$240,000 in Mini Grants to Address Education Inequities - Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education)

$240,000 in Grants to Address Education Inequities - Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces $240,000 in Grants to Address Inequities that Deepened During Pandemic

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond today announced that the California Department of Education (CDE) has selected 12 recipients of mini grants, totaling more than $240,000, that will fund local efforts across the state to address equity and opportunity gaps through supporting educator and student needs in distance learning, in-person instruction, and hybrid models.

Since the applications were announced in December 2020 as part of CDE’s ongoing efforts to address the COVID-19 pandemic’s continued impact on students, more than 400 schools and districts across California applied for the grants, which are funded by contributions from philanthropic partners. The funds must be used to advance equity and close opportunity and access gaps. The grantees are given discretion to decide how they will address the topic of equity. The list of grantees is at the end of this press release.

“It’s been an unprecedented, unpredictable year for our schools, and California’s educators have been looking for resources and support to ensure that students can still attend class, access a great education, and learn and achieve during the pandemic,” Thurmond said. “Congratulations to these school districts for showing their communities that they’re committed to recognizing and addressing opportunity gaps during the pandemic and providing targeted supports to students and families who have been struggling.”

Issues addressed by the grant funds include transportation, internet connectivity, modifying spaces to serve as family resource centers, one-on-one academic intervention, mentorship for students struggling with distance learning and asynchronous instruction, small group tutoring, home visits, professional development for educators needing assistance with technology, and a variety of other family engagement activities.

Since last spring, the State Superintendent and the CDE have maintained an ongoing and urgent focus on addressing the numerous access and opportunity gaps that impact student learning—gaps that, in many cases, have deepened and become newly exposed during the pandemic. During the past year, the CDE has secured hundreds of thousands of computing devices for students, pressured internet service providers to expand access, bolstered mental health and counseling resources, made it easier for schools to provide meals, and provided guidance and dozens of training opportunities for educators to strengthen distance learning for California’s highest-need students.

As the state continues to battle COVID-19, CDE will continue to support efforts to protect the health and safety of school communities while providing the custom supports needed to ensure learning continues and improves.

The Equity Mini Grant recipients and intended uses of funds are:

• Antioch Unified School District: $20,000 to implement home-visit teams to gain engagement from students and provide support to students and families that are currently not showing high engagement/attendance.
• Castaic High School: $20,000 to pay for district buses to pick up students from a central location in an underserved neighborhood.
• Colusa Unified School District: $20,000 for transitioning the current Colusa High School Library to serve as a student and parent resource center.
• Imperial Unified School District: $20,000 to support internet connectivity for our students who live in an underserved area.
• Kern High School District: $20,000 to provide one-to-one academic intervention and support for students with unique needs who have failed multiple classes.
• Lakeside Union School District: $20,000 to provide mentor support to students who continue to struggle with engagement in asynchronous instruction.
• Riverside County Special Education: $20,000 to purchase book bags, books (English/Spanish sets), educational materials/manipulatives for arts and crafts, and staff mileage reimbursement for the home delivery of weekly literacy bags.
• San Ysidro School District: $20,000 to provide support services to students and families to address the academic and technological needs of students and families.
• Sundale Union Elementary School District: $20,000 to strengthen family connection with parents by having students on campus in small cohorts during non-school days/intercessions.
• Tehachapi Unified School District: $21,352.32 to provide additional opportunities for credit recovery for seniors who are at risk of not graduating.
• Twin Rivers Unified School District: $20,000 to train and provide support to teachers displaying the highest needs for support during distance learning.
• West Contra Costa Unified School District: $20,000 to expand capacity to provide outreach and mentorship to students by hiring a full-time mentor through the Peacemaker program.

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Tony Thurmond — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5602, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100

$240,000 in Grants to Address Education Inequities - Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education)

African American Studies Virtual Classroom Session + Funding Results: 2020-21 Specialized Secondary Programs (SSP) Grant - Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education)

African American Studies Virtual Classroom Session - Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Convenes Discussion with Educators, Students on African American Studies During Ethnic Studies Virtual Classroom Session

SACRAMENTO—Building on the success of last summer’s Ethnic Studies Webinar Series, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond yesterday launched the second part of the series with “Arts, Activism, and Americana: Understanding African American Studies.” The event yesterday, hosted by Dr. Daniel Lee, Deputy Superintendent of Equity at the California Department of Education (CDE), included a mini lesson from Dr. Natalie Graham, California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) and featured past and present CSUF students, who shared their journey to getting degrees in African American Studies and how the discipline has served them.

An archived broadcast of the webinar can be found on the CDE Facebook page.

As the State Board of Education prepares to review a revised Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum in a public meeting later next month, these virtual classroom sessions are opportunities for students, educators, and families to learn more about four disciplines of ethnic studies: African American Studies, Asian American and Pacific Islander Studies, Chicana/o/x and Latina/o/x Studies, and Native American Studies.

“As our nation experiences an urgent movement for racial justice, students and educators have told us that they want further lessons to highlight the struggles, histories, and contributions from people of color in our state and national history,” Thurmond said. “We’re proud to present these virtual classes, and be in a position to create an ethnic studies framework. Through learning about contributions of people of color, as well as the way in which many different groups across racial and economic lines have come together to build a better country, we can more easily envision our shared path forward—one that better serves all of us.”

Ethnic studies courses offer a space for students to explore complex issues of race, identity, and how socio-cultural contexts shape lives, and the CDE’s ethnic studies “virtual classrooms” provide a space for that conversation.

Dr. Graham, Director of CSU Fullerton’s Institute of Black Intellectual Innovation and Chair of the CSUF Department of African American Studies, adapted her mini-lesson from her African American Music Appreciation course that demonstrates the way that college students use what they already know about music history and culture as a stepping-stone into understanding the complexities of African American history. CSUF student Vyvyana Woolridge discussed her experiences in ethnic studies and how it has helped to better her college experience. And CSUF alumna Keya Vance explained how positive relationships with her professors, new topics introduced to her, and opportunities that have come post-graduation, were all benefits of choosing African American Studies as a major.

More details about future Ethnic Studies Webinar Series sessions will be posted on CDE’s social media channels.

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Tony Thurmond — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5602, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100

African American Studies Virtual Classroom Session - Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education)

Funding Results: 2020-21 Specialized Secondary Programs (SSP) Grant (CA Dept of Education) - https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/fo/r17/ssp20c7results.asp

Schott Foundation's 2020 Grantmaking Impact + Eight #EdJustice Policy Wins that Give us Hope for 2021 | Schott Foundation for Public Education

Schott Foundation's 2020 Grantmaking Impact | Schott Foundation for Public Education

Schott Foundation's 2020 Grantmaking Impact

Fueling the frontlines of social progress with philanthropic support is central to Schott’s strategy to advance racial justice in public education. In a year like no other, Schott’s 2020 grantmaking was more nimble, diverse, and participatory than ever before. $1.64 million in philanthropic support went to the education justice movement: to continue our work with longstanding partners, to supply quickly-needed resources to mutual aid groups in the wake of COVID-19, and to seize the movement moment to help advocates win police-free schools.  In addition to our direct grantmaking support, Schott staff supported our community partners in obtaining an additional $380,000 in support from other foundations.

Schott Foundation makes grants across the United States, including Puerto Rico. The geographic impact of our grants reflect our ongoing commitment to the US South and to movement building efforts in the Northeast and in California.

Grantmaking by Region

Formed early last spring, our Loving Communities Response Fund for Racial Justice (LCRF) was the first COVID-specific response fund formed in the philanthropic sector that, in responding to the movement’s needs, soon expanded its work from supporting mutual aid into organizing in response to demands for police-free schools.

In 2020, LCRF made 55 grants to local, community-based organizations, most at the $5,000-$10,000 level, determined by an advisory board of grassroots education justice organizations.

LCRF Grants by Region

In addition to giving grants, Schott also contributed nearly 900 hours of technical assistance and support to the education justice movement: our staff worked with our grantees on communications, fundraising, and strategy helping to elevate their important work and increase their capacity. Learn more about our 2020 work here, including our sponsored webinars and top blog posts >

Amid the lockdowns from COVID-19 and the racial justice uprisings against police brutality, our partners and allies achieved significant wins in 2020, from police-free schools to protecting DACA to restoring school district voting rights. See the eight key policy wins from 2020 that inspire us for the year ahead >

Your support of the Schott Foundation is critical to helping us nurture and grow the education justice movement. 2021 must be a transformative year: please join and support us in order to ensure all children have the opportunity to learn.

Schott Foundation's 2020 Grantmaking Impact | Schott Foundation for Public Education

Eight #EdJustice Policy Wins that Give us Hope for 2021 | Schott Foundation for Public Education - http://schottfoundation.org/node/4300

2021–22 SBP and SMP Start-up and Expansion Grants - Nutrition (CA Dept of Education)

2021–22 SBP and SMP Start-up and Expansion Grants - Nutrition (CA Dept of Education)

2021–22 SBP and SMP Start-up and Expansion Grants

The California Department of Education (CDE) Nutrition Services Division (NSD) is pleased to announce the availability of School Year 2021–22 School Breakfast Program (SBP) and Summer Meal Programs (SMP) Start-up and Expansion Grants.

Background Information

The state Legislature appropriates approximately $1.017 million in the annual state budget for SBP and SMP Start-up and Expansion Grants. California Education Code Section 49550.3, authorizes the CDE to award competitive grants of up to $15,000 per school site for nonrecurring expenses incurred when initiating or expanding an SBP or SMP.

For more information about the SBP and SMP grants and eligibility requirements, visit the CDE Breakfast Grant web page.

Grant Application Package and Deadline

The grant application package and instructions for these grants are available on the CDE SBP and SMP Grant Request for Applications web page. Please note that SFAs must complete the grant application online.

The online application closes on Monday, March 1, 2021, at 4 p.m., at which time the CDE will no longer accept applications.

Contact Information

If you have questions regarding this subject, please contact Tara Masse, Program Analyst, by phone at 916-323-7177 or the Breakfast Grant team by email at breakfastgrant@cde.ca.gov.

Questions:   Nutrition Services Division | 800-952-5609

2021–22 SBP and SMP Start-up and Expansion Grants - Nutrition (CA Dept of Education)

Mini Grants to Address Equity Now Available - Year 2020 (CA Dept of Education)

Mini Grants to Address Equity Now Available - Year 2020 (CA Dept of Education)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces Mini Grants Now Available to Educators to Address Equity and Opportunity Gaps

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond today announced that California school districts and charter schools can now begin applying for mini grants to address equity and opportunity gaps in student learning.

Announced earlier this month as part of its ongoing efforts to address the COVID-19 pandemic’s continued impact on students, the California Department of Education (CDE) will award grants of up to $20,000 each to schools, districts, and charter schools that can demonstrate how they will address equity and opportunity gaps by utilizing the funds to target educators’ or students’ needs in distance learning, in-person instruction, or hybrid models.

The application process and criteria were emailed to all county and district superintendents and charter school administrators in California earlier today, and the deadline to apply is 5 p.m. Friday, January 8, 2021. The grants have been funded through a $200,000 contribution from the Stuart Foundation.

“Educators need every tool possible to implement strategies that support students who have been hit hardest by the inequitable impacts of this public health crisis,” Thurmond said. “I am proud to continue providing direct resources to our schools, and while they are small in size, these mini grants can go a long way in a community trying to reach and engage its struggling students.”

The funds must be used to advance equity and to close equity gaps. The grantees are given discretion to decide how they will address the topic of equity. For example, grantees can address equity and opportunity gaps by utilizing the funds to target educators’ or students’ needs with in-person instruction or distance learning.

Other examples of how grants can be used include supporting educator and/or staff professional development that has proven to be successful in targeting or closing equity gaps. Professional development could be in the form of training or a mentoring program. Providing stipends for mentors who assist mentees in adjusting to the current distance learning landscape is another eligible use.

Additionally, funds can be used for purchasing items or materials needed to address inequity; however, they should not be used solely for the purpose of purchasing materials.

Local educational agencies are encouraged to consider ways grant dollars can be used to support activities that address equity gaps in the form of community and family engagement. For instance, families that have been disengaged with schools may benefit from activities that support and strengthen engagement. Funding can be used to support activities that have been proven to strengthen family connection and involvement with their children’s learning.

All questions regarding the mini grant process can directed by email to equitygrants@cde.ca.gov.

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Tony Thurmond — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5602, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100

Last Reviewed: Wednesday, December 16, 2020

Mini Grants to Address Equity Now Available - Year 2020 (CA Dept of Education)

New Grants and Training to Address Learning Gaps - Year 2020 (CA Dept of Education)

New Grants and Training to Address Learning Gaps - Year 2020 (CA Dept of Education)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces Additional Educator Trainings and Grants to Address Equity and Learning Gaps

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced Tuesday that the California Department of Education (CDE) is launching additional virtual educator trainings and mini-grants designed to accelerate ongoing efforts to address equity gaps, strengthen distance learning, and support students’ social emotional wellness during the pandemic.

The latest professional development webinars and the new grant opportunities are the latest efforts to build on the CDE’s training, guidance, and direct assistance provided to schools and educators throughout the months-long pandemic.

“Like all educators, I am concerned about the pandemic’s continued impact on our students, especially those students already pushed to the margins by historic and systemic inequities that have existed for generations and created persistent barriers to educational opportunity,” Thurmond said. “We know that until we eradicate the COVID-19 virus, some forms of remote learning will remain necessary in the weeks and months ahead for our schools to continue safe teaching and learning. That means we must continue putting resources into supporting our educators who are going above and beyond to engage all students.”

The upcoming professional development webinars include:

SEL Workshop for School Well-Being: Monday, December 14, 2020, 3:30-4:30 p.m. via Zoom and CDE Facebook Live. Coordinated in partnership with Beyond Differences and the Social Emotional Learning Alliance for California, this interactive professional development webinar for educators will provide resources and strategies for building supportive connections with students in the virtual world across K–12 grade levels.

Effective Distance Learning Practices and Home-School Connections: Wednesday, December 16, 2020, 3:30-5 p.m., via Zoom and CDE Facebook Live. Coordinated in partnership with leading equity groups the California Association of Bilingual Education and the Parent Institute for Quality Education, this webinar will highlight evidence-based distance learning strategies that are working for students, with an emphasis on reaching and supporting students who are historically underserved in public schools.

Mini-Grants for Equity: Funded through a $200,000 contribution from the Stuart Foundation, the CDE will award grants of up to $20,000 each to schools, districts, and charter schools that can demonstrate how they will address equity and opportunity gaps by utilizing the funds to target educators’ or students’ needs in distance learning, in-person instruction, or hybrid models. Funds can be used for a variety of purposes including professional development, family engagement, or other activities that strengthen student learning and connections. More details, grant criteria, and the application process will be issued in the coming days.

The resources announced are a continuation of the CDE’s ongoing professional development for educators during this pandemic, including dozens of webinars on the CDE Coronavirus Webinars web page, on the CDE Facebook page, the CDE YouTube channel, published guidance, the distribution of weekly resources to school districts, and more.

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Tony Thurmond — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5602, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100

New Grants and Training to Address Learning Gaps - Year 2020 (CA Dept of Education)

$420K in Grants Donated to Digital DIvide Fund - Year 2020 (CA Dept of Education)

$420K in Grants Donated to Digital DIvide Fund - Year 2020 (CA Dept of Education)

Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces $420,000 in Grants to the Bridging the Digital Divide Fund to Benefit Students in Southern California

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond today announced that Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), in partnership with the San Diego Foundation, have donated a total of $420,000 to the Bridging the Digital Divide Fund. SDG&E and the San Diego Foundation’s grant of $100,000 to the Classroom of the Future Foundation will address the digital divide among tribal K–12 youth in San Diego County. SoCalGas’ portion of $320,000 will be split into five grants to separate organizations in Southern California for specific work to close the digital divide. SoCalGas and SDG&E are part of the Sempra Energy family of companies.

This contribution to the Bridging the Digital Divide Fund, established by the Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation (CDE Foundation), supports the California Department of Education’s (CDE) Closing the Digital Divide Task Force. The COVID-19 pandemic forced an estimated 97 percent of California’s 6.2 million students to begin their school year in distance learning. The task force has been working since April on behalf of California’s most vulnerable students and families who continue to experience barriers to internet access and distance learning.

“This is a difficult time for all of us, and the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated access issues to technology, placing additional strain and stress on some of our most underserved populations who still lack the basic tools to connect to their learning,” said Thurmond. “Through my Closing the Digital Divide Task Force, formed to secure devices and reduced-cost internet service, I have asked 100 of California’s top companies to step up and help close this gap. I commend SDG&E and SoCalGas for answering that call and for their investment toward lifting up every child, an example I hope others will follow.”

“Both of our companies have a long history of supporting school and community programs that help underserved children overcome barriers to success. Now more than ever, our schools, teachers, and students need us to step up to help fill the gaps so no child is left behind, especially during this challenging time,” said Eugene “Mitch” Mitchell, vice president of state governmental affairs and external affairs for SDG&E and SoCalGas.

The $100,000 Classroom of the Future grant was made through the San Diego Foundation’s COVID-19 Community Response Fund, which SDG&E seeded. SDG&E has contributed $2.5 million to the fund and has plans to donate another $500,000 in early 2021. The grant will address the digital divide among tribal K–12 youth in San Diego County by providing laptops and mobile hotspots. According to Classroom of the Future Foundation and the San Diego County Office of Education, there are more than 350 tribal students across several San Diego County school districts who are unable to fully participate in distance learning because they lack computers and/or internet connectivity.

SoCalGas’ $320,000 in total grants will benefit five local organizations to help meet specific needs: Southeast Community Development Corporation will provide students from South Los Angeles with a Chromebook, earbuds, hotspots, and tutoring. STEAM Coders will provide STEAM programming to more than 1,100 K–12 students enrolled in four schools located in Los Angeles, Inglewood, and Claremont and will provide 140 high-grade laptops with 120 hotspots. Southern California Indian Center will supply 100 laptops and hotspots to low-income Native American children throughout Los Angeles County and Orange County. YMCA Greater Metropolitan Los Angeles will purchase equipment to extend their wi-fi access to the outside of each of their 26 branches. Community Coalition (South Los Angeles) will sponsor laptops, hotspots, and Microsoft Office for students in Los Angeles Unified School District.

Since April, the State Superintendent and his task force—in collaboration with the Governor’s Office, state lawmakers, and nonprofits such as the CDE Foundation—have been working to remove inequitable barriers to student access by working with internet service providers, tech companies, device manufacturers, and other groups to increase access to devices and internet connections.

The CDE and the task force have since partnered with a few major technology companies and internet service providers to put together programs to make it easier for schools to acquire necessary equipment and services for their students. Local educational agencies (LEAs) are encouraged to start the process now as devices are in high demand across the country. LEA staff can view more information at the CDE Securing Devices and Connectivity for Students web page.

At the same time, the Governor’s Office and lawmakers included $5.3 billion in one-time funding in the state budget for schools to strengthen distance learning heading into the same year. These funds can be used immediately for purchasing needed technology, and more information can be found on the CDE’s Learning Loss Mitigation Funding web page.

Read more about the CDE Foundation Bridging the Digital Divide Fund.

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Tony Thurmond — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5602, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100

$420K in Grants Donated to Digital DIvide Fund - Year 2020 (CA Dept of Education)

Schott Receives $2.25M Racial Equity Grant from Nellie Mae Education Foundation | Schott Foundation for Public Education

Schott Receives $2.25M Racial Equity Grant from Nellie Mae Education Foundation | Schott Foundation for Public Education

Schott Receives $2.25M Racial Equity Grant from Nellie Mae Education Foundation

The Schott Foundation has a long history of partnership with the Nellie Mae Education Foundation for capacity building for education and racial justice organizing. In this critical moment, we are honored to announce that Schott will receive a $2.25M grant as part of Nellie Mae’s significantly expanded funding to address anti-Black racism in public education.

“We congratulate and thank Nellie Mae for their escalated anti-racism leadership in philanthropy and making a significant contribution to the field that will help so many Black- and Brown-led organizations like Schott resource critical multi-racial, intergenerational, people-powered movements for racial justice,” said Marianna Islam, Schott’s Director of Programs and Advocacy.

Through the Nellie Mae–Schott partnership, Schott will expand its pivotal intermediary work leveraging significant philanthropic investments for education justice organizing efforts from Massachusetts to several states across the New England region. In addition, Schott will provide key parent-, student-, and educator-led grassroots organizations and national alliances with relationship-centered communications, networking and policy advocacy supports.  

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The Schott Foundation is a national public fund serving as a bridge between philanthropic partners and advocates to build movements to provide students a fair and substantive opportunity to learn.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Shawna Ellis
se@schottfoundation.org

Schott Receives $2.25M Racial Equity Grant from Nellie Mae Education Foundation | Schott Foundation for Public Education

AFT Leaders Announce Innovation Fund COVID-19 Response Grants | Black Star News

AFT Leaders Announce Innovation Fund COVID-19 Response Grants | Black Star News

AFT LEADERS ANNOUNCE INNOVATION FUND COVID-19 RESPONSE GRANTS

American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten and Executive Vice President Evelyn DeJesus issued the following statement announcing the AFT Innovation Fund’s COVID-19 response grants for the 2020-21 school year.

For more than a decade, the AFT Innovation Fund has made millions of dollars of grants available to AFT affiliates to advance teaching and learning, improve schools, and to enhance the communities in which our members live and work.

AFT President Randi Weingarten:

“We started the AFT Innovation Fund in 2009 because we know that educators working together with the resources and freedom to teach will put their ideas, ingenuity and passion to work to benefit their students and communities. Today, while our country grapples with multiple crises, these grants are a spark of hope for educators on the frontlines as they search for solutions to some of the greatest challenges facing schools today.

“From helping fund the personal protective equipment that 90 percent of educators purchase out of their own pockets, to protecting teachers and students in rural West Virginia as schools reopen, to expanding virtual learning academies for parents of English language learners in Washington, D.C., and funding trauma-centered student and family support programs in Florida, this funding is a sorely needed seed for renewal that counters the Trump administration’s failure to tackle the health, educational and economic consequences of this pandemic.

“Our hope is that through the AFT Innovation Fund, we can step up and support the knowledge, care and ingenuity of educators, their unions and their students in this time of unprecedented national turmoil.”

AFT Executive Vice President Evelyn DeJesus:

“We recognize that during these extraordinary times, educators are working in extraordinary ways. They are going above and beyond to meet the needs of their students That’s why the AFT Innovation Fund is proudly awarding COVID-19 response grants to help support locals’ efforts to mitigate the short- and long-term impacts of COVID-19 in our communities. Large or small, urban or rural and everything in between, this pandemic has affected all of us.”

The AFT is pleased to announce 13 grantees in this first round of funding, totaling approximately $275,000. A second round of funding will be announced later in the school year.

This round’s recipients are: CONTINUE READING: AFT Leaders Announce Innovation Fund COVID-19 Response Grants | Black Star News