you want to do? 

You know that grant givers are looking for strong proposals. Think through your ideas and make sure you pick the one that’s most important for student learning. State your idea as an elevator pitch (with just enough supporting details to convince others).

2. Talk to others and build a team

Build support for your idea. Put together a team to discuss and plan. Make sure they are willing to carry out the project if it’s funded or not, and that they also will contribute to the grant-writing process. 

3. Enlist resources and stakeholders 

Be sure of your ability to carry out the plan and the commitment of your supervisors, personnel you’ve tapped for the project, and the community. 

4. Identify funding sources

You may want a grant from small, community-based funds or large-scale corporate or government programs. Tech & Learning’s Grant Guide lists and details various types of funding programs, including federal grants (both formula and program grants), state grants, foundation grants, community grants, and corporate grants.

5. Find what grants are out there

Grant search sites can help you target specific grants. Some are free and some are subscription-based, and offer various kinds of advice. The four most often used are Candid, Grants.gov, Grant Gopher, and Grant Watch.  

6. Narrow it down 

Before you start writing, review the grants you find carefully. You want to match the perfect grant to meet your needs. So make sure you know what you want and exactly what the RFP is looking for. Is it a good fit? 

7. Check out the funder

After you’ve found one or two potential funding sources that you think would be a good fit for you, review the company or agency to make sure they offer the kinds of grants you need. You can look into their funding history, review their web sites (and success stories) thoroughly, check their social media presence, and contact them.

8. Do the math

Is the amount of money available in the grant sufficient for your needs? Determine ahead of time what staff and equipment you will need for your program and see if this grant will cover it. If it doesn’t, there might be other sources of funding you can tap into. 

9. Read the directions 

Review the grant application instructions carefully and check other projects they’ve funded so you know how to answer each part of the grant.

10. Know how they evaluate proposals

Scoring criteria are often included in the grant request for proposals and many have a scoring rubric. Each item has an assigned point value, usually from 5 to 20 points. These include areas such as the application presentation and format, the program you’ve described, professional development, access to technology and support, communication and collaboration, budget, and sustainability. 

All of the above are necessary but the most important piece is to start writing. You have the knowledge of what you want and what to do. You have a great background in understanding the grant writing process. And you have the motivation to gather your team and get started. Good luck! 

• Education Grants: Win or Lose, What to Do Next
• Leveraging Funds To Improve Schools and Meet the Needs of All Students

Technology is an important part of the cafeteria at modern schools. 

“Everything is technology-driven,” says Colleen Asumendi Fillmore, director of Child Nutrition Programs for Idaho. 

Scanners are used when students go through the line and help sort which students are eligible for free or reduced meals and which pay full prices. Laptops and desktops are needed, plus there is data software and cloud-based menu software, all of which can help schools more efficiently feed students. 

However, for many schools paying for this type of tech is not in the budget. 

“These are things that the school districts, for the most part, really do not have money to get,” Fillmore says. 

That’s why she is excited that thirteen school districts and child care organizations across Idaho recently received more than $175,000 in federal Technology Innovation Grant (TIG)  funds. These funds will be distributed by the State Department of Education to help the districts purchase technology solutions for the Child and Adult Care Food Program, Summer Food Service Program, and National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs.

“I just see this as being one of the most important grants that we have,” Fillmore says. “The technology has been so beneficial, not only to the Department of Ed, but mainly and more significantly, to the local school districts.” 

Tips For Applying  

Details on TIG funding can be found on the USDA’s grants website. It’s a noncompetitive grant, and each state has already been allotted its share of funds. 

“USDA does a really good job of outlining exactly what the state agency has to do for that grant,” Fillmore says. “As a state director in Idaho for child nutrition, they sent me the information, everything we needed to do to submit the grant, all the paperwork, and they sent the same thing to every state director throughout the country.” 

However, even though TIG funds are noncompetitive, state or school leaders still need to apply for the grant with care and think about how they want funding distributed. Idaho decision-makers opted to apply for flow-through grants that allowed various mini grants to be distributed to school districts and other organizations that needed the funding. 

“USDA really complimented Idaho for doing the flow through mini grants that went out to the individual sponsors,” Fillmore says. “When we wrote these grants, we did not write them in the way that the state agency would only get the money. We wanted it to be beneficial for the sponsors throughout the state.” 

A Vital Need  

Many students rely on school meals for their daily food and school kitchens across the country stayed open during the pandemic to offer meal pickups and deliveries. 

However, even as greater normalcy has resumed this year, challenges around school meals have continued. Some of these challenges are based on staffing: for example, in Philadelphia, an elementary school principal ordered pizza for 400 students after the cafeteria couldn’t be staffed. Other concerns have to do with diet and nutrition: children and teens have seen significant weight gain during the pandemic. 

Despite these issues, the leading priority for school food programs still remains making sure those who rely on a school meal continue to receive it, and that meals are there for those who find themselves in need for the first time due to pandemic disruptions. 

“There are families who have told us that they never thought that they would be challenged in being able to purchase food,” Fillmore says. The technology in these grants allows state, local, and school officials to better track where that need is and better make available services to students and their families. 

• What The Build Back Better Act Will Mean for Education
• Education Grants: Win or Lose, What to Do Next

This last 15 months or more has been unlike any other for most district leaders. All are still navigating situations they have never been prepared to deal with nor had any formal training on.   

In a recent survey, fifty Midwest school district superintendents were asked for one word that described the last year during the COVID-19 pandemic. The top results were: “chaotic,” “challenging,” “unique,” and “crazy.”  

One of the benefits and challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic is using the extra money schools received from the federal government to manage the “chaotic,” “challenging,” and “unique” educational needs of students and staff. The extra funding is certainly welcome but also presents new questions of how to leverage these resources to improve schools and meet the unique learning needs of all students.  

Due to the stress, increased demands, and lack of staff or community support (in some cases) many district leaders have contemplated leaving their job or moving districts. Education Week reported in August 2020 that 45% of that pandemic conditions are prompting them to leave the job sooner than they had previously planned, according to a survey from the National Association of Secondary School Principals. No superintendent, serving in a large or small district, is immune to the challenges and public criticism throughout the pandemic.

Assessing Needs 

A survey was sent by Grundmeyer Leader Services after Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds were made available to gauge how school districts intended to address learning loss and would look different after the pandemic. Fifty Midwest superintendents responded, offering insights to how they were leveraging the federal money and their feedback offers hope for true long-term school improvement and also calls into question if the increased funds to schools will truly make schools better after the pandemic than before.

In the survey, superintendents were asked to rank the areas to which they devoted the most attention. The most time-consuming tasks reported were “learning recovery” and “mental health for students and staff.” Other areas of priority were “recruiting and/or retaining staff” and “calendar or schedule changes.” 

This was really no surprise when reviewing the data because anyone who watched the news realized how school leaders were trying to decide on how learning would look based on the number of positive cases in their buildings and counties.

For district leaders who are planning for next year, many choices will be available to tackle these challenges. The primary focus for 55% of survey respondents is to address learning loss with the extra funds they were receiving from the pandemic and ESSER, which have been earmarked specifically to address learning loss. However, many superintendents are choosing to spend these monies on heating and cooling systems, building projects, and other initiatives that are further away from the direct impact on students.

The strategies for  addressing learning loss identified on the survey were:

• More time/focus on core content: 46% 
• More teachers or staff: 26% 
• Summer school: 20% 

What to Consider 

One dilemma facing education is that some district leaders are hoping to go back to a new normal that was much like education before the pandemic, and may not fully leverage the funding and urgency to improve their system.  

However, for innovative or progressive district leaders, the pandemic may be the catalyst needed to truly reform or refocus their system. Social and emotional health of students and staff, the need for new learning models, hiring and retaining teaching talent, and the potential hybrid or virtual learning were among the priorities cited by superintendents who responded to the survey.

No doubt that this is a pivotal time in the history of American education. Schools will most likely never get more funding than they are receiving now thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. The competition for students will increasingly become more fierce with K-12 schools offering more online learning options and being innovative about how they prepare students for college and careers.

While district leaders are dedicated to improving or finding a solution to a current challenge, there are many concerns in the field that these approaches may lack three specific things:

A holistic approach. Many decisions are being made in silos, a problem the education field cited as a top barrier for any type of innovation. If district leaders are piecemealing solutions, they will likely end up frustrated and with products that are incompatible. Educators should be looking at resources like IMS Global and finding solutions that are interoperable.

Strategic foresight. As mentioned, many districts are planning to use or have used these funds for ongoing expenses. Using these one-time funds for the workforce and even technology that will need to be refreshed in 3 to 5 years is concerning. Some districts have not aligned these monies with a current 5-year strategic plan, making two plans run parallel without remembering the true goals of the district.

Future funding implications. If this incredible influx of cash does not show significant gains in academic achievement, policymakers will not be easily convinced to provide any additional funds, and could in fact, reduce state funding budgets for education. The result may also lead to solutions such as education savings accounts and opportunities for families to decide how funding is spent for their students.

Looking Ahead

Because of the extra ESSER funding to schools, many districts have been focusing on hiring more teachers. With the extra educators, schools hoped to provide more one-on-one intervention time for students, ramp up instruction for special education students, and offer counseling for students in need. The barrier to this effort has been a lack of candidates entering the profession and other certified staff who are nervous about working in a school system with the health risks that come along with it. 

Many districts have turned to retired and substitute teachers to fill the temporary void. Many states also loosened the regulations around collecting retirement benefits for retired teachers and made it easier for support staff to get their substitute teaching authorization.

In this newfound reality, there is a responsibility for district superintendents to leverage the  resources that will benefit their system long-term. Every choice a superintendent and school board make will have a consequence. Now is the time to take a step back, a deep breath, and look at what we think the future workforce will look like. The systems we design today will make a difference when it comes to how competitive the U.S. is in future markets. If we want students to be ready for the future, we have to teach to that. 

Hopefully, 10 years from now, we will look back and be proud we leveraged the resources provided to truly make a sustainable difference with our schools.

• What The Build Back Better Act Will Mean for Education
• Education Grants: Win or Lose, What to Do Next

After you’ve sent off your proposal for an education grant, there’s nothing more you can do to influence the decision. You just have to wait and hope for the best. Stay optimistic. After all, you’ve done a great job planning and writing the proposal, so there’s a good chance you’ll get the grant. 

If you win, you’ll have everything in place to get started right away. If not, then get to work planning the next proposal; there are more grant opportunities just waiting for you.

Education Grants: 7 Things to Do When You Win One 

Be ready to hit the ground running should you win. Have your plans in place so you won't lose valuable time. Encourage staff to continue planning so they'll be ready, willing, and able to start immediately if and when the funding does come through.

Follow the plan. Do what you've said you want to do. Spend on budget items exactly. Measure what you've said you'll test. Send reports on time.

Understand roles. Make sure that everyone involved understands the project thoroughly and knows exactly what his/her role is in it.

Recognize personnel for their work; thank them publicly. Talk about how well the project is working.

Keep the support strong. Maintain enthusiasm for the project throughout its life. When people hear that a project is going well, it motivates those involved and convinces everyone that they have a great thing.

Sustain it. Make the program a regular part of the school's or district's program. Find ways to sustain it over time, even after the funding period ends.

Evaluate the outcomes early and often. Make small changes when they're needed-and before they adversely affect the success of your project.

Education Grants: 6 Things to Do If You Don't Get One 

Of course, it’s possible that you don’t get this grant. After all, you win some and you lose some. So start planning for the future.

Contact the funder and ask to read the reviewers' comments about your proposal (if the grant program provides this) so you'll know how close you were to winning and what you might want to change for future tries.

Read the summaries of projects that did win and analyze why these were selected.

Submit it again. If you think the plan has merit, propose it again and/or find a different funder. Maybe the proposal just needs tweaking to succeed. Don't lose heart or give up easily.

Adapt the proposal to fit another grant or even hire a professional grant writer to help punch it up.

Start the project anyway. If the idea is important and the staff is committed, begin whatever parts you can without the outside funding. Maybe the groups that said they might contribute funds will help you anyway.

Find a new idea. It's possible that no one is funding exactly the kind of initiative you want to do right now, but there's probably an alternative course you could take.

• Grant Proposals: 7 Questions to Ask As You Write
• 9 Grant Proposal Review Questions to Ask Yourself
• Grant Guide 2021

Writing a major grant proposal is both exhausting and exhilarating. You’ve marshaled all available resources, enlisted the help of all stakeholders, and followed the directions carefully to write a proposal that best describes the project you believe will make a difference for students in your school or district. Congratulations! 

The next step is to send it off. But wait! Maybe you should put it aside for a day or two and then check it over one more time before you seal the envelope that will seal its fate. 

Use the grant proposal review questions below to make sure your application is the best that it can be.

9 Grant Proposal Review Questions to Ask 

Does the proposal: 

1. Demonstrate a compelling need for the grant? 

Be sure that you stated your problem or need in clear, concise terms and showed how the needs are aligned to the goals of the grant.   

2. Include specific, measurable goals and objectives?

The goals and objectives section of the proposal determines the strength of your application. Be sure you focused on what you want to accomplish and clearly stated the specific results or outcomes you plan to achieve with your project. 

3. Match your answers to the grant’s selection criteria?

Make sure that you’ve thoroughly reviewed the requirements and tailored your answers to match the criteria. You should show how your project will give the funders the success they are looking for.

4. Explain the expertise of the staff? 

You can best achieve your goals if you have a staff who’s experienced. Be sure you document the expertise of the people who will work on the project to let grant readers know that you are poised to achieve your goals.

5. Describe the commitment to making it work?

How you write about your goals is important. Use visionary words such as develop, establish, improve, increase, produce, and provide. Do you explain how the program is sustainable even after the grant period is over? Be sure you mention how long you intend to implement your project and if you plan to extend it to help other students, schools, or districts.   

6. Make it clear that the grant funds are essential?

Describing how you will use the funds you receive from the grant is crucial. Break down clearly but briefly how you will spend the grant. State exactly what you plan to purchase and the cost so it’s clear you understand any limitations to using the funds.

7. Show what you mean by success and how you will measure it?

Your grant proposal must define what success looks like and how you will know when you’ve achieved it. You should use measurable benchmarks to document successes. Demonstrating prior project successes and use of funds will help you win this grant. You should state what you’ve already achieved and what results you’ve already seen, even if it’s just with a small test group of students.

8. Steer clear of jargon?

Write clearly and concisely and in layman's terms. Don’t use wording that is esoteric or academic. Explain simply what you want to do and how you will do it. The clearer you are, the better the funders will understand what you want to accomplish.

9. Is the need and use of technology clearly defined?

Technology should be incorporated into the project as needed but this shouldn’t be a wish list of items. You should explain exactly how technology will be used to achieve goals.

If your answers show that you’ve addressed all of the issues, you’re almost ready to ship off your proposal. But take just a little more time. 

A few more questions to consider before sending: 

• Is your idea for the grant significant, compelling, and actionable? 
• Does your funding proposal contain a sense of urgency?
• Do you clearly understand the mission of the funder?  
• Does your application include a clear summary that articulates your vision for the project and need for the money? 
• Are there specific, measurable goals and objectives that align to your needs? 
• Does the proposal tie into the school or district’s plans? 
• Does your proposal reflect best practices for instruction and learning? 
• Do you have stakeholder buy-in? 
• Is there a detailed budget for your proposal? 
• Is there sustainability after the funds are spent? 
• How will the needs of the community be met moving forward? 

You’ve done everything right so it’s finally time to submit your proposal. Good luck!

• Grant Guide 2021
• The 8 Key Parts of a Grant Proposal
• Grant Proposals: 9 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Writing

One of the biggest priorities for the Biden administration is the Build Back Better Act, and committees have been busy working on the specifics they would like to see for their causes. 

The House Education and Labor Committee released their desires out of the bill which include:

- Investing roughly $450 billion in lowering the cost of child care and securing universal pre-K for three- and four-year-olds.

- Investing $111 billion to lower the cost of higher education. This aims to:

• Provide two years of tuition-free community college
• Lower the cost of higher ed by increasing the value of the Pell Grants—the cornerstone of student financial aid  
• Invest in grant programs to help train new teachers and address the growing teacher shortage 
• Make a quality degree more affordable through targeted investments in Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, and other Minority-Serving Institutions 

 - Investing $82 billion in America’s public school infrastructure. This aims to: 

• Allow school districts to repair, modernize, and rebuild crumbling and outdated school buildings 
• Fund targeted to schools with the greatest need 
• Create more than 1 million good-paying jobs in communities across the country 

- Investing nearly $35 billion in proven child nutrition programs that will bolster the fight against child hunger. This aims to: 

• Allow nearly 9 million more children to receive free school meals by expanding eligibility and eliminating paperwork 
• Help more children get healthy nutrition over the summer for children by creating a nationwide program to provide Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (Summer EBT) benefits to eligible low-income children 
• Provide funding to increase access to healthier foods by updating school kitchen equipment and investing in other health-focused nutrition programs 

Beyond the Ed & Labor budget, the House Energy & Commerce Committee has also written in $4 billion dollars for the Federal Communications Commission Emergency Connectivity Fund, which is focused on connecting student’s homes and libraries. 

What Impact Will It Have on Education? 

Should this bill become law in its current state, educators will see a boost to digital and online learning that has already grown dramatically during the pandemic. 

“If enacted, the Build Back Better Act's education provisions will provide desperately needed school construction assistance to low-wealth communities,” says Reg Leichty, Founding Partner, Foresight Law + Policy. “Paired with the Act's separate broadband access and affordability funding, this investment provides a strong foundation for improved access to digital learning."

These provisions are showing once again how the pandemic has blurred the lines for when and where learning can happen. It could end up being one of the biggest silver linings of the past 18 months.

Will The Build Back Better Act Become Law? 

Probably not in the current form. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) has stated that the price tag would have to come down to somewhere between $1-$1.5 trillion and the Senate needs every Democrat to vote for the bill for passage. 

"Securing passage of the Build Back Better Act, however, will require the support of moderate Senate Democrats,” Leichty says. “Digital learning advocates should point these senators to the Act's focus on closing broadband access gaps in rural areas." It’s also challenging for districts to plan uses of other stimulus funds while the potential funds in the Build Back Better Act seem to be an always moving target.

It’s still uncertain where cuts would come from to bring the price tag down to one that moderate Democrats are more comfortable with, but it needs to happen quickly and efficiently to meet a proposed deadline of September 27 set by House leadership.

• 7 Steps to Plan a Grant Proposal
• How States and Districts Are Using ARPA Funds

In recent months we’ve discussed questions to ask yourself before choosing the grant opportunity you’ll apply for (6 Grant Application Questions to Ask Yourself) and questions to ask before you start writing (Grant Proposals: 9 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Writing). Now, we’ll look at questions to consider as you write the proposal, which will include two parts: how well you address what’s being asked of you and tips to help you write about key issues that will demonstrate that you should win the grant.

The Request for Proposals (RFPs) is your guide to writing. Almost all RFPs want similar information and many want your answers in a specific format. Larger grants want the information and order as listed below. While this seems rigid, it helps you stay organized. 

Just remember that your writing should convey the excitement you feel about your plan, your goal, and your confidence. 

1. Summary/Abstract: Are you including excerpts from each section? 

Funders want this section up front so they know what to look for although it seems counterintuitive to write it this way. So write it later but put it first when you compile the proposal.

2. Needs: Did you detail the compelling needs of your school, district, or group and why it should get funded for this project?
Funders want to make a difference. So write about why your school or district needs this grant to achieve great things. Use data to demonstrate the educational needs this project is designed to addresss.

3. Goals and Objectives: Did you explain specific objectives and the methods you will use to reach each goal, and are the needs, goals, and objectives clearly aligned?
Link your goals to your needs assessment statement to show how your project will help solve a critical problem in your school or district. Be as specific as possible to explain your ideas and project so they will see exactly how effective this program will be. Make your objectives read as measurable steps.

4. Narrative:  Did you describe your action plan with specifics on how it leads to success: what you'll do; how you'll do it; where you'll do it; and who's going to do what?
The more detail you give, the better. Include any relevant history and mission of your school and district as it applies to your project’s purpose. Use your best writing skills, include a hook to draw your reader in, and regale them with the possibilities of your project.

5. Budget: Did you itemize every budget item and explain clearly how each is required to guarantee success?
Funders want to be sure that their money will be well spent. Demonstrate that you will use the budget wisely.

6. Personnel: Did you show which staff members will be part of the program, how each one’s qualifications will contribute to make the program a success, and what each will do?
Make it clear that you have a great qualified team in place to achieve your goals.

7. Evaluation: Did you explain what you will measure, the methods of measurement, and the benchmarks you will use so it is clear how the project will prove that it achieved its targets?
Include a concrete timeline with start and end dates. You may want to involve an outside evaluator, especially if this is a large grant. Regardless of the size, however, you should include the ways in which you will know you’ve actually achieved your goals. 

How to Approach Key Grant Proposal Issues 

As you write, include details that give the funders a real sense of who you are, your school or district, and the goals and importance of this project. Below are a few tips that can guide you to include valuable detail. 

Technology

Be sure to define the technology required for each part of the proposal and show how it will help you reach the grant’s goals. 

District Goals 

It’s important to place this project in the context of your school or district’s long-term plans and how it will make a significant difference for student achievement.

Leveraging Resources

Explain how you will tap into other resources already available in the district or community and aren’t simply asking for funds to reinvent the wheel.

Replicability 

Show how this initiative has the potential to be replicated by others – first within your district, and then out to the larger community, to have a far-reaching impact.

Funder

Demonstrate that your proposal addresses what the grant funder is looking for. Be clear on how it will further their goals. They will want to publish the results, so whet their appetites. Read about the funder and its goals for grant giving beforehand.

Commitment

The funder wants to see your dedication to this project. Leave no doubt about the passion in your proposal; they want to be your partners.

• Grant Proposals: 9 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Writing
• 6 Grant Application Questions to Ask Yourself

What does an iconic line from “Friends” and education have in common? According to a district leader in Iowa, it was the theme of the 2020-21 school year: “Pivot, pivot, pivot.” 

It is only certain this will continue to be a theme as districts learn more about student learning gaps and decide how to address learning loss or accelerate learning with ARPA funds (American Rescue Plan Act). It’s also becoming clear that strategies for how to “pivot” or address the issues vary between state set-asides and district dollars.

District Uses of ARPA Funds 

There are two schools of thought for district leaders when it comes to using the one-time federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act in education. One is the acknowledgement that this is the largest influx of federal funds to districts since the creation of the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) and there is a real opportunity to use this lump sum to foster real change and innovation. The other acknowledges that these are, in fact, one-time funds, which means any dollars should not be used for recurring costs. Both schools of thought are valid, but it appears the former is what districts are thinking. 

In a recent survey of more than 50 district leaders conducted by Trent Grundmeyer at Drake University, results showed that district leaders say they are primarily planning to focus on learning recovery, mental health, and flexible or virtual learning options. How districts are addressing these needs vary greatly from district to district but include payments to staff (bonus pay), the hiring of nurses and counselors, the hiring of more educators and/or reducing class size, technology and curriculum updates, and facility improvements. Almost all of these priorities listed in district plans include recurring costs. 

When ARPA funds were first allocated, experts in the field assumed there would be a much greater emphasis on new learning models, professional development for technology, broadband connectivity, and enrichment for students. 

These are still important for districts, but the first look at how funds are actually being doled out show that these dollars are going toward growing the number of positions within a district.

So how are districts providing for some of these other priorities? Enter the state.

State Uses of ARPA Funds 

State applications for the use of ARPA funds were due June 7, but only 23 submitted on time. Forty states now have a draft submitted, but many are still under review by the USDE. There is an astonishing $12 billion at the state level to address learning loss and other needs the state deems necessary. The plans submitted and approved by USDE have a clear indication that the states may be trying to take on much of the effort to address learning loss to free up more district funds to help improve mental health for their educators and offering them additional pay to thank them for the work they did in the past couple of years.

The requirement from Congress for states to spend 5% on addressing learning loss has led to states creating tutoring programs, providing training for educators, and supporting teachers who serve English language learners. This is a clear indication of prioritizing student learning with the state federal allocation dollars across the country.

With software as a service becoming the norm for almost everything that touches a classroom, both states and districts will have some hard decisions in three years once these dollars have been spent. Whether it’s technology services or paying staff, the district will have to either find creative ways to keep services or cut them loose completely. 

Ultimately, it’s critical the districts keep “pivoting” in the next few years to ensure that they have funds available for the services and positions they need going forward post-pandemic.

• Education Grants: 5 Guidelines to Win One
• Grant Proposals: 9 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Writing

Once you start searching, you’ll see that there are a lot of grants out there – from mini-grants for specific projects to huge amounts of money for a comprehensive program. You know what you need and have searched for proposals that match. You read the call for proposals carefully and found one that is looking for proposals exactly like yours. 

We’ve previously talked about questions to ask yourself as you searched for the best grant to address your needs. Now that you’re sure of the grant to aim for, we have another set of questions, the ones to ask yourself before you write the proposal. There will be other questions in the future but for now, let’s think about why you are writing this proposal. 

1. Why do you want this grant? 

You have a great idea and are determined to make it happen. But you have to be able to explain it in a clear, concise, and compelling way. This matters a lot. Not only will you have to convince the funders to believe in your idea but you also have to get all of the stakeholders in your school or district on board. You need the staff who will be involved in the project with you, the administrators in the school and district who have to sign off on it, and perhaps even the school board and the community. 

2. What needs will your project address? 

You perceive the need for carrying out what you plan, but you’ll have to convince others of the merits of your thinking. Whether students are failing to achieve their potential or have different abilities whose needs are not being well served, or some other reason, be clear about the needs you have the perfect solution for. 

3. What are your short- and long-term goals? 

Short-term goals are what you want to accomplish relatively quickly. They are small, manageable steps that help you make progress toward your ultimate goal. You can see each as an individual stepping stone in the overall plan, and you measure success by charting specific objectives that you can accomplish with each.

Long-term goals are those that you want to achieve as an end result of your project. A good way to identify a long-term goal is to analyze whether or not it will require deliberate planning, commitment, hard work, and a significant amount of time. 

Measuring achievement of your short-term goals and the objectives of long-term goals shows you’ve accomplished what you set out to do. Often an outside evaluator will measure your success.

4. Do your goals address the mission of the funder? 

As you write your proposal, keep in mind that the organization that you’re asking for the grant must want to fund your idea. This means that the goals should match the stated mission of the organization. If your idea is similar in scope to projects they’ve funded in the past, you’re on the right track. 

5.  What do you need to reach these goals? 

You know what you want to accomplish so think carefully about what you will need to get it done. What staff, materials, equipment, support, and other items do you require? Be sure to mention everything so the funder knows how the funds will be spent and so the grant reader understands that you know what you’re doing. 

6. Who will be involved in the project? 

Include the titles of all the staff members who will be involved in the project. Part of the funding you ask for might go to support their time. Even if the district is supporting the program with staff, you need to explain how the staff contributes to the outcome. 

7. How committed are you? 

This is key. You must be sure that you and all the other people who are involved are committed to doing their part in writing the proposal and then in doing the hard work in completing the program if you win the grant. Again, be sure you have the backing of key people in the school and district. It’s important to know they want this project to succeed. 

8. How much money will you need? 

You’ll list your budget and write a budget narrative, so know exactly what you need, why you need it, and how much it will cost. Do the math! Include staff if you need funds for their salaries or afterschool activities. Include equipment that’s essential to the project, but don’t make this a wish list of technology. 

9. Do you fully understand the grant’s guidelines? 

Read the directions carefully and be sure they are clear. If there’s anything you don’t understand, contact someone in the organization. You don’t want to make incorrect assumptions. If you understand the directions, you can begin to write the proposal. Be sure to read the directions over again first and then answer everything you’re asked.

• Grant Guide 2021
• The Best Grants for Education for 2021 & Beyond

The pieces of the grant-winning process are so interrelated that you really have to think about it all simultaneously. For example, you should have an idea for what you want grant money to do while you also explore what grants are available that could be appropriate. 

A good way to think about the task is to ask yourself questions and jot down the answers. As you move along in the process, consult your lists and make revisions as you refine your thinking. 

With so many grants out there, it’s critical to know what you need and target the ones that match. Read the call for proposals carefully and recognize which are looking for proposals like yours. Beyond that, consider the questions below and be honest with yourself. If you can’t answer yes, look elsewhere.

Once you’re sure of the grant to aim for, there will be more questions to ask yourself before you write the proposal. And then, even more questions, including those to ask as you write the proposal and then the last-minute ones before you actually submit it.

6 Grant Application Questions to Ask Before Searching for a Grant Opportunity 

1. Do you have a compelling idea?

Over time, others have had great ideas for improving student achievement. While it’s not against any rule to adopt or adapt someone else’s success, the surest way to win a grant is to have a unique idea. Just be sure you can explain why it will work. Either way, be sure it’s logical and it fits into a grant awarder’s list of what they will fund. Funders are looking for great ideas but any has to be within the parameters of what they think will make a difference. 

2. Do you truly need the funding and can you explain why? 

Most schools need money for extras but you will have to explain why your idea will be critical. You also have to explain how the grant money will provide an outstanding result for the funder’s investment. Look carefully at what the organization has funded in the past and what they say they’re looking for now. 

3. Do you have the organization skills to write the proposal? 

It’s one thing to have a great idea and another to write an award-winning proposal. For that, you need organization skills and the ability to communicate. Make sure you read every grant opportunity carefully to see if your proposal will address everything the funder is looking for. Then make a list to be sure all of your ducks are in a row. 

4. Does the staff have the skills and willingness to carry out the project? 

You may be enthusiastic about your idea and are willing to put in a lot of effort to write the grant and make it work if you win. But do you have the staff on board so everything will go smoothly? Are they committed? You’ll have to stress how much everyone on the team is ready and able to make this work. 

5. Do you have stakeholder buy-in? 

Running a grant is a team effort, one that’s made up of you as the organizer, the teachers who will work with students, the staff that provides support, the administration, parents, and in some cases, the school board. You will need to get their support in your efforts to win a grant and include that information in your proposal. Be sure that the grant you pick is for a reputable organization or you may lose support. 

6. Do you have the ability to write a proposal? 

Proposal writing is an art. You have to understand exactly what is being asked and formulate the best answer. To do that you need to be able to write in clear, simple, convincing terms. Have an elevator pitch, the ability to express your basic idea in one sentence. You’ll convince the funders if they are certain they know what you want to do. 

• Grant Guide 2021
• The Best Grants for Education for 2021 & Beyond

Getting an education grant when so many schools and districts are searching for funds requires having a winning strategy. And having a good strategy prevents the process from seeming overwhelming. 

Begin by devising a plan for how you will develop the proposal. You can do it on paper or even use project management software to help keep you organized. 

The tasks to include are: define priorities, assign responsibilities, create a schedule, and stick to deadlines. You’ll also need to communicate with your team and measure progress. You can use the guidelines below (these make a great checklist!) to make sure you’re on track to create a winning proposal. To make it all manageable, you can break down what you should do into five categories.

But first things first. Be sure that your ideas and needs match the education grant. If so, you’re ahead of the game. Many people see dollar signs or read the word ‘technology’ in a proposal and don’t really address what the funder wants to accomplish. 

Second, be sure to dovetail your ideas with those outlined in your school or district’s long-range plans. It’s helpful to show how you will further the goals of the wider community. 

Third, be clear about who the students are that the project will serve. Show how your ideas will make an important difference in their ability to think and learn and in their achievement. 

Fourth, having the right team, people with the specific abilities to do the work you outline in the proposal, makes all the difference. And there should be an underlying support of materials and professional development to assist teachers and coaches in working with the students. 

Fifth and last, focus on students and ideas; don’t focus on the technology. And don’t write the proposal as a wish list of things you want. You need to show how technology will support your idea. It’s very important that the technology you request will make a real difference. Be specific. 

1. Match your ideas and needs to what the education grant funder is looking for 

• Do you clearly understand the mission of the funder?
• Is this the best organizational match for your funding request?
• Is your idea compelling? Does it show your commitment?
• Have you matched your answers to the grant’s selection criteria?
• Is your budget realistic?

2. Align your ideas and needs to the school and/or district’s plan (short term/long term) for the future 

• Does the education grant proposal tie into what the school or district wants to achieve in the next year or two?
• Does the proposal tie into what the school or district has stated it wants to achieve for it’s long term mission?
• Does your proposal reflect best practices for instruction and learning?
• Does your application include a clear summary that articulates your vision for the project and need for the money within the context of the school or district?
• Have you included research data or statistics to support your concept?
• Have you defined success and how you will measure the effectiveness of the project throughout the duration of the grant?
• Do you have stakeholder buy-in?
• Have you conveyed what the impact will be on your school or district if you are successful?
• Is your budget detailed and realistic?

3. Match your ideas and needs to the specific student population 

• Is your education grant idea meaningful to student learning?
• Is your idea powerful for student learning? Will it have an important effect?
• Is it clear how you will implement your proposal?
• Does your proposal for funds include a sense of urgency?
• Are there specific, measurable goals and objectives?
• Is there alignment of your needs, goals, and objectives?

4. Fit your ideas and needs to the school/district’s capacities 

• Have you allocated staff time to manage the project?
• Have you outlined the contributions of the people associated with the application and how their expertise is critical to the project’s success?
• Have you cross checked the timeline against the budget?
• Do you have a plan in place to submit progress reports as required by the grant?
• Have you addressed sustainability after the funds are spent?
• How will the needs of the community be met moving forward? Is the project replicable by others?

5. Match your technology requests to your ideas and needs 

• Have you defined the technology required for each part of the proposal?
• Have you outlined how technology is essential in implementing the grant goals?
• Have you shown how technology can be used to improve student achievement and/or staff development?
• Have you tied the technology expenses to the proposed budget?

One last tip

Keep the grant criteria in mind as you write your proposal. That will help guide you to address everything and will improve the likelihood of your proposal’s success.  

• 7 Steps to Plan a Grant Proposal
• What Grant Judges Look For in An Application

Out of all the states in the country, less than 10 are waiting on access to the second round of stimulus funds, appropriated in December of 2020. Districts across the country are planning and spending these dollars to begin addressing learning loss and social emotional needs of students. So how will these funds help?

Here are the top 5 challenges district leaders shared with state policymakers on how these funds would address critical needs for their districts.

1. More instructional staff: Small-group and differentiated learning will be key to accelerating learning, and this requires additional staff. High-quality professional development is needed to equip teachers for the challenge.

2. More time: Extending the school year and/or extending school hours in the coming academic years will be a necessary part of the effort.

3. More wrap-around services: Counselors and social workers will be critically important to help students cope with trauma they may have experienced during the pandemic (loss of a loved one, family loss of income, eviction, etc.).

4. More technology resources: While the explosion in the number of students with devices holds exciting possibilities for learning, additional devices must be supported with additional software and IT staff. Local districts will need the flexibility, discretion, and support to purchase instructional materials that accelerate learning.

5. Necessary facility improvements: There are smart investments schools can make to address air quality, shared surfaces, and other safety practices that can help prevent the spread of future viruses as well as regularly recurring coughs, colds, and flu strains that lead to lost time in the classroom. 

Texas is an example of a state with a diverse range of communities and student populations that has shared these requests with state policymakers. The advocacy group Raise Your Hand Texas wrote, “As we use federal education funds to prevent the health crisis from becoming a generational education crisis, school districts must be given the flexibility to target the specific needs of their families and bolster their local economies.”

Denton Independent School District Superintendent Jamie Wilson was involved in this advocacy. His district developed a plan for ESSER funds to address learning gaps in students through an accelerated instruction plan. Details include additional days, curriculum adaptations, professional development and credit recovery. Denton ISD anticipates an overall operating cost of $9.17 million to serve just over 30,000 students, with $4.6 million alone on high school credit recovery.

Texas is one of many states currently in a holding pattern. Many other districts are trying to plan for these funds without any timeline for when they are going to receive them. Like many other states, Raise your Hand Texas compares the stimulus funds to the vital “third leg” of a stool to support their overall programs. 

Now is an excellent time for advocacy work at the state level. Looking for guidance? FiscalNote is a good place to start. This global technology and media company offers some advocacy strategies to consider when starting an advocacy campaign. Even if your district has received funds, the state set-asides are being used to address learning loss as well. In order to stretch federal funds the furthest, districts and states must be communicating and working together.  

• The American Rescue Plan Includes $122 Billion for Education: How Can it Be Used?
• New COVID Stimulus Package Offers Schools More Funding to Innovate

E-rate needs to be expanded to provide cybersecurity funding and at-home internet access for students, say early respondents to Funds for Learning’s annual E-rate survey. 

The FCC’s E-rate program provides discounts of between 20 and 90 percent for broadband access for schools and libraries. It’s importance has been highlighted over the past year as the pandemic has reshaped where and how students learn. 

So far, twice as many people have responded to the survey as last year, says John Harrington, CEO of Funds for Learning, an E-rate compliance firm. Last year about 10 percent of the approximately 21,000 E-rate applicants in the country responded. 

“It shows the significance of the weight of the discussion, it’s front and center on everyone’s mind,” he says. “The early results are consistent with what we saw last year and that is the homework gap is a significant issue in essentially every community. Having students connected wherever they’re at is absolutely critical.” 

The survey closes on May 15 and will be submitted to the FCC in June. Harrington says that it gives FCC officials an idea of what those on the ground are experiencing, and has helped facilitate past updates to the program. 

E-rate Needs to Cover Cybersecurity 

Last year, the FBI reported that more than 1,600 schools were the victims of cyberattacks, a significant increase from previous years. Right now, the E-rate program does not help education institutions pay for cybersecurity, which is something school administrators across the country want to see changed as soon as possible. 

“Security is by far the number one issue because if you don’t have that, it doesn’t matter if you’ve got more devices for students,” Harrington says. “You cannot operate a school network without cybersecurity, and the E-rate program today does not provide support for that. It’s like funding a housing program, but we won’t pay to put locks and windows on the housing.”  

Extending Connectivity Off Campus  

Beyond helping pay to secure their systems, educators want to be able to use the E-rate discount to help provide internet access beyond the school or library grounds as they attempt to close the homework gap. 

“One of the strengths of the E-rate program was that when it was created, it was created with the idea of connecting students,” Harrington says. “One of the biggest weaknesses is they drew a line around it, called property lines, which made sense 25 years ago to a certain degree but certainly doesn’t make sense today. That’s what schools and libraries are clamoring for, ‘Hey, give us the support that we need and let us have the freedom to deploy those resources where they’re needed most.’ A lot of that’s on campus, but also some of that’s off campus.” 

Future of E-Rate  

The U.S. school system will see historic funding in the coming year but Harrington says as the E-rate discount is reformed the focus should be on sustainable funding rather than funding for one-time programs. 

“The pandemic did not create the digital divide but it has shone a light on it,” Harrington says. “I’m grateful that there’s higher awareness, that there’s more discussions around this topic. Now it’s up to us as communities -- at the federal, state, and local levels -- to lock arms and address this issue.” 

While there are societal problems without existing solutions, internet connectivity shouldn’t be one of those. “We need to deal with this,” Harrington says. “It’s not rocket science or cancer that we’re trying to solve here. It’s getting connected devices into the hands of students and teachers. Let’s just put our heads together and figure out a way to do it.” 

• 5 Things to Know About E-Rate Applications for 2021
• 5 Ways to Boost School Cybersecurity
• How Schools Use Drones to Deliver Internet to Students

You’ve picked the grant that you want to win. You’ve developed your ideas carefully. So what’s next?

Remember that grants are very competitive, so think about what the judges expect to see before you submit your proposal. You can even work backward and address each item as you compose your narrative.

How do you know what they are looking for? To start with, read information about the organization itself to get a sense of what is important to them. Why are they supporting education? What difference do they want to make? Check previous grants they’ve funded to see how close your idea is to other proposals they’ve liked in the past. And look for any criteria or list of scoring rubrics that they use. 

For the most part, the criteria will include these: 

• First, most funders require that your plan meets the requirements they have for supporting schools and districts. 
• Second, you must have an important goal for students and their learning. 
• Third, you must have organized your proposal in a compelling manner so they can find whatever points they are looking for. 
• Fourth, you must have written your narrative in a way that separates your plan from others and shows yours is a cut above the rest. 
• And last, your proposal and budget must be honest and transparent so it’s clear exactly what you will do with the money should they award you the grant. 

Setting Goals

One of the most important aspects of your proposal is what you want to accomplish. Remember that judges are looking for meaningful goals. They want to know that you will use the funds to support a program that can make a real difference in your school or district. 

Each goal you list should be supported by measurable objectives. Some of the most important goals that proposals can include are the following:

• Closing achievement gaps 
• Closing opportunity gaps
• Making learning accessible to all students 
• Improving mastery of academic skills 
• Increasing family engagement 
• Improving educator skills with professional development 
• Developing skills to promote lifelong learning 

The judges who review your grant proposal usually have a rubric or set of criteria to score a proposal so that it can be compared to other grant proposals. Usually, they rate each component on a scale that runs 1 to 5 from missing to weak, adequate, strong and excellent. 

This is what a simple rubric might look like with criteria and a description of what judges could look for. They would rate each component on the scale above.

In addition, judges look for secondary criteria and while these often do not have an official point value, they matter. One is the application presentation and format; be sure you are well organized and everything is in order. Another is supporting data; show the data that proves the need in your school or district. In addition, show how you will leverage such things as existing professional development, technology support, and home-school connections. Be sure to include a detailed plan for program management and evaluation and describe your plans for sustainability. Grant givers want to be sure their money is well spent and that the improvements will continue well beyond the life of the grant. 

There are also general criteria that apply to any proposal you write. You should follow instructions exactly, organize your thinking, and clearly state the need and benefits of your project for the short and long term. In addition, any proposal should be customized so you address the specific details the funder has outlined. This will improve your chances of making it to a final review. 

Keeping grant criteria in mind as you write your proposal will help guide you to address everything and improve the likelihood of your proposal’s success. 

Remember that judges are human. The organization that’s providing the funds has tasked them with choosing proposals that make a real difference for students. They will read your proposal to see if it is a compelling description of the way you will impact learning and achievement. Write your proposal so that it stands out above the others and gives judges a reason to pick yours as a winner.

• The American Rescue Plan Includes $122 Billion for Education: How Can it Be Used?
• 7 Steps to Plan a Grant Proposal

President Biden is making good on one of his first promises. The American Rescue Plan is now law, and the federal government is pumping $1.9 trillion into the American economy. This leads to an increased role of the federal government involvement in not only state and local government but education as well.

How can American Rescue Plan dollars be used in education? 

In the latest legislation, there are more dollars than in the prior two rounds of funding to states and districts, but there are also more requirements.

Here’s a breakdown:

At least 20% of funds must be used to address learning loss through evidence-based interventions that respond to students’ academic, social, and emotional needs. The remaining funds can be used for any allowable use under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act; Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act; and Adult Education and Family Literacy Act.

Other uses include:

• Purchasing educational technology (including hardware, software, and connectivity as well as assistive technology or adaptive equipment) 
• Addressing learning loss
• School facility repairs to reduce risk of coronavirus transmission and support student health 
• Summer learning and supplemental after-school programs 
• Mental health services
• Conducting activities to address the needs of students from low-income families, children with disabilities, English learners, racial and ethnic minorities, students experiencing homelessness, and youth in foster care 
• Coordinating with public health departments 
• Implementing public health protocols including policies in line with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for school-reopening 
• Implementing activities to maintain the operation and continuity of services and to employ existing staff 

The Alliance for Excellent Education has a helpful fact sheet here.

The states also have a couple of stricter requirements for their uses as well. The state is required to allocate 87.5%, which means they are able to keep 12.5% of funds, up 2.5% from the prior two funding rounds. States are also required to spend their funds in the following ways:

• 5% to address learning loss 
• 1% for evidence-based, comprehensive after school programs 
• 1% for evidence-based summer enrichment 
• 2.5% for educational technology 

Connecting students is also still at the top of mind for educators, and after the $3 million removed for the Federal Communications Commission’s E-Rate program out of the last round of funding, the education community successfully advocated for $7.2 billion to help both access and affordability for students and educators. 

Supplement not supplant 

The first two rounds of stimulus funds to school had little-to-no requirements on how the money for education was spent. This meant that there were some states that chose to cut the exact amount of federal dollars received from the state budget. Congress added a provision this time that puts a few more parameters in place for how the dollars are intended to be spent. In fact, the bill requires that in order to receive funding, “states must provide at least as much funding for K–12 and higher education in fiscal years 2022 and 2023 as a proportion of the state’s overall spending (averaged over fiscal years 2017, 2018, and 2019).” 

However, this requirement can be waived by the Secretary of Education. In addition, states and districts must comply with new Maintenance of Equity requirements that prevent state and local funding cuts from disproportionately impacting high poverty districts and schools.”

Planning

This is the first stimulus round to put certain percentage requirements on the uses of funds, which means that planning needs to be even more intentional on how funds are categorized and tracked. This could likely be a once-in-a-lifetime influx of federal funds, and it must be used to scale opportunities and access for every student. If used properly, these one-time monies can go a long way. 

• 5 Things to Know About E-Rate Applications for 2021
• New COVID Stimulus Package Offers Schools More Funding to Innovate

Writing a grant proposal means knowing what you want to do in detail. You started with a good idea; now it’s time to focus on the specifics so that you sound as if you know what you’re doing. 

If you write down the information and add to it as you think of additional items, you’ll be all set when you start working on the actual proposal. Enlist others to help flesh it out; those who will be overseeing the program being proposed for the grant if you get it are the best people to help you fill in the blanks. 

The following are what you will need to outline and complete.

1. Mission

Start with the mission. State in clear, simple, and convincing terms what your goal is and what your plan will achieve. What do you recognize as missing from your district? What do you think can solve it? This is the heart of your proposal: You want students to improve and you believe that they will if you can employ the component that is missing for them.  

2. Needs

To identify the mission, be sure that you can clearly explain who the students are and what’s lacking in their learning. These are the needs. Be careful not to focus on the technology you want to use but stress the academic or economic needs. Know the demographics, test results, and anecdotal evidence that prove your district, school, or class needs what you are asking for. 

3. Goals and Objectives

Goals are general guidelines that explain what you want to achieve. These are your vision for what will be at the end of the program, the guiding principles or outcomes. Objectives are the deliverables that make the goals happen, the strategies and steps you will take to reach the goals. The objectives should clearly support the goals. Be sure that the goals and objectives are specific and measurable.  

4. Timeline

Your project will have two timelines. The first is to get all the input that matters with enough time to get feedback and include it in the proposal by the submission deadline. The second is the project timeline itself, the plan to achieve your goals by the end of the program with a tentative but logical schedule for each stage of your project. 

The project timeline includes a list of tasks or activities in chronological order so everyone involved can see the whole plan in one place. You can create it on a spreadsheet or a bar chart, in which each task is given a name and a corresponding start and end date. You can also use project management software to keep track. When you create the timeline, leave room for adjustments. Things don’t always work exactly as planned.

*Please participate in this T&L grants tips and advice survey* 

5. Assessment

Assessment is the process of gathering information from various sources in order to have a real understanding of what students know, understand, and can do as a result of your project. 

You will want to know how well your idea worked so you’ll measure progress on an ongoing basis. You should decide beforehand how you’re going to do this. Will you give tests, observe students, or do other forms of evaluation? What standards or benchmarks will you use? Will what you learn be part of a feedback loop? With evaluations known as formative assessments, you use the results to inform ongoing work. 

In addition, if this is a large-scale program, you should plan for an outside evaluator to determine how well you’ve achieved your goals. That type of evaluation is a determination of how well the program has succeeded. 

6. Materials

While materials often include school furniture, equipment, technology, curriculum materials, textbooks, and other resources such as financial and human resources, you can’t make your proposal sound like a wish list. Identify the supplies and staff that are essential to make the project work and include all that. 

Be sure to also disclose how you will leverage the resources you already have. This is particularly important in listing the expertise of teachers who will carry out the program.

7. Cost

You should include a relatively comprehensive and complete budget that outlines what the needs will cost without overestimating what you are requesting. You will have to explain the total projected costs to complete your project over the timeframe of the grant. You should estimate what the costs will be for every phase. Include such things as personnel costs, materials, and operating costs.

Once you complete this list, it becomes the basis for the grant proposal you want now and a template for the next one. If you get this grant and the evaluation shows that you succeeded in achieving your goals, you’ll be able to build your next idea on the results of this one. 

*Please participate in this T&L grants tips and advice survey*

• Grant Guide 2021
• How to Find an Education Grant
• The 8 Key Parts of a Grant Proposal

If you’re aiming to win a grant this year, you’ll be happy to know that writing a proposal for any specific RFP (Request for Proposals) has a lot of common ground with the others. 

The first thing you’ll notice is that almost every grant asks for the same kinds of information. Being organized is a plus: Keep track of these details; revise any as needed, and update it all whenever things change. 

In addition to writing a well-organized proposal now, you’ll have a template to start with for the next grant you want to apply for.

Summary

Being clear about what you want to do and how you will use the funding if you get it is very important. It may seem odd to list the summary before the other parts of the proposal but this is where it will go when you submit your plan. You’ll write this overview statement last – after you have all of your ducks in a row – but keep thinking about making the other parts clear and concise. Then all you have to do is use short, clear excerpts for the summary. 

Needs

Schools are always in need of something, especially now that technology has become so entrenched in learning. Hopefully your district can provide the basics and your need is for something extra that can help students succeed. The needs section should be a clear look at the district but not a plea for general funds. When you write, detail the needs of your school, district, or community, but don’t dwell on poverty. Instead, focus on why your organization should get funded to run this important project. Write such a compelling argument that no one could resist funding your proposal. 

Goals

As you form your ideas for a proposal, be explicit about what you hope to accomplish. You’ll describe these items in the goals section; be sure that the goals you identify are important ones to achieve. To get funded, your purpose or ends must matter. These should show that the plan is clear, critical to the learning community, and will have a major impact on student learning. 

Objectives

Your objectives will describe how you expect the project will accomplish the goals. The objectives should be aligned with both the needs and goals. Clearly describe the specific methods that you and your team will use to reach each goal. In addition, make sure to have measurable objectives to track how you will know that the project is reaching its targets. Offer clear benchmarks that will be used to evaluate success.

Narrative

This is the plan of action that leads to success: What you'll do; how you'll do it; where you'll do it; and who's going to do what. Write this section clearly but concisely. Include specific details and examples, and reinforce that your idea is a sure winner. The clarity of this section and compelling detail is what will persuade the grant reader that this is an important idea to fund. 

Budget

It all comes down to money. Go over the details of your plan and how much you will need to accomplish each part. Create an outline of the funds you need for everything you want to do. In addition to your list, you will write a budget narrative. Use this to explain clearly all the items listed to show that every cent is required to guarantee success. You should itemize the expenses in an easy-to-read format and make sure that every budget item is clearly distinctly explained. 

Personnel

Include a personnel page to show the staff members who will be part of the program and what each will do. List each person’s qualifications to demonstrate that the expertise you’ve put together will make the program a success. 

Evaluation Plan

The program’s funders will want to know how you will know if and when you’ve accomplished your goals. In this section, tell what you will measure and how you will measure it so it is unmistakable how the project will demonstrate that it achieved its targets. You should include clear benchmarks that will be used to evaluate success. Don’t do the evaluation yourself. Hiring outside evaluators shows how serious you are about determining if your plan worked. 

Summary

We’re back to the beginning! We said to write the summary after all of these parts are done and then put it up front, so it’s time to excerpt your sections to summarize. There’s a little trick called an elevator speech that can help you be clear and concise. Condense your proposal into one sentence -- the amount of time you would have to tell someone in an elevator. It will come in handy and guarantee that you know exactly what you’re doing and can tell anyone who needs to know. 

• Grant Guide 2021
• How to Find an Education Grant
• 8 Things to Do Before You Write a Grant Proposal

Applications for E-rate funding for fiscal year 2021 must be submitted by March 25. The FCC program, which provides discounts of between 20 and 90 percent for broadband access for schools and libraries, is considered particularly vital during the pandemic. 

Micah Rigdon, director of client services at Funds For Learning, a company that helps schools navigate the E-rate process, discussed what educators need to know regarding E-Rate applications this year. 

1. How is The Pandemic Impacting the Process? 

The pandemic has made calculating the funding your school qualifies for more difficult. “The E-rate program provides discounts based on the number of students who are eligible for The National School Lunch Program,” Rigdon says. “It's been more difficult for a lot of schools to determine their discount rates this year because they're not getting the same responses as they do in a typical year because every student right now is being offered free or reduced lunches through the USDA.” 

The increased free-launch offerings are due to the pandemic but have had the unintended consequences of complicating funding calculations. As a result, schools that are having difficulty tracking this year’s numbers are permitted to use data gathered during the last school year on their applications. 

2. What Are Other Changes This Year?  

In the past, E-rate funding that went to equipment purchases was capped per school by the amount of students within that school and per library by its square footage. “Now the FCC is allowing applicants to determine that cap based on the total student population for an entire district instead of at each school site,” Rigdon says. This should be a welcome change for educators as it allows for far greater flexibility. 

3. Could E-Rate Help Pay for Students’ Home Internet Access?  

Currently, E-Rate funding can only be used to provide internet access at schools or libraries. With so much need for remote learning, many districts are helping to provide access to students at home so there is a strong push to change this stipulation. “We are seeing some headway that there could be a policy change at the FCC level,” Rigdon says. “President Biden has directed the FCC to consider how they can expand the program in that way. We now have a new acting chairwoman, Jessica Rosenworcel, overseeing the FCC commission and E-rate is one of the projects that she's paid special attention to. So, there is an opportunity for them to take a look at that and see how it can be expanded.” 

4. When Should You Submit Your E-rate Application? 

The submission window for E-rate applications opened January 15, but much as with filing taxes, people tend to file closer to the deadline (March 25), which isn’t ideal. 

“I would encourage everyone who can to get their information together and file their application early,” Rigdon says. “The E-rate program administrator has already started reviewing applications that have been submitted early in the window. So there's a greater opportunity to receive funding decisions, more quickly, if you file early. There's one website that every applicant has to use. So it tends to get bogged down with traffic toward the end of the filing in windows, so you can avoid some of that.” 

5. Why Documentation is Crucial 

“There are many program rules in E-rate that determine whether what you're purchasing is eligible for discounts,” Rigdon says. “It's one thing to follow all of those rules, but it's a whole other thing to be able to prove that you follow those rules.”

For example, there's a 10-year documentation requirement for E-rate, and applicants can be audited at any point in that timeframe, so it's important to be able to show that you completed the requirements and followed the rules. “Being able to prove that you did something the right way seven years later without documentation is very difficult,” says Rigdon. 

Further Reading

• How to Find an Education Grant
• New COVID Stimulus Package Offers Schools More Funding to Innovate

Every school and district needs extra money to accomplish special programs. Sometimes the need is for a large-scale, district-wide approach to achievement while other times it’s for a classroom or school-wide plan to implement new ideas or programs. 

Ultimately, searching for the right program is complex. Where you start matters. 

Identifying Funding Sources 

Let’s begin with a need for a big grant: You have a big idea that you want to implement for a great number of schools and students. 

Tech & Learning’s Grant Guide describes various types of grant programs, and there are grant search sites that are the best places to find these funds. Each is different and has a different way to search. Most are subscription-based. So review each carefully (some offer a free trial) to decide which will be the best for your needs. 

The most often used are:

Candid, a merger of the Foundation Center and GuideStar, has comprehensive data tools on nonprofits, foundations, and grants, and include the Foundation Directory Online and a database of individual 990 forms of private foundations, public charities, and other nonprofits. A subscription is required.

Grants.gov allows users to search for federal grants. For example, educators can look for technology grants by using a key word or clicking on the category. This site is free.

Grant Gopher offers a free trial to look for grants in its grant research database by state, county, program, and keywords. You can save your searches and get email alerts about new matches.

Grants Watch posts federal, state, city, local, and foundation grants that are categorized by type (for example, teacher grants). This site requires a subscription. 

Small Grants for Educators 

New programs, even big ones, often start as pilots in one classroom or school. Any new program depends on the zeal and energy of the educators launching it, and sometimes requires just a relatively small outlay of funds. Tech & Learning’s grants calendar is a good place to go to find an assortment of funding opportunities that might address your needs. The list is by deadline and includes URLs.  

Many varieties of small grant opportunities are offered by various types of organizations that want to see a specific approach or spark new ideas with a defined amount of money. Some have deadlines; others are ongoing. Some are national; others are local. 

A few examples include:

• Toshiba America Foundation Science and Math Grants is an example of a corporate foundation’s nationwide giving program.  
• The National Association of Biology Teachers Awards offers a large variety of awards in partnership with other organizations.  
• The NEA Foundation Learning & Leadership Grants has provided funding to thousands of educators, enabling them to develop their professional practice to improve student learning.  

Fundraising and Donation Sites 

If you have a project in mind and need a moderate amount of money to pursue it, there are websites that help you organize and manage online. From crowdfunding to fundraising and other options in between, these sites can help teachers and classrooms get items and funding. For example, Digital Wish is a nonprofit that helps teachers solve technology shortfalls in their classrooms. With Donors Choose, teachers post what they need. A more complete list is here.

If you’re not experienced in writing grants, it makes sense to start small. Once you’ve gotten one grant, the second proposal -- even if it’s more complex -- will be easier to tackle. And a classroom, school, or district success is a great way to introduce your next proposal. You can leverage the program into a bigger one and build one success on another.

Last But Not Least: Research the Source 

Writing a proposal is a lot of work. After you’ve found one or two that you think are perfect and before you start to write, review the grant givers to make sure they are reputable and actually offer the kinds of grants you need. 

Fortunately, almost all of the research can be done without leaving your computer screen. You can look into their funding history online; review their websites (and success stories) thoroughly; check out their social media presence; and contact them directly through email so you have someone who can guide you through their process. 

• 8 Things to Do Before You Write a Grant Proposal
• Grant Guide 2021

As the world learns the details found within the 5,000+ page bill passed by Congress, it looks like stars could be aligning for education leaders to really work on implementing innovative learning models. A $900 Billion package with $54.3 Billion dollars now being allocated for K-12 education down to district and school levels, a new Department of Education Secretary, and an overall consensus that the old system on the whole was not prepared to adequately serve students anytime, anywhere--the environment for change gives a glimmer of hope for what could be for education.

Stimulus funds

The amount allocated for the education stabilization fund this time around is approximately four times the amount allocated under the CARES Act. Districts largely spent CARES Act funds on devices and connectivity to get students up and running even when they were off campus. Although these issues still remain a priority for many districts, there is now a chance to look deeper into the district’s mission, vision, and operations.

The new funds will operate similarly to the CARES Act. Monies will first be allocated from the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) down to state education agencies (SEA), and then down to the local education agencies (LEA), who will decide how to use the funds. An SEA may again keep up to 10% for administration and their own uses as they see fit. 

The application is expected to also be largely the same, with a state having to submit a plan for how the funds will be used. Under the CARES Act, once an application was approved, the USDE was required to obligate funds within three days. This funding is available to be spent until September 2022.

The allowable uses also remain the same from the CARES act, and includes:

• Purchasing educational technology that aids in regular and substantive interaction between students and educators 
• Planning and coordinating long-term closures, including providing technology for online learning 
• Planning and implementing online learning 
• Supporting provisions found in major education laws, including the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Title IV-A of ESSA and Part D of IDEA permits federal funds toward professional learning in effective edtech use 

New Secretary of Education

Miguel Cardona, the incoming Secretary of Education if confirmed, has long been an advocate for innovation and new learning models. Funding is absolutely critical for change, but so is flexibility and an administration that is willing to take chances for the sake of better student learning and outcomes. 

The good news is that there has not been this much flexibility since the creation of the Department of Education in 1980, and especially since the era of No Child Left Behind. The CARES Act brought along countless waivers for emergency operations. On top of that, ESSA started the pendulum moving away from the accountability and assessment requirements seen under NCLB as well. There is a movement, arguably growing every day, that high stakes assessments and one-size-fits-all accountability requirements just don’t cut it anymore. This will become especially apparent this year as almost all end-of-year assessments were waived last year. This means a year of no baseline data, and educators will need to get creative on what measures they plan to use to determine student learning and success. 

For more than five years, ESSA has allowed flexibility; however, districts were slow to adapt new assessments and use multiple measures for accountability. In order for district leaders to take advantage of these opportunities, the USDE must create an environment that allows SEAs to submit bold plans and encourages districts to try new things without the fear of being penalized. This is certainly an area in which education could take guidance from the start-up world and realize that sometimes failing creates even better opportunities for customers. (Customers here being any education stakeholder.) Funds plus flexibility is crucial for any systemic change.

Addressing learning loss

Education leaders across the country are also aware of the growing issue of learning loss and students falling behind. The COVID relief bill really speaks to addressing this issue as a priority. Online learning has been a preferred method for remedial learning in the past, but the most successful courses are high-quality. Providing high-quality remedial learning opportunities will take investing in professional development and this is the time to ready the next generation workforce to be prepared for anything. COVID learning loss will now require entire classes to have remedial courses, not just a select few students. 

Addressing learning loss will demand an innovative approach that includes rethinking seat time the measurement of individual student growth, and mastery-based learning. Seat time, in particular, has long been the biggest barrier to innovation and personalizing learning. Addressing missed time plus trying to keep students on track for graduation will require new practices and an environment with competency-based education. Educators will need to find out what students have mastered and what they haven’t, and then develop strategies to help them move forward. 

See how the stars align?

It is a truly hopeful time that education could truly go from “pockets of innovation” to scaled up personalized, competency-based learning environments. The funding is there, the leadership is there, and the flexibility is there. Educators must use this time to examine how they will ensure this period of time will not inhibit students for years to come. Now is the time to take advantage, be bold, and provide opportunities for meaningful learning for every student. 

Susan Gentz is vice president of K20Connect and comes from a strong policy background as a former staffer in the U.S. Senate and Legislative Aide in the Iowa House of Representatives. Along with experience at both federal and state levels, she served as the Deputy Executive Director for the Center for Digital Education, worked for a government relations firm in Arlington, VA, and heavily worked on federal and state education policy at iNACOL, where she wrote published reports to move the field forward with innovative learning models, best practices, and policy recommendations. 

• Biden Selects Connecticut Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona to Lead the Department of Education
• A First Look at Education Leaders & Priorities for the Biden Administration

“Money is tight this year.” 

While that’s an ongoing lament, it is especially true during this time of pandemic crisis. School districts have been through tough times and have stretched their resources to the limit. 

Whether your school is open for students or is doing all remote learning, the need for special program funds is as important as ever. Writing a grant proposal takes time and thought. Before you even start writing, there are some actions you can take to think through your ideas and make your requests as strong as possible.

1. Have a solid idea and enough supporting details 

Grant givers are looking for strong proposals. Think through your ideas and make sure they are important for student learning. Honorable but vague intentions are not enough. Create a list of supporting information, including both your students’ needs and creative ways to address these so you can prove to the grant readers that you know what you’re doing. 

2. Read the grant guidelines carefully 

The amount of funding may be enticing but before you do anything, make sure that this is the right grant to meet your needs. “Sort of” isn’t good enough. Don’t bend either your idea or what the grant is asking for to fit. Take the time to research who the funding organization is, and you’ll know more about what they are looking for. 

3. Build commitment to the idea 

You aren’t alone in planning for a grant. Communicate your ideas and build support for the project among your stakeholders. Those who will be involved should discuss, plan, and agree to contribute not only to the project but also to the grant-writing process. They should also agree to carry out the plan if your grant writing efforts are successful. 

4. Evaluate the amount of funding 

Make sure that the amount of money in the grant is sufficient for your needs. Determine what staff and equipment you will need for your program and see if this grant will cover it. If it doesn’t, you can always combine funds. Think about what other sources of funding you can tap. 

5. Determine people resources 

Be sure of your ability to carry out the plan and the commitment of your supervisors, personnel you’ve tapped for the project, and the community. 

6. Get outside funders 

There may be community support programs that provide small amounts of money in case you need some additional funding, such matching funds and community programs. Reach out to potential partners and local organizations so they are aware of your plan and enthusiastic about the ideas. 

7. Read the directions 

Review the grant instructions carefully and follow advice from the experts on how to write proposals. The Tech & Learning grant writing guide has advice. Others in the district who have written grant proposals can help, and the grant giver may provide instructions, which you should follow exactly. 

8. Set deadlines 

It’s easy to put off things so set timelines for your team to write their sections and do whatever is needed. And be sure you follow your own deadlines to write and assemble the parts of your proposal, get signatures, and make the copies you need. Try to be ahead of schedule; build in a buffer in case the process takes longer than expected.

Next time, we’ll go over the parts of a grant proposal so you know what work is ahead of you and your team.

• Grant Guide 2021
• The Best Grants for Education for 2021 & Beyond

These are truly unprecedented times.  

The challenges of COVID-19 continue to compel creativity, innovation, and a relentless focus on serving our students, families, and communities. In addition to the pressing health and safety challenges that we experience every day, we are also undergoing dramatic shifts in funding as a result of rising unemployment, reduced tax collections, and migration and mobility like we have never seen before.  

Now that we are approaching the end of 2020, we are seeing that large states projecting notable infusions of one-time dollars for 2021-22. For example, California’s anticipated revenues were reduced for the 2020-21 fiscal year when unemployment rates soared beyond 15%, but a rebound of the three major revenue sources (sales tax, personal income tax, and corporate tax) has resulted in a prediction of a large influx in 2021-22. However, that leads to a potential “financial cliff” in 2022-23. 

In addition, any potential federal stimulus package, with earmarks for school districts, will provide more one-time funds in the coming months.

Professional Learning 

Investing in your team is always a good use of resources and particularly wise utilization of one-time funds. Given the reality that we are navigating through a global pandemic, there is also no shortage of potential focus areas for professional learning. We suggest a review of your strategic framework, including the vision, mission, values, and goals to ensure that professional learning plans are aligned with the aspirations of the organization. In addition, we strongly advise you to design and implement professional learning experiences that are ongoing, collaborative, and relevant, and that create opportunities for reflection and sharing.  

One-time funds are also often a way to expand professional learning opportunities for groups of employees who may not traditionally have as much access. For example, in California, many teachers have dedicated time in their contracts for professional development, yet it is scarce to find the same provisions in classified employee agreements. Devoting one-time resources to provide meaningful learning options for instructional aides, for example, is very likely to yield immediate results for students and also have an enduring impact. Depending on the flexibility of the funding source, finding ways to involve office staff, custodians, facilities and maintenance, food services, library, purchasing, finance, payroll, human resources, and other constituencies in the professional learning community also builds collaborative relationships, generates social capital, and improves team connectedness.

Tech Infrastructure and Hardware 

Technology has become the go-to source for keeping schools open and students connected to not only content but also to one another. The priorities in spending for technologies are dependent on the infrastructure in place within the district. A recent report written by each of the former Education Technology Directors of the U.S. Department of Education highlighted ten ways to make online learning work and at the top of the list was connecting all learners. Infrastructure and device deployment can be a capital expense, but getting the ball rolling could be a good use of one-time funds, provided you have the capital or local funds to keep up the momentum. 

Beyond devices, digital content, professional learning, assessment solutions, and learning platforms are each beneficial and necessary aspects of any successful digital-rich learning plan. One-time funds are great kickstarters to long-term technology plans. 

One thing to pay attention to when procuring technology with one-time funds is the recurring costs associated with licenses or other fees. Be sure to note in procurement which funds will be used for recurring costs versus one-time expenses. 

For example, purchasing a device is a one-time cost but adding technical support or loss prevention software is a recurring expense. These can be itemized and delineated in a budget sheet so that your spending is from two different sources. This also applies to learning platforms and digital content licenses. You can use the one-time spend to pay for professional learning or server/cloud setup fees but the license fees should be a line item within your local budget. 

Safety & Facility Improvements 

School buildings across the nation were in trouble even before COVID-19 with many aging facilities needing repairs and safety support, especially in low-income communities. Leaky roofs, mold and mildew, rusty plumbing, and outdated heating and cooling systems have further compounded the challenges in a pandemic era during which safety is the No. 1 priority of staff and families. 

We suggest looking carefully at one-time funds to address longer-term safety and facility improvements. Really think through current challenges and investments you might be making -- hundreds of thousands of face shields for students and staff will not be needed when the pandemic is over, so are there similar items that could be purchased that would address a long-term need? 

Reviewing your facility master plans and deferred maintenance lists is a good starting point that can help to prioritize strategic one-time expenses for building improvements. In addition, investing in solar or other forms of energy efficiency may result in long-term utility savings to provide additional spending flexibility in the future. 

Proceed with Caution

As with any one-time funds, there are certain pressures that district leaders will face from bargaining and special interest groups who want additional positions, new programs, or raises for current staff. While the outcome may ease relationships, a key fiscal rule should be at the forefront: Don’t spend one-time dollars on items that eat and breathe. 

The intent of the federal relief dollars was just that, as the U.S. Treasury Department has noted. The funds should be used to relieve the impacts of the pandemic, including the resulting fiscal crisis from states and locales where the cost of living adjustments was reduced, programs eliminated, and budgets impacted by the loss of student enrollment. 

Prudent use of the funds can help mitigate deficits, declining enrollment, and the safety and security costs of keeping staff and students safe during the pandemic. With carefully designed spending plans, the impacts can be far-reaching. 

Bottom line, plan so that any one-time funds can stimulate a long-term spend already included in your local or capital budget. If you currently have money in the local or capital budget for computer refresh, then use these one-time funds to relieve that expense but don’t delete it from the budget. If you already have money in your Title II budget for professional learning, then use these funds to offer professional development not currently included in your course offerings. In general, think of grant or stimulus money as an accelerator and not a sustainer of programs or initiatives. 

Lisa Gonzales is the Chief Business Officer in Mt Diablo Unified School District. 

Kecia Ray is the President of K20Connect, LLC and Transformation Coach for the South Carolina Department of Education. 

Devin Vodicka is the Chief Impact Officer at Altitude Learning, author of Learner-Centered Leadership, and former superintendent of Vista Unified School District 

• Grant Guide 2021
• K-12 Grant Search and Informal Funding Sites

Across the country, the budget story is similar: Money is always tight, and sometimes because of shortfalls in state and local revenues, districts have to cut programs. That means technology ideas can fall by the wayside. Finding money for new programs is often a distant dream.  

Yet, there’s hope. If you've got a great idea for a project for your classroom, school, or district, but not the funding to make it happen, a grant may be the answer. Whether it’s a few thousand dollars for a classroom program or several hundred thousand to design and implement a district-wide plan, competitive federal, state, local, and corporate grants are available for education.

But be warned. Grant funders get lots of proposals and the competition is often fierce. 

You have to know where to look for the right grant and how to write a winning proposal. This grant guide will help you.

For specific grants and deadlines, visit Tech & Learning's Grant Calendar

Trust the Process

Applying for a grant is a process. The first step is to state the idea you want to fund clearly. Then you can search for grants that fit your situation and narrow down your list to the one that is the best match. After you’ve identified the grant offering you want, the real work begins. You’ll need a team, buy-in from stakeholders, an understanding of what the grant requires, and good grant writing skills. 

One thing to buoy your spirits through the hard work ahead is knowing that just applying for a grant is a winning proposition. The planning, research, and writing you put into the effort can serve to solidify your vision and long-term plan. It can benefit technology goals and inspire change, community building, and school improvement. And even though you may not actually win the grant, you’re way ahead when you try for the next one.

Start with a Good Idea 

In many schools and districts, the needs have multiplied exponentially and everyone has ideas for how to address the issues. Yet there’s a difference between funding equipment needs and funding ideas that will make a difference in learning. 

Grants fund ideas, not stuff, so proposals should address pressing educational issues and problems. Grant writers have to show how your creative idea will address these issues. 

Begin the process by developing a solid idea and then gather enough supporting details to back up the concept. Explain the needs, how your plan addresses them, and how you will reach the goals. Be specific; vague intentions are not good enough. Know your school or district and how well you can carry out the plan if you win the grant. The best proposals build on something you’ve already accomplished. Success breeds success. 

►Your Next Grant Proposal: 10 Steps to Starting Over

►Education Grants: Win or Lose, What to Do Next

►9 Grant Proposal Review Questions to Ask Yourself

►Grant Proposals: 7 Questions to Ask As You Write

►Grant Proposals: 9 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Writing

►6 Grant Application Questions to Ask Yourself

►Education Grants: 5 Guidelines to Win One

►What Grant Judges Look For in An Application

►How to Find an Education Grant

►The 8 Key Parts of a Grant Proposal

►7 Steps to Plan a Grant Proposal

Questions  to Ask Before Searching for a Grant Opportunity 

• Do you have a compelling idea? 
• Do you truly need the funding and can you explain why? 
• Do you have the organization skills to write the proposal? 
• Does the staff have the skills and willingness to carry out the project? 
• Do you have stakeholder buy-in? 
• Do you have the ability to write in clear, simple, convincing terms? 
• Do you have an elevator pitch: Can you express your basic idea in one sentence? 

FINDING THE RIGHT FUNDING 

One of the hardest parts of getting grants is searching for the right one. You have to know what types of funding are out there and which you’re likely to be successful in winning. Even more, you have to learn where to start looking. Some sources offer grants for specific reasons and others offer grants with general guidelines and you specify the reason you are applying. 

Types of Funding

Federal Grants

In general, the federal government offers substantial amounts of money for large programs.  

- Formula Grants: One major type of federal grant for K-12 schools is a formula grant, which means that a certain amount of money has been set aside through legislation to give to districts through their state education agencies. An example is Title I funding.  

- Program Grants: Another type of federal grant is awarded competitively. The agency determines a purpose or program for this type of grant and districts can apply. Applicants must meet all of the guidelines. Many of these federal project grants involve a long application period and a lot of support material. Some of the projects run for as much as three years. 

State Grants 

Each state determines its own way to allocate general funds and award extra funds as grants. With block grants, for example, the state requires districts to apply for funding, and districts must make a case for why they should receive the funds. Special funding is allocated for targeted programs such as special education, technology, gifted and at risk populations. The Education Commission of the States has information on programs by state here. 

Foundation Grants 

Nonprofit grants are available from non-governmental organizations (NGOs), or a charitable trust, whose specific purpose is to make funds available to organizations or individuals for specific purposes including education, science, or community benefit. Some districts have created nonprofit educational associations that can apply for specific grants.

Community Grants 

These grants are often offered by local nonprofit organizations that award grants to individuals and organizations for projects that are based in and primarily benefit the community.

Corporate Grants 

There are different types of corporate grants. One comes from a corporate foundation, which is the nonprofit arm of a for-profit corporation and allows the corporation to fund efforts of particular interest. For example, a tech company might offer STEM grants to high school and college students in order to spur interest in technology careers. Another type of corporate grant is more product related and offers grant funds to purchase the corporation’s products to achieve a goal. 

Many of these grants are listed by deadline in Tech & Learning’s Grant Calendar.

INFORMAL FUNDING 

If formal applications seem too complicated for your organization or if your idea doesn’t need major funding, informal sources may be just the thing for you. There are crowdfunding options, equipment giveaways, fundraising and other resources to consider. Read the disclosure information on these sites carefully; sometimes there’s a fee or percentage the site keeps. And while some of them were designed specifically for education, others are general sites where anyone can raise money.

Crowdsourcing Funds

Crowdsourcing grants that are focused on providing support for individual classrooms began to appear approximately ten years ago. These organizations accept donations from individuals to support classrooms, teachers, or schools. Examples are Donors Choose and Adopt-a-Classroom. Donors Choose allows teachers to post requests for funding and Adopt-a-Classroom donors can target a specific school or the organization will match the donor with a classroom. In both organizations, reports are sent to the donor detailing exactly what the money was used for. Others include Digital Wish, Funding Factory, and Computers for Learning. 

Tech & Learning's more complete list of fundraising and donation sites is here.

HOW TO LOOK FOR A GRANT 

Grant Search Sites

It can be confusing to search for grants and funding, but there are organizations that can help you target the specific type of program you need. Examples include: 

Grants.gov - lists federal grants by keyword or by category. 

Candid - a merger of the Foundation Center and GuideStar, has data tools on nonprofits, foundations, and grants. 

Grant Gopher - a searchable database of funding opportunities. 

Grants Watch - posts federal, state, city, local, and foundation grants categorized by type. 

Candid and Grants Watch require subscriptions, so check if your district or a library has one.

Narrowing the Possibilities

Once you’ve found a few programs that might work for you, read the grant guidelines again very carefully. Decide if a grant program is the right one for your needs and ideas. Make sure you are not bending either your ideas or what the grant is asking for to make it fit. The better you know what you want to accomplish and how you will do it, the easier it will be to pick the right one to apply for.

Consider outlining the basics of your plan in clear, simple terms so you can judge how well each grant offering matches what you want to do and what you need to do it. It is time well spent because you will be able to get to work writing the proposal with your outline to guide you. 

The Basics

Mission: State in clear, simple, and convincing terms what your goal is and what your plan will achieve. 

Needs: Know the demographics, test results, and anecdotal evidence that prove your district, school, or class needs what you are asking for. 

Goals and Objectives: Goals are general guidelines that explain what you want to achieve. Objectives are the strategies or steps you will take to reach the goals. Be sure your goals and objectives are specific and measurable. 

Timeline: Develop a tentative but logical timeline for each stage of your project. 

Assessment. You should know how you will measure success. Know how and when the assessment will be done. 

Materials: Have a summary of the supplies and staff you will need. 

Cost: Have a fairly comprehensive and complete budget. 

BEFORE YOU WRITE 

Once you’ve found the perfect grant offering to match your plan, and have the details of your idea and the information the grant requires, get ready to write. Be as organized as possible because the competition is stiff. 

We’ve stressed that you should have a solid idea and supporting details. Remember that honorable but vague intentions are not enough. Review the grant guidelines once more to be certain that this is the right fit to meet your needs; you don’t want to adjust your idea or misinterpret what the grant is asking for. 

Remember to build commitment among stakeholders along the way. Those involved should meet, discuss, plan, and agree to contribute to the grant-writing process if needed and agree to carry out the plan if successful. Enthusiasm of participants, administrators, school board members, and other community members is important as you’ll need their support. 

Create a timeline and set deadlines for your team to write their sections, and for you to complete the work, get signatures, and make the copies you need to send so you'll be ahead of schedule. Build in a buffer in case things take longer than expected.

Questions to Ask Before You Write the Proposal 

• Why do you want this grant?
• What needs will your project address?  
• What are your short- and long-term goals? 
• Do your goals address the mission of the funder? 
• What do you need to reach these goals? 
• What are you looking to accomplish? 
• Who will be involved in the project? 
• Are you and others committed to writing the proposal? 
• Are you and others committed to carrying out the program? 
• Do other key people support the project? 
• How much money will you need? 
• What resources will be required? 
• Do you fully understand the grant’s guidelines? 

Now get ready. It’s time to write. 

WRITING IT RIGHT 

The first part of writing a proposal is to make sure you assemble exactly what the grant offering requires of you – both information and explanations. Most grants require similar components and have a similar format so the technique you’ll need is similar, too. 

You’ll include a title page, table of contents, personnel and signature pages, and more, plus appendices with related information. All of it is important, but spend most of your time and focus on the pages that contain the real substance: what you want to do; why you want to do it; how you’ll get the job done; and what you need to make it happen. You will communicate that information in the Executive Summary, Needs/Goals/Objectives, Narrative, and Budget pages.

Remember that you have to state in advance how you will know that your project is a success. Will grades go up? Will students produce something? Who will judge your success?

Whether or not you actually win a grant, remember that the process itself is important. The planning, research and writing needed often solidify your vision and long-term plan – not only for technology but also for change, community building, and school improvement. So applying for a grant is a positive experience.

The parts of a grant proposal are:

Summary

You’ll need an overview statement that briefly describes your proposal. Write this page last but you’ll include it at the beginning. Use short, clear sentences and pull excerpts from every section of your proposal.

Needs

In this section, you will detail the compelling needs of your school, district, or community; tell why your organization should get funded to run this project and state the economic situation of your district and student body. Be sure to say how the idea will impact teaching and learning. This section should be so compelling that no one could resist funding the proposal. Don’t harp on the financial needs; the overarching educational idea is what will get it funded. 

Goals

Explain the important results you expect the project will accomplish. The goals show that the plan is clear, important to achieve, and will have a major impact.

Objectives

Tell what specific methods you will use to reach each goal. Be sure the needs, goals, and objectives are clearly aligned.

Narrative

This is the plan of action that leads to success: what you'll do; how you'll do it; where you'll do it; and who's going to do what. Be sure to include specific details and examples. Make your idea look like a sure winner. The clarity of this section and compelling detail persuades the grant reader that this is an important idea to fund. 

The narrative has four main parts. The first should describe the organization: the size and type of student body, educational philosophy, current programs and achievements. Then you’ll explain the needs, including the problem that you want to solve. What is missing and how did you discover it? Provide any data that demonstrates your point. Next, describe your program–the goals and objectives, timeline, who is involved, what will the result be, and how you will be able to sustain the program beyond the life of the grant. Last, explain how you will evaluate your success. What data will you collect and how will you analyze it? What are the criteria you will use to measure success? Where does this program lead?

Budget

Outline what funds you need for everything you want to do by completing the budget form. Use the budget narrative to explain clearly all the items listed to show that every cent is required to guarantee success. Itemize the expenses in an easy-to-read format and explain how you will track expenditures. If you expect other sources of funding, explain how they will be used together with the grant. 

Personnel

Include a personnel page to show which staff members will be part of the program and what each will do. Cite each person’s qualifications to make the program a success. Make sure that these people can take on the work. If other staff has to replace their usual jobs, build in their salaries so the district can replace them.

Evaluation Plan

Tell what you will measure and how you will measure it so it is clear how the project will demonstrate that it achieved its targets. Include clear benchmarks that will be used to evaluate success. Hiring outside evaluators can show how serious you are about determining if your plan worked.

Questions to Ask as You Write the Proposal 

• Summary/Abstract: Are you including excerpts from each section? 
• Needs: Do you detail the compelling needs of your school, district, or group and why your organization should get funded to run this project? 
• Objectives: Do you explain specific objectives and the methods you will use to reach each goal? Are the needs, goals, and objectives clearly aligned? 
• Narrative: Do you describe your action plan with specifics on how it leads to success--what you'll do; how you'll do it; where you'll do it; and who's going to do what? 
• Budget: Do you itemize every budget item and explain clearly how each is required to guarantee success? 
• Personnel: Do you show which staff members will be part of the program, how each person’s qualifications contribute to make the program a success, and what each will do? 
• Evaluation: Do you explain what you will measure, how you will measure it, and the benchmarks you will use so it is clear how the project will prove that it achieved its targets?  

Writing Skills

When you get to the narrative and budget explanation portions of your proposals, you want to be convincing. How you write is as important as what you write. In a nutshell, use clear, concise language; provide relevant details and examples; and make sure your grammar is perfect. 

Write in active rather than passive voice. For example, say, “The Program Director will file a report.” Don’t say, “A report will be filed by the Program Director.” Answer the questions that journalists use: who, what, when, where, why and how. Bullets, lists, outlines, diagrams, and tables can help clarify your ideas. 

Using action verbs will stress the positive and show you have specific, measurable goals. Choose from words such as accomplish, achieve, conduct, demonstrate, expand, generate, launch, motivate, revamp, and streamline. Employ phrases such as “Students will demonstrate…”

Avoid flowery writing and pretentious words when simple ones will do. For example, don’t write “in view of” when you mean “because” or “in the event that” when you mean “if.” 

Avoid acronyms. Use an organization’s full name so there’s no question what you’re discussing. Try to minimize jargon; if a term isn’t clear to anyone who isn’t in your field, avoid it. 

Organize your writing. Decide what purpose each section will serve and stick to it. If you need to write a long or complex explanation, you can use headings that match the criteria in the RFP to clarify the issues.   

It’s not always so easy to write a compelling proposal, but if you say exactly what you mean, you’ll have a clear and convincing argument. Consider highlighting your expertise by building on a current program that is successful. 

Remember that money matters. Watch the bottom line so that every dollar will be well spent. You can also show your seriousness by leveraging other funds. For example, find a local organization that will give you additional money, time, equipment, or extra funding if you get the grant.

In your budget section, use a spreadsheet with clear, well-organized section heads that are directly tied to specific sections of your written proposal.

Double Checking your Work 

You have to submit the best proposal that you can write. Make sure that you’ve said what you mean and mean what you’ve said – and given enough evidence to prove it. Go over your proposal using the checklists below to make sure you’ve covered everything. Also review that you’ve addressed the grant’s specific guidelines and criteria. The closer your proposal aligns with the RFP’s goals, the better your chance for success.

After you’ve finished writing your proposal, mark it Draft 1 and set it aside for a day. Go back with a little perspective a day or two later to review and edit what you’ve written.

Ask someone to be a critical reader to be sure that you are clear about what the project will do, how it will do it, and why it matters. Rewrite whatever isn’t clear or that doesn’t read well.

CHECKLISTS FOR SUCCESS

General Criteria Checklist

• Is your idea for the grant significant, compelling, and actionable? 
• Does your funding proposal contain a sense of urgency? 
• Do you clearly understand the mission of the funder? 
• Is this the best organizational match for your funding request? 
• Does your application include a clear summary that articulates your vision for the project and need for the money? 
• Are there specific, measurable goals and objectives? 
• Is there alignment of your needs, goals, and objectives? 
• Does the proposal tie into the school’s overall plan? 
• Does your proposal reflect best practices for instruction and learning? 
• Have you included research data or statistics to support your project? 
• Have you defined success and how you will measure the effectiveness of the project throughout the duration of the grant? 
• Do you have stakeholder buy-in? 
• Have you conveyed what the impact will be on your school or district if you are successful? 
• Have you matched your answers to the grant’s selection criteria?
• Have you allocated staff time to manage the project?
• Is there a detailed budget for your proposal?
• Have you outlined the contributions of the people associated with the application and how their expertise is critical to the project’s success?   
• Has the timeline been cross checked against the budget?
• Do you have a plan in place to submit progress reports as required by the grant? 
• What about sustainability after the funds are spent?  
• How will the needs of the community be met moving forward? 

Technology-Specific Criteria 

• Have you defined the technology required for each part of the proposal? 
• How will the technology assist in implementing the grant goals? 
• Will the technology be used to develop effective strategies for authentic learning? 
• How will the technology be used to improve student achievement or staff development? 
• Have you tied the technology expenses to the proposed budget? 

Even after others have reviewed your application, ask yourself the following questions:

Final Questions to Ask Before You Submit the Application 

Does the proposal:

• Demonstrate a compelling need for the grant?
• Include specific, measurable goals and objectives? 
• Match your answers to the grant’s selection criteria? 
• Explain the expertise of the staff?  
• Describe the commitment to making it work?
• Make it clear that the grant funds are essential?  
• Show what you mean by success and how you will measure it? 
• Steer clear of jargon? 

There’s no knowing exactly what grant readers are looking for but if you’ve checked that you included everything they asked for, your proposal should be in the running. Grant readers generally use a scoring rubric to determine how well you addressed the issues. Some parts carry more weight than others. 

The one below gives you a general idea of how this works.  

Grant Review Rubric

Take a Deep Breath

When you’re certain that you’ve included everything, take a deep breath, and send it. Congratulate yourself on a job well done because whatever the result, you’ve learned a lot and created a great plan. 

What Happens Next

Eventually you will hear from the grant giver. If you win, have your plans in place and be ready to hit the ground running. Make sure that everyone involved understands the project thoroughly and knows exactly what his/her role is in it. Then do what you've said you want to do. Spend on budget items exactly. Measure what you've said you'll test. Send reports on time. Maintain enthusiasm for the project throughout its life. Evaluate the outcomes, thank everyone and keep people motivated. 

If you don't get the grant, contact the funder and ask to read the reviewers' comments about your proposal so you'll know how close you were to winning and what you might want to change for next time.

Read the summaries of projects that did win and analyze why they won. If you think your plan has merit, find another grant offering and propose it again. Maybe the proposal just needs tweaking to succeed or is easily adapted to fit another grant. Don't give up!

If the idea is important and the staff is committed, begin whatever parts you can without the outside funding. Maybe the groups that said they'd contribute funds will help you anyway.

Whether you are starting a project or thinking about the next one, always remember that seeking funds is a journey. Once you embark, there’s no return. You’ll always think about great ideas of how to improve education. And you’ll also have your grant seeking hat on and want to know what is possible. 

*Please participate in this T&L grants tips and advice survey* 

From large, district-wide grants to small, classroom funding, money is out there if you know where to look. The first set of sites below provide information about a wide variety of grants for education. The second set of sites offer fundraising opportunities and/or donation possibilities.

School Grant Search Sites

• Grants.gov
  This federal site allows users to search for federal grants. For example, teachers can look for technology grants by using a key word or clicking on the category. 
• Grant Gopher
  This site offers a free trial of three searches of their database. After that, you can choose a Lite (free) version or subscribe to a Pro account to keep searching for grants. The search looks for grant descriptions that include all the keywords you input. They suggest using only use one or two keywords at a time. 
• Grants Watch
  This site posts federal, state, city, local, and foundation grants that are categorized by type (for example, teacher grants). This site requires a subscription. 
• The Foundation Center
  The Center offers lists of funders in particular areas. A subscription fee is necessary. 

School Fundraising and Donation Sites

• Adopt-A-Classroom
  Donors can target a specific school or the organization will match the donor with a classroom.
• Class Wish
  ClassWish is a nonprofit that lets people contribute to fund any K-12 school or teacher in the country. They help educators and schools get the supplies they need.
• Classy
  Classy fundraising software helps educators raise money online by creating branded fundraising pages to tap into peer-to-peer fundraising, events, direct donation appeals, crowdfunding, and international fundraising. It has reporting and management features.
• Computers for Learning
  Computers For Learning provides computers to classrooms by arranging the transfer of computers from government agencies and the private sector to schools and educational nonprofits. 
• Computer Recycling Center
  The Center collects used computer equipment and reuses and refurbishes them. They then send the computers to Computers and Education so the program can give them to teachers, schools, community programs, foster kids, and disabled elderly through city and county agencies. 
• Customlink
  You can raise money by selling custom t-shirts from this site. They let you take donations with no inventory, hassles or risk. You design your shirt, share why you are raising and then share your campaign. They fill the orders and send along the funds you raise! Custom Ink Fundraising is a great tool for any group, cause or community.
• Digital Wish
  Digital Wish is a non-profit that helps teachers solve technology shortfalls in their classrooms. Teachers can create a wish list of technology and share lesson plans and fundraising ideas with fellow educators across the country.  
• Donors Choose
  Teachers post what they need in particular for classroom projects on the website. A donor can choose to help fund the project and when the project reaches it’s goal, the website send the materials directly to the school. The program supports K-12 classrooms, and public charter schools, in all 50 states across America.

• FirstGiving
  Customize peer-to-peer fundraising pages and host online registration for your events,
• FirstGiving is now part of Panorama, a paid fundraising platform.
• Funding Factory
  Funding Factory is a free fundraising program for schools, nonprofits, and charities that encourages the donation of empty printer cartridges, cell phones, and various other electronic devices. Once these items are recycled, the organization earns points to exchange for new technology.
• Fund For Teachers
  Fund for Teachers supports educators' efforts to develop skills, knowledge and confidence that impact student achievement. 
• FundRazr
  FundRazr is a multi-purpose crowdfunding site for organizational and individual fundraising.
• GoFundMe
  GoFundMe is fundraising software with no subscription fees for charities with unrestricted access to data and robust tools to reach donors.  
• IndieGoGo
  Indiegogo is a launchpad for entrepreneurial ideas. Their guide walks you through every step of a successful project.
• Mightycause
  Mightycause is an all-in-one platform for nonprofit fundraising, donor management, marketing, and more.  
• Kickstarter
  Kickstarter helps people and organizations to raise money for creative projects in the following categories: Art, Comics, Crafts, Dance, Design, Fashion, Film & Video, Food, Games, Journalism, Music, Photography, Publishing, Technology, and Theater.
• LivingTree
  LivingTree helps you to connect teachers, schools, and district with families in one central platform to improve communication and family engagement. And it is a fundraising management platform built specifically for school districts that maximizes fundraising and provides oversight and coordination.
• PledgeCents
  PledgeCents is a quick and easy solution to community funding. They say that every cent counts, so they do not charge a platform fee on any of their fundraisers.

In late March, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Securities Act (CARES Act was signed into law. The stimulus bill earmarked $30.7 billion for states to spend on K-12 education.

As with any education funding legislation, there are many nuances for school administrators to navigate. 

“Future funding for K-12 education depends, in part, on how well these first relief funding options are used,” said Susan Gentz, an expert on state and federal policy initiatives for iNACOL, during Tech & Learning’s recent Future Proofing Your District Plan virtual conference. “So be sure to use your funding sources for good purposes in your districts.”   

Specific Funding Streams for K-12 Districts

Four different funding programs from the CARES Act are intended specifically for K-12 school districts. These are separate programs but linked through the stimulus bill.

1. Elementary and Secondary Relief Fund (ESSER)
   $13.5 billion has been awarded to the states as formula grants based on the same proportion that each state receives under ESSA Title I-A. There are no requirements for how this money is spent. Districts are free to use these funds for whatever they think is best. 
2. Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER)
   $3 billion for governors to allocate emergency support grants at their discretion to help those districts and institutions of higher education that are struggling the most with supporting students during the COVID-19 pandemic. These funds will also be allocated by formulas. The U.S. Department of Education (USDE) will not micromanage how these funds are used, but districts are advised to consider changing their education models. 
3. Microgrants
   $180 million to Rethink K-12 School Models and Continue to Learn grants so states can ensure that students’ families have access to the technology and educational services they need to advance their learning. These competitive grants are controversial as they are like vouchers. But there are no caps on the individual grants. 
4. Student-Centered Funding Pilot
   $3 million is being made available by USDE, authorized by ESSA. It allows up to 50 districts to pool their federal, state, and local dollars to focus aid on low-income or other disadvantaged students. 

How to Apply for Cares Act Funding

In order to get funds to districts as soon as possible, the application process has been streamlined. Nothing in the ESSER application requires districts to present a full, complete plan.

State Education Agencies (SEAs) have until July 1, 2020 to apply for ESSER funding. 

USDE has also provided a state-by-state breakdown of the funds along with the minimum amounts a state can distribute to Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and maximums an SEA can reserve for statewide purchases and decisions. Funds are available until Fall 2022.

• How to Ensure You’re Getting the Most from CARES Act Funds
• CARES Act Stimulus Funds and Grants: What K-12 Districts Need to Know
• How to Win K-12 Technology Grants
• The State Of E-Rate

Waivers from U.S. Department of Education

For this year only, there is a waiver on the restriction of carryover funds allowed from Title I, Part A of ESSA. This is a very important source of funding for districts. Be sure to use this before other funding sources or bundle it with your stimulus funds. 

States need to apply for waivers from USDE, including:

• Spending restrictions on technology infrastructure in Title IV, Part A
• Content-specific spending requirements
• The definition of professional development to help shift to new and different ways to train school leaders in effective learning techniques, such as through remote learning. 

How to Use Carryover Funds

All school districts are allowed to carry over as much Title I money as they want from this academic year to the next. Administrators should think about developing strategies to bundle carryover funds with new stimulus money to maximize this year’s investment opportunities. 

In addition to academic and technology funding, the coronavirus pandemic and the shift to learning from home has created stress and anxiety for students and teachers. Districts may want to consider support services they should offer to address these issues.

Additional Cares Act Funding Resources

• U.S. Department of Education
• What Congressional COVID Funding Means for K-12 Schools
• CARES Act Stimulus Funds and Grants: What K-12 Districts Need to Know
• Alliance for Education CARES Act Summary of K-12 Education Provisions
• Susan Gentz Blog at K20 Connect

To assist schools with issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress passed the CARES Act, which earmarked $30.7 billion for states, with additional funds requested but not yet approved. These funds for the upcoming year are not dependent on schools returning fully to on-campus learning, but can be used to support remote learning or a hybrid approach.

During a recent presentation at Future Proofing Your District Plan, Susan Gentz, a public policy expert, shared information about the various funding streams available to K-12 schools through the CARES Act.  

The Funding Streams 

The following funding programs are separate programs that are linked through the stimulus bill and are specifically intended for K-12 schools.

Elementary and Secondary Relief Fund (ESSER):  $13.5 billion has been awarded to the states as formula grants based on the same proportion that each state receives under ESSA Title I-A. There are no funding restrictions.

Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER):  $3 billion for governors to allocate according to funding formulas to support students who are struggling the most from the impact of the coronavirus. Districts are encouraged to change their education models. 

Microgrants: $180 million to Rethink K-12 School Models and Continue to Learn grants that are intended for families to help provide access to the technology required to advance student learning. These are competitive grants.

Student-Centered Funding Pilot: $3 million is being made available by USDOE, authorized by ESSA, to allow up to 50 districts to pool their federal, state, and local dollars to focus aid on low-income or other disadvantaged students. 

The other important factor in funding this year is that the cap on carryover funds leftover from Title I, Part A of ESSA has been waived. This means districts can carry over any unused funds and that can be bundled with CARES Act funding. However, Gentz cautions districts to use these carryover funds first so it’s not lost.

Questions District Leaders Need to Ask to Maximize Funding 

Most districts will likely see a shortfall of regular funding due to the pandemic and economic downturn, so it’s important to maximize these funding sources this year. 

Here are some questions that district leaders should consider when planning to ensure they are getting the most out of these stimulus funds.

• By what date must our carryover funds be used?
• How are we planning to use the stimulus funds? Funds must be spent by September 2022. 
• Is our state allowing us to retroactively pay for purchases we’ve already made? If so, how much of that money is already spent?  
• How can we bundle carryover and stimulus funds? 
• What are we doing with funding and waivers to prepare for a fall semester different from any other we’ve ever had? 
• How can we reimagine professional learning and streamline opportunities for our educators? 
• How are we ensuring access and equity for all students? 
• Will we apply for microgrants? 
• What process will we use to consider various diagnostic assessments to be used to understand each student’s academic and social-emotional needs? 

“Future federal funding depends to some degree on how well these initial stimulus funds are used,” said Gentz. “So it’s important to put these funds to good use.” 

To aid school systems implementing remote learning initiatives resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, Discovery Education and the National Afterschool Association have launched the Virtual Learning Response Fund.  

The Virtual Learning Response Fund enlists the private sector’s support in delivering ongoing professional learning to help educators transition to virtual instruction.  The initiative aims to help ensure equity of access to research-based strategies to support student academic growth amidst the challenges of school closures. 

"Providing students the instruction they need to be successful while learning virtually has been my goal, and the goal of my school, since the first day of this crisis" said  Ana Hale, iTeach Educational Technology Specialist, Fulton County Schools. "But for many of my colleagues, teaching students in a virtual environment is a brand-new experience. The support of the Virtual Learning Response Fund will be critical in helping us meet this goal now and in the future.” 

Learn more about the Virtual Learning Response Fund here. 

Discovery Education is currently offering schools and school systems not currently using the company’s digital services free access to Discovery Education Experience. Schools accepting this offer will have access to Discovery Education’s K-12 learning platform, including DE Coding, and its digital lesson plans, activities, and standards-aligned resources through the remainder of the school year. In addition, Discovery Education is offering a suite of no cost resources for parents and caregivers called Daily DE that can be used at home. For more information, visit Discovery Education’s comprehensive Virtual Learning resource website. 

In a time when unity is particularly important, Congress reached a bipartisan agreement to pass a $2.2 trillion dollar stimulus package. The aim is to pump funds to citizens as well as agencies that are providing essential services during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this historic funding package (known as the CARES Act), $16.5 billion is set to go directly to state and local education agencies.

 The Breakdown of Funding for K-12 Education 

Through the CARES Act, Congress has allocated $13.5 billion to K-12 education virtual offerings alone. To put this in perspective, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) currently allocates $1.21 billion in technology dollars (Title IV-A) for the entire country. In a state-by-state estimate provided by the United States Department of Education (USDE), the largest states in America are set to get more than $1 billion, which will provide a major funding increase for remote learning and education technology services. (Click here for the list of state-by-state estimates.)

The stimulus formula grants to states will be based on the same proportion that each state receives under ESSA Title-IA. States will then distribute 90% of funds to local educational agencies (LEAs) based on their proportional allocation of ESEA Title I-A funds. State Education Agencies (SEAs) are allowed to take 10% of the funding for emergency needs, which will be determined by each state.

The requirements for how the funds are to be spent do not specify how much can be used for devices, curriculum, or connectivity. The idea is that districts can allocate these funds to provide maximum equity for their students—which will look different for every district.

Along with the $13.5 billion, the CARES Act also provides $3 billion for governors to allocate emergency support grants at their discretion to local educational agencies and institutions of higher education that have been most significantly impacted by COVID-19.

Other Flexibility

Along with additional funding, the legislation also gives local education agencies (LEAs) the ability to request waivers for specific provisions under Title IV-A of ESSA. This includes the ability to waive the requirement for a needs assessment to be conducted for any amount received over $30,000 (Section 4106(D)) There is also a waiver on the cap of the use of 15% on technology for any LEA receiving $30,000 or more (Section 4109(b)). 

These waivers allow school districts to utilize Title IV-A funds at their discretion with fewer restrictions during this transition to distance learning. If a district has not yet used all Title IV-A dollars, those may certainly be used towards making the transition to remote learning as well. 

Moving Forward

Now that district leaders are starting to learn what their funding allocations will look like, they’re working on prioritizing and planning how they will use these dollars. The stimulus bill was passed just recently, so the USDE will now issue an application and will likely provide guidance as well.

These are unprecedented times, and since the aim is to get the funds to the districts quickly, the process may look different than it has for other formula grants. The USDE has said that once they receive an application for stimulus funds, the plan must be approved within four weeks. 

Many advocates argue that this funding is a good first step, but that it’s not enough. Congress is already talking about a “Phase Four,” and it appears that, once again, House leadership, Senate leadership, and the President are all in agreement that broadband and infrastructure should be high priorities. Some sources are saying that a vote on this package could take place as early as April 20. 

Education leaders have been calling for a focus on connecting every student—either through the Federal Communications Commission’s E-Rate program or through additional funding. Congress appears to be listening to these leaders, and there will likely be additional funding and flexibilities with the next phase of funding.

Check back for updates as more information on the timeline becomes available from the USDE, in addition to updates from Congress on additional funding.

Dr. Kecia Ray is president of K20Connect and the former CTO of Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, where she oversaw the design, implementation, and evaluation of instructional technology programs including instructional design for online and blended learning environments and library services. Dr. Ray is a member of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), where she served as Chair of the ISTE Board of Directors from 2012 until January 2017. 

Susan Gentz is vice president of K20Connect and comes from a strong policy background as a former staffer in the U.S. Senate and Legislative Aide in the Iowa House of Representatives. Along with experience at both federal and state levels, she served as the Deputy Executive Director for the Center for Digital Education, worked for a government relations firm in Arlington, VA, and heavily worked on federal and state education policy at iNACOL, where she wrote published reports to move the field forward with innovative learning models, best practices, and policy recommendations. 

Richard Culatta, CEO of ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), issued the following statement following the release of the Trump Administration’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2021:

 “The Administration’s proposal to radically consolidate more than two dozen K–12 programs into a single block grant is the wrong direction at this critical time and contrary to the bipartisan spirit of the Every Student Succeeds Act. We believe the Administration should fully fund all parts of the law, including Titles II-A and IV-A, both of which are important to edtech implementation and learning. We call on Congress to appropriate funds in accordance with the law because we know funded programs are making a difference in classrooms every day and must continue to do so.” 

K-12 schools and districts face new budget shortfalls as demand increases for hardware, software, and infrastructure. As traditional sources of funding decrease, securing grants is a reasonable supplement to established funding although competition can be stiff. You can improve the odds of winning grants with these successful strategies and best practices.

Click here to download our free Grant Writing Guide that includes grant sources, step-by-step grant writing tips, a grant-writing rubric, and strategies for grant writing success. 

Click here for a 2020 calendar of K-12 grant opportunities. 

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) applauds Congress’ continued support for students in the fiscal year 2020 Labor Health and Human Services-Education appropriations omnibus, which includes $1.21 billion for the Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) grant program, authorized under Title IV, Part A of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and $2.13 billion for Title II, Part A, which supports educator professional development.

“It’s refreshing to see members of Congress put aside politics to do what is right by our country’s students and educators,” said ISTE CEO Richard Culatta.“It is no secret that schools continue to face strained budgets that restrict resources and prevent smart innovations that will improve learning and prepare students for the future.”

The omnibus includes a $76 million increase for Title II-A. Title IV-A, the $1.17 billion flexible block grant program, saw a slight increase in the bill, gaining another $40 million in FY2020. In addition, the bill also includes $7 million for an Open Textbook Pilot that will fund a new competition next year. The entire budget bill now proceeds for signing by the president. 

The Federal Communications Commission recently invited public comment on a proposal to establish an aggregate cap on the federal Universal Service Fund (USF) and to rank-order the four USF programs relative to each other, including the E-rate program. E-rate - and the three other independent USF programs that serve farms, rural clinics, and low income Americans - already have program level budget caps. The new cap proposed could serve as the basis for reallocating resources among the four district USF programs, which could cause recurring funding shortfalls for the E-rate program and disrupt long-term district broadband infrastructure planning. Educators can access CoSN's filing in this proceeding here. 

How can school districts help? 

CoSn recommends that ed tech leaders communicate their concerns about a new aggregate cap, and a related proposal to merge the program-level caps for the E-rate and Rural Health Care programs. 

District leaders can participate in the rule making using the FCC's "Express Comment" system, by completing the following steps:

Comments must be filed no later than: August 26th.

• Click here to visit the FCC's Express Comment webpage.
• Enter the following "Proceeding Number" in the top field and hit return: 06-122
• Provide your contact information in the other fields.
• Use the following talking points, using your own words, to complete the "Brief Comments" field:

• As an education technology leader, I oppose the FCC's proposal to establish and aggregate cap on the Universal Service Fund, including the E-rate program
• My school district depends on the E-rate to help connect students to broadband. The program's existing cap ensures E-rate's fiscal integrity. Creating a new overarching USF cap, along with prioritizing the USF programs, will only serve to pit the E-rate and other USF programs against each other, to the detriment of students and other consumers who are often on the wrong side of the digital divide.
• I strongly encourage the Commission to abandon this USF caps proposal and instead focus on strengthening the E-rate for future generations of students.

Key trends from this year’s E-rate application period include:  

• The number of program participants and the count of sites receiving support remained steady.
• The price of Category 1 broadband connectivity continues to drop, and applications for internal connections this year were at the highest level since 2016.
• The demand for Category 2 Wi-Fi and other on-campus connectivity remains strong.

Register for the FY2019 Filing Window Recap Webinar taking place on April 17. Educators also have the opportunity to provide direct input to policy makers by submitting to the 2019 E-rate Applicant Survey.