This section contains information on education related ARRA information for the past week.
ARRA WEEK IN REVIEW
November 9 - 13
ARRA in Colorado
· On November 11, Education Weekly published an article describing ColoradoÕs aggressive bid for "Race to the Top."
· On November 13, the final public meeting for "Race to the Top" was conducted in the Old Supreme Court Chambers at the state capitol.
U.S. Department of Education
· On November 9, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced that application requirements for the final $11.5 billion in State Fiscal Stabilization Funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 are available.
· On November 12, the Department of Education released the final application for the "Race to the Top Fund," which will reward states that have raised student performance in the past and have the capacity to accelerate achievement gains with innovative reforms.
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ARRA WEEK IN REVIEW
November 2 -6
ARRA in Colorado
· An article in EdNews Colorado indicated that 18% of ARRA stimulus funds will go to education.
U.S. Department of Education
· On November 2, the Department conducted the seventh in a series of Technical Assistance Webcasts designed to assist ED grantees and sub-grantees in managing ARRA grants. The topic was "Cost Allocation and Indirect Costs."
· The U.S. Department of Education will issue a report detailing the findings from ARRA Section 1512 Recipient Reporting that will summarize funding and jobs data by state as well as by program. This report will be posted http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/spending/impact.html.
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ARRA WEEK IN REVIEW
October 26 - 30
ARRA in Colorado
· On October 27, Governor Ritter announced the Job and Spending Data for ARRA in Colorado.
· On October 28, Lt. Governor Barbara O'Brien testified at the Aspen Institute's hearing on Teacher Effectiveness and Leadership Development.
· The U.S. Department of Education announced that public meetings will be held across the country to inform the development of the "Race to the Top" competition. One of these meetings will be held in Denver on December 1-2, focusing upon "Assessing English Language Learners".
U.S. Department of Education
· The large increases in Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) ARRA funds have led to concerns from the public and Congress about IDEA provisions under which districts may reduce the level of local, or State and local, expenditures. In response to these concerns, the Department issued a Dear Colleague letter that urges states to maintain high standards for their annual determination of whether or not Local Education Authorities (LEA) are in "meets requirements" status as defined in Section 616 of IDEA.
· The Department of Education announced in the Federal Register that public meetings will be held across the country to gather input to inform the development of the "Race to the Top" competition.
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ARRA WEEK IN REVIEW
October 19-23
ARRA in Colorado
• On October 21, Governor Ritter’s office posted the final schedule of “Race to the Top” meetings.
U.S. Department of Education
• On October 20, the Department of Education announced that it will hold public meetings across the country to listen and learn from assessment experts and practitioners.
• The Department submitted the following regarding “Race to the Top” to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB):
a) the notice of final priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria;
b) the notice inviting applications; and
c) the application for “Race to the Top".
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ARRA WEEK IN REVIEW
October 12-16
ARRA in Colorado
- On October 13, Governor Ritter announced that more than 20 agencies and higher education institutions successfully submitted spending and job information regarding the over $1 billion in grants and loans awarded to Colorado via ARRA.
- On October 15, the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) announced that Commissioner of Education Dwight D. Jones will meet with school superintendents and community members in 11 cities in Colorado to provide information and answer questions about the effort to win a share of the “Race to the Top” grants from the federal government.
U.S. Department of Education
- The Department conducted the sixth in a series of Technical Assistance Webcasts designed to assist ED grantees and sub-grantees in managing ARRA grants; the topic was “Strategic Planning: Linking Title I & IDEA ARRA Funds to Ed-Technology & Statewide Longitudinal Data System Grants.”
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ARRA WEEK IN REVIEW
October 5 - 9
ARRA in Colorado
· On October 6, Governor Ritter's office announced an ARRA funded project in the San Luis Valley.
· On October 6, the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) released the proposed priorities, criteria, and requirements for the Investing in Innovation grant program.
U.S. Department of Education
· On October 6, U.S. Secretary of Education announced the Department's priorities for grants under the $650 million Investing in Innovation Fund.
· On October 9, the Department posted new guidance about the allowable uses of State Fiscal Stabilization Funds (SFSF).
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ARRA WEEK IN REVIEW
September 28 - October 2
ARRA in Colorado
•On September 29, Governor Ritter announced he had directed more than $7 million in federal Recovery Act funds to support nearly 10 different K-12 education programs to help reduce the dropout rate, enhance teacher compensation, and improve Colorado's chances of winning a federal "Race to the Top" competitive grant next year.
•On October 1, the governor’s ARRA website posted Colorado's Broadband Application Review Process.
U.S. Department of Education
•The Department received approximately 180 comments regarding the notice of proposed requirements on www.regulations.gov for the $3 billion Title I School Improvement Grant program; the public comment period ended September 25.
•The Department drafted a notice for the Federal Register to announce expert input meetings to inform the Race to the Top Assessment Competition. The publication of the notice is planned for mid-to-late October with meetings held in November.
ARRA WEEK IN REVIEW
September 21 – 25
ARRA in Colorado
•On September 21, Lt. Governor Barbara O’Brien posted a blog regarding Colorado’s status in ARRA’s “Race to the Top” competitive grant competition.
U.S. Department of Education
•The Department continued reviewing and drafting responses to the over 1,100 comments on the notice of proposed priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria for the $4.35 billion “Race to the Top” competitive grant program.
•The Department continued reviewing and drafting responses to the 58 comments on the notice of proposed requirements, definitions, and approval criteria for the $12.6 billion State Fiscal Stabilization Fund Phase Two applications.
•The Department is revising the notice of proposed priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria for the Investing in Innovation Fund program based on feedback received from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
•The Department conducted strategy sessions with senior team members, internal content experts, OMB, and the Domestic Policy Council on the objectives and framing of next steps for "Race to the Top".
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ARRA WEEK IN REVIEW
September 14 - 18
ARRA In Colorado
- On Wednesday, September 16, the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) issued Recovery Alert #12. This alert refers to Guidance on Quarterly Reporting Requirements under Section 1512 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
- On Wednesday, September 16, one of the four Race to the Top work groups met: Low Performing Schools. The work groups are helping craft Colorado’s Race to the Top draft proposal.
- On Friday, September 18, the other three work groups for Race to the Top met: the Longitudinal Data Systems group, the Standards and Assessment group, and the Teacher Effectiveness group.
U.S. Department of Education
- The Department continued reviewing and drafting responses to the over 1,100 comments on the notice of proposed priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria for the $4.35 billion Race to the Top competitive grant program.
- The Department completed the second of two webcasts to ED-funded technical assistance providers and comprehensive centers regarding how to help state and local education agencies strategically align the different ARRA programs.
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ARRA WEEK IN REVIEW
September 7 - 11
ARRA in Colorado
- On September 10, the Colorado Council on the Arts, the Denver Office of Cultural Affairs, and the Western States Arts Federation announced that 47 Colorado non-profit arts organizations will receive $568,040 in federal recovery funds to preserve or restore 313 salaried and contract positions.
U.S. Department of Education
- The U.S. Department of Education obligated the final 50% in formula grant funding for the ARRA Title I, IDEA, and Vocational Rehabilitation programs, totaling over $11 billion.
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ARRA WEEK IN REVIEW
August 31 - September 4
ARRA in Colorado
U.S. Department of Education
- On August 31, the USDE announced that it is seeking recommendations for reviewers for Race to the Top. In a letter from Secretary Duncan, the four key areas of education reform for Race to the Top were discussed, as well as both the Qualifications and Application Process for reviewer candidates.
- On September 4, Secretary Duncan announced that $11.37 billion in Title I, IDEA, and Vocational Rehabilitation funds will be available to states and schools ahead of schedule.
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ARRA WEEK IN REVIEW
August 24 - 28
ARRA in Colorado
• On August 26, the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) issued an update on the review and approval of Title IA ARRA and IDEA ARRA applications.
• On August 27, the CDE issued State Fiscal Stabilization Fund Phase II
comments to Secretary Arne Duncan via www.regulations.com.
• On August 28, the CDE issued Race to the Top Fund comments to Secretary
Arne Duncan via www.regulations.com.
U.S. Department of Education
• The Department conducted the third in a series of Technical Assistance Webcasts designed to assist ED grantees and sub-grantees in managing ARRA grants on August 24; the topic was cash management.
• On August 26, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced draft requirements for $3.5 billion in Title I School Improvement grants to turn around the nation's lowest performing schools.
• To accompany the accelerated $11.37 billion release of the second half of Title I, IDEA, and Vocational Rehabilitation formula grant funding on or around September 1, the Department sent to OMB for review the guidance document “Using Title I, Part A Recovery Funds for Grants to Local Educational Agencies to Strengthen Education, Drive Reform, and Improve Results for Students.”
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ARRA WEEK IN REVIEW
August 17 - 21
ARRA in Colorado
•On August 17, Governor Ritter’s office updated the document, “The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: What It Means to Colorado.” Colorado saved an estimated $45 million during a bond sale that will pay for the construction of 4 schools in the San Luis Valley and create hundreds of jobs.
•Governor Ritter’s office for coordinating the spending of federal stimulus money is touring all 64 counties of Colorado to meet with local officials, business owners, and citizens to discuss the Recovery Act and how it affects Colorado.
U.S. Department of Education
•On August 17, recipients of funds disbursed by federal agencies through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act began registering at a central federal website.
•The United States Department of Education received over 100 comments regarding the “Race to the Top” Notice on www.regulations.gov. It was the second most visited notice on the site.
•On August 20, the U.S. Department of Education began hosting a series of Race to the Top conference calls. These conference calls are open to the public.
•Additionally on August 20, the U.S. Department of Education’s Race to the Top director, Joanne Weiss, was a presenter in a webinar entitled: “Stimulus: The Second Wave.”
•To accompany the accelerated $11.37 billion release of the second half of Title I, IDEA, and Vocational Rehabilitation formula grant funding on or around September 1, the Department sent to Office of Management and Budgets (OMB) for review the guidance document “Using Title I, Part A Recovery Funds for Grants to Local Educational Agencies to Strengthen Education, Drive Reform, and Improve Results for Students.” Guidance documents on the use of funds under IDEA Parts B and C are under review at OMB.
•The Department sent to the Federal Register a notice of proposed adjustments to the statutory caps on state administration under Title I and IDEA with respect to funds available for those programs under the ARRA.
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ARRA WEEK IN REVIEW
August 10-14
ARRA in Colorado
•On August 12, two of the four Race to the Top work groups met: the Longitudinal Data Systems group and the Systems and Assessments group. These work groups are helping to craft the Race to the Top draft proposal.
•On August 14, the other two work groups for Race to the Top met: the Teacher Effectiveness group and the Turning Around Struggling Schools group.
•Additionally on August 14, the Governor’s office announced a one-week extension for the Broadband Grant applications.
U.S. Department of Education
•The Department met with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to coordinate the completion of guidance documents on the use of ARRA funds to accompany the $11.37 billion September 1 release.
•The Department reviewed with OMB the draft notice of proposed program requirements for the Title I School Improvement Grants.
•Secretary of Education Arne Duncan discussed the Race to the Top and Investing in Innovation competitive grant programs in a monthly conference call with 264 state and local educational leaders.
•The Deputy Secretary briefed Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee members regarding ARRA program status.
•The Department will send to OMB for review the guidance document “Using Title I, Part A Recovery Funds for Grants to Local Educational Agencies to Strengthen Education, Drive Reform, and Improve Results for Students.”
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ARRA WEEK IN REVIEW
August 3-7
ARRA in Colorado
• On August 3, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) announced a $902,000 safety and mobility project that is being funded through ARRA.
• On August 5, the Colorado Department of Education announced 17 grants providing $924,815 over the next two years to support homeless children and youth. These additional funds were made available through ARRA.
U.S. Department of Education
• On August 3rd, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced that stimulus spending will be expedited by making $11.37 billion in Title I, IDEA, and Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) funding available to states one month early. These funds, originally anticipated for a September 30 release, will now be made available on or around September 1.
• On August 4th, the second monthly Education Stakeholder Forum was held. Program details for both Race to the Top and State Fiscal Stabilization Fund Phase Two were discussed.
• On August 10, the Department of Education will hold a webcast entitled “Guidance and Suggestions for Completing the Recovery Act Section 1512 Quarterly Reports.” The previous webcast was held July 27, entitled “Fraud Prevention and Detection.” These webcasts are designed to help ED grantees and sub-grantees in managing ARRA grants.
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ARRA Week in Review
July 27 – 31 2009
ARRA in Colorado
• On July 30th, a study entitled “Show Us the Stimulus” was released by Good Jobs First, identifying Colorado as second in the nation for Recovery Act spending transparency. The study scored state Recovery Act websites and their capacity to clearly illustrate spending information. Colorado scored a 68 out of 100; only five states scored over a 50. Governor Ritter’s Economic Recovery team updates the website daily, and gives information pertaining to Recovery Act projects, contractors, and reports.
U.S. Department of Education
• Guidance was released on July 29 regarding:
o Race to the Top Drafting
o State Fiscal Stabilization Fund Phase 2 Drafting
o State Longitudinal Data Systems
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ARRA Week in Review
July 20-24
ARRA in Colorado
• The Colorado Department of Education Center for education policy announced an invitation for public comment on state waivers for Title I-A ARRA funds. CDE will request waivers from the U.S. Department of Education for the several provisions pertaining to Title I, A ARRA funds. If granted, these waivers will provide local education agencies more flexibility for using the Title I-A ARRA funds.
• On Monday, Gov. Bill Ritter was named the new chair of the National Governor’s Association’s (NGA) Education, Early Childhood and Workforce Committee. As the new chair, he will address issues such as early childhood education, P-16 (P-20) system alignment and system accountability. Gov. Ritter will play a role in setting and presiding over the committee’s work and serve as a national spokesman for all governors and the NGA on topics related to education and workforce development.
• Gov. Ritter and his economic recovery team announced a series of public meetings to assist companies and organizations in applying for more than $7 billion in federal grants to expand high-speed Internet access across Colorado.
U.S. Department of Education
• President Obama and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced the start of the $4.35 billion "Race to the Top" competition, and have pledged a total of $10 billion for reforms.
• The Department submitted the Notice of Proposed Priorities for the Race to the Top program for the second round of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Department clearance.
• The Department continued to work with OMB to finalize notices and guidance for ARRA programs, including Ed Tech, Phase II of the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund, Title I School Improvement Grants, and Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems.
• The Department will publish in the Federal Register for public comments the Notice of Proposed Priorities for Phase II of the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund.
• The Department will send Race to the Top Notice of Proposed Priorities to the Federal Register.
• The Department will publish in the Federal Register the request for applications for the Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems grants.
• The Department will make available guidance and grants for the Ed Tech program.
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ARRA Week in Review
Week of July 13-17, 2009
ARRA in Colorado
• On Thursday the Governor announced the opening of Broadband grant applications. More than $7 billion is available in competitive grant funding. The first application period opened Tuesday and will close Aug. 14. Governor Ritter stated that Colorado will give priority to projects based on their ability to provide Internet services to community anchor institutions (such as schools), use existing infrastructure, enhance Internet service to underserved areas, and show long-term sustainability.
Colorado’s Broadband Priorities and Framework
PowerPoint on Broadband Information
U.S. Department of Education
• The Department reviewed clearance comments for the Notice of Proposed Priorities for the Teacher Incentive Fund program.
• The Department submitted into clearance the Notice of Proposed Priorities for the School Improvement Grants program.
• The Department provided to OMB and submitted for clearance the Notice of Proposed priorities for the Race to the Top program.
• The Department participated in a conference call July 13 with state school superintendents and representatives of the National Governors Association to discuss State Fiscal Stabilization Fund procurement and recipient reporting procedures.
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ARRA Week in Review
July 6-10, 2009
ARRA in Colorado
•The U.S Government Accountability Office released a report on the spending of stimulus funds in Colorado. The report gives an overview of the use of funds, safeguarding & transparency, and an assessment of spending. Programs evaluated are the U.S. Department of Education State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (SFSF); Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Parts B and C; and Title I, Part A.
• Colorado Department of Higher Education director David Skaggs discussed the state’s intention to seek a Maintenance of Effort Waiver for future State Fiscal Stabilization Funds. Currently these funds require a state to maintain funding of higher education at Fiscal Year 05-06 levels. If legislators cut the higher education budget further, Colorado will be disqualified from SFSF funds. The state will be applying for a waiver to this requirement. For more information there is a great article by Education News Colorado - Higher Ed Budget Back in Play.
U.S Department of Education
• The Department released guidance for Title 1 Waivers.
• The Department announced that all states submitted Phase I applications by the July 1 deadline.
• The Department provided guidance for the Ed Tech program to OMB (Office of Management & Budget).
• The Department submitted the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to lift the administrative caps for IDEA and Title I to the OMB.
•The Department will respond to comments from OMB on the Request for Application for the Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems grant program.
• The Department will submit the Notice of Proposed Priorities for the Teacher Incentive Fund grant program to the OMB.
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ARRA Week in Review
June 29-July 3, 2009
ARRA in Colorado
• On June 30, 2009 in a CAP4K meeting, the Colorado State Education Board met with the Colorado Commission on Higher Education to develop postsecondary and workforce readiness standards. This meeting was an important step to reaching the first “Race to the Top” goal of making progress toward college and career-ready standards.
Ed News Colorado CAP4K Article
• FY 09-10 Title I, Part A Grant applications for both ARRA and regular funds closed on June 30, 2009
U.S. Department of Education
• On July 1, 2009, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced that more than $2.7 billion is being made available early to help states. This funding represents that last third of the government services fund, which was initially scheduled to be made available with the completion of Phase II applications as part of the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund
o Colorado’s share of the early money is $45,660,167.
• The Department completed its third draft of the Notice of Proposed Priorities for Race to the Top Phase I applications.
• The Department completed a draft of the IDEA uses-of-funds guidance.
• The Department submitted to OMB the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to lift the administrative caps for IDEA and Title I.
• In the coming weeks, the Department will complete a final draft of the Notice of Proposed Priorities for Race to the Top Phase 1 applications and continue preparations for the clearance process.
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ARRA Week in Review
June 22-26, 2009
ARRA in Colorado
• On June 24, the Colorado Department of Education released Recovery Act Alert #9. This alert was released to let special education directors, superintendents, and executive directors of boards of cooperative services know of additional guidance on the Maintenance of Effort (MOE) requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
• The Colorado Legislative Council released its June economic forecast on Monday. The report announced that Colorado would start the next budget year with a $384 million shortfall. On June 24, Colorado Matters on KCFR-Radio interviewed State Senator and Joint Budget Committee Chair Moe Keller. Senator Keller discussed possible cuts to education and how the stimulus bill has made a difference in the state budget, specifically in higher education.
Colorado Matters: State Faces New Shortfall 
• On June 23, the Colorado Department of Education released an updated 'Race to the Top' informational notice. This is an update to the Race to the Top proposal sheet release on June 11. The updated information:
o A 'Race to the Top' grant draft proposal is anticipated to be released by
the end of July 2009.
o Colorado has not formally announced in which round it will submit its
proposal. Either in round one, which ends in September 2009, or round
two, which ends in May or June 2010.
U.S. Department of Education
• The Department reports that so far 41 State Fiscal Stabilization Fund applications have been received. July 1 is the deadline for all states. The Department anticipates that all states will achieve the July 1 deadline for Phase 1 SFSF applications.
• The Department completed a second draft of the notice for use in public comment (NPP) for Race to the Top Phase 1 applications.
• The Secretary and Department senior staff discussed ARRA at the monthly Department of Education Stakeholders Meeting, which included 100-175 representatives from various education associations and organizations.
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ARRA Week in Review
June 15-19, 2009
ARRA in Colorado
• CU Researchers Receive Millions in Federal Stimulus Funding.
o The university's three campuses have submitted 704 grant applications
worth $333 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. So
far, the CU system has received $12.7 million.
• On June 17, 2009, a Title 1A Guiding Rubric was released by the Colorado Department of Education.
o This rubric outlines five guiding questions from the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for driving long‐term education reform and
improvement. It is intended to assist districts and reviewers in designing
plans for short-term investments that lead to improved, sustainable
outcomes for students.
• On June 16, 2009, Lt. Gov. Barbara O’Brien reported new details for ‘Race to the Top’ funding.
o "Ready" states could receive full funding for their proposals in early 2010.
Guidelines for the grant proposals are now expected in mid- to late July
with final guidelines coming in September.
o $350 million will be available in competitive grants for the development of
state assessment tests, and states that present comprehensive plans
to deal with the 1% lowest performing schools likely would be
candidates for receiving funds.
U.S. Department of Education
• The assistant secretary of the Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development presented an update on ARRA and ‘Race to the Top’ to a meeting of the governor's education advisors. At this meeting Secretary Duncan offered stimulus funds for states to develop rigorous assessments linked to common standards. U.S.D.E. press release
• The Department reports that so far 39 state SFSF applications have been received. July 1 is the deadline for all states.
• The Department began posting Phase 1 State Fiscal Stabilization Fund applications upon receipt to increase transparency of the application and approval process.
• The Department continued to review and revise guidance on Title 1 school-by-school per pupil expenditures reporting.
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ARRA Week in Review
June 8-12, 2009
ARRA in Colorado
• Colorado’s State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (SFSF) application was approved by the U.S. Department of Education on June 10, 2009. $509 million has been granted to the state in the first round of SFSF funding.
o Governor Ritter’s Press Release
• The Colorado Department of Education released Recovery Act Alert #7 on June 10. This alert reviews:
o What will be different about the 2009-2010 Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA) ARRA application.
o Instruction on using ARRA funds to drive long-term educational
reform and improvement.
o A reminder of how important these IDEA funds are in helping
Colorado get the second round of IDEA funding and helping
Colorado in the “Race to the Top“ grant competition.
o A notice for Administrative Units (AUs) to be prepared for the
rigorous reporting process that will be required.
• The Colorado Department of Education released Recovery Act Alert #8 on June 10. This alert announces allowable uses of IDEA Section 619, which is Early Childhood Preschool Special Education funding. Recommended uses are listed in the CDE alert.
• On June 11, the CDE released a Race to the Top proposal. The proposal describes:
o What Is Race to the Top?
o What are the requirements for Race to the Top?
o Who will decide what is included in the Race to the Top proposal?
o Will the governor consider others ideas for inclusion in the Race to the
Top proposal?
U.S. Department of Education
• The Department reviewed and approved Colorado’s SFSF application on June 10, 2009.
• The Department provided the Office of Management and Budget the Notice of Proposed Priorities for Phase II of the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund.
• Department officials reviewed guidance on Title I school-by-school per pupil expenditures reporting.
• The Department reviewed the schedule for the Race to the Top Fund and met with White House and the Office of Management and Budget to share updates and gather information.
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ARRA Week in Review
June 1-5, 2009
ARRA in Colorado
•The Colorado Department of Education released Recovery Act Alert #6 on June 5. This alert reviews:
o What will be different about the 2009-2010 Title 1A ARRA application.
o Instruction on using ARRA funds to drive long-term educational
reform and improvement.
o A reminder of how important these Title 1A funds are in helping
Colorado get the second round of Title 1A funding and helping
Colorado in the “Race to the Top“ grant competition.
o A notice for Local Education Authorities (LEAs) to be prepared for the
rigorous reporting process
that will be required.
• The Colorado Department of Education released an ARRA McKinney Homeless Act Alert. The alert announced that Colorado now has received $924,815 and plans to disburse this funding through a competitive state grant process. The grant application process is now open and decisions will be released on July 31, 2009.
McKinney Grant Application
Additional Budget Application (Excel)
U.S. Department of Education
• The Department published in the Federal Register the notice inviting applications for the Teacher Quality Partnership Grant program.
Teacher Quality Partnership Grant Application
• The Department concluded its clearance process for guidance on Title I waivers.
• The Department drafted and reviewed a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on adjusting the administrative cap for Title I and IDEA funds.
• The Department will finalize its notice inviting applications for Statewide Longitudinal Data System grants.
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ARRA Week in Review
May 25-29, 2009
ARRA in Colorado
• On Friday, May 29, Gov. Ritter’s office announced that Colorado has submitted its State Fiscal Stability Fund application.
• According to Gov. Ritter’s press release, the plan developed by his office and the legislature seeks $452 million of stabilization funds for colleges and universities and $170 million for K-12 programs. An estimated $70 million will be used to balance the state General Fund budget and $10 million will be allocated to enhance the state's competitiveness for the Race to the Top education reform grants through the Recovery Act. The remaining $58 million will be set aside in case the state encounters further revenue shortfalls.
State Fiscal Stabilization Fund Application
New State Fiscal Stabilization Fund Higher Education Charts
• The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) released recommendations for addressing the needs of English language learners (ELLs). The recommendations released by the CDE are from a national working group on ELL policy. The link to the full report http://www.stanford.edu/~hakuta/ARRA/
• The CDE also released its responses to the Governor’s Economic Recovery Team’s questions.
U.S. Department of Education
• The Department’s monthly TV show, "Education News Parents Can Use," aired examining how the Recovery Act, in conjunction with the 2010 proposed budget and other resources, will help increase access to higher education for thousands of Americans. All shows can be seen at the USDE's video archive.
• Department officials met with representatives from the disabilities community regarding the Department's interpretation of the IDEA Maintenance of Effort requirements.
• The Department reviewed and revised draft guidance on waivers for Title I set-aside requirements.
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ARRA Week in Review
May 18-22, 2009
ARRA in Colorado
• This week several education bills were signed by Governor Ritter. Some of these bills are important in driving the reforms outlined under the race to the top competitive grant process.
Three key education bills that were signed into law were:
Education Accountability Act of 2009 (Senate Bill 09-163)
Educator Identifier System (Senate Bill 09-1065)
Concurrent Enrollment Programs Act (House Bill 09-1319)
For more information on these new pieces of legislation, Ed News Colorado gives a short analysis of each bill and how each will be financed.
• On Monday, May 18, the application period for FY 09-10 Title 1 A funds opened.
• CDE grant guidelines and applications for Local Education Authorities(LEAs) and Boards of Cooperative Education Services(BOCES) were released on Friday, May 22.
U.S. Department of Education
• Only 23 state applications have been received.
• The Department posted additional guidance on uses of State Fiscal Stabilization Fund monies for school construction.
• The Department published in the Federal Register a deadline of July 1, 2009 for submitting an application for Phase I State Fiscal Stabilization Fund monies.
• The Department reviewed a Notice of Proposed Priorities for Phase II of the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund.
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ARRA Week in Review
May 11-15, 2009
ARRA in Colorado
• The Colorado Department of Education released Recovery Act Alert #5. This alert announced the availability of IDEA, Title I and Title II-D stimulus funds.
• Preliminary formula allocations for ARRA IDEA and Title I, Part A funds are now posted on the CDE website:
o IDEA, Part B Grants to States:
http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdefisgrant/download/pdf/FY10/IDEA%20Part%20B%20STIMULUS.pdf
o IDEA, Part B Preschool Grants:
http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdefisgrant/download/pdf/FY10/IDEA%20Preschool%20STIMULUS.pdf
o Title I, Part A:
http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdefisgrant/download/pdf/FY10/FY09-10NCLB-Preliminary%20ARRA.pdf
• Title I, Part A and Formula Title II, Part D: The online 2009-10 Consolidated Application will be launched on May 18 and remain open through June 30.
• IDEA, Part B and Preschool: The application period for ARRA IDEA, Part B Grants to States and Preschool Grants will open on June 1 and remain open through July 15.
• Title I, Part A: The Office of Federal Program Administration is scheduling a series of webinars in support of the Consolidated Application/ARRA application process. These webinars will include the latest information we have regarding application, budget and reporting requirements. They will be scheduled to begin the week of May 18.
U.S. Department of Education
• The Department reviewed a draft of notice of proposed priorities relating to State Fiscal Stabilization Fund assurance metrics to be published in the Federal Register.
• The Department drafted a notice inviting applications for the Teacher Quality Partnership Grant program.
• The Department drafted non-regulatory guidance on waivers relating to ARRA Title I funds.
• The Department issued additional guidance on the maintenance-of-effort requirements in the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund program.
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ARRA Week in Review
May 4-8, 2009
ARRA in Colorado
• The teacher ID House Bill 09-1065 was passed by the House and the Senate. This piece of legislation is an important step for Colorado to implement reforms necessary to win Race to the Top funds.
• The Colorado Department of Education released Recovery Act Alert #4. The subject of the Alert was to inform Title X McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Liaisons and Title I Directors that ARRA Title X funds are now available.
o CDE has received $924,815 and will be hosting a competitive
grant process for this funding starting in May 2009, with funding
decisions to be made by August 1, 2009. CDE Title X guidance page.
U.S Department of Education Upcoming Plans
• To review State Fiscal Stabilization Fund applications when received and provide state-specific feedback as appropriate to address outstanding questions and/or issues.
• To continue progress toward resolving key policy and planning issues associated with the $4.35 billion Race to the Top incentive fund.
• To review and revise Notice Inviting Applications for Teacher Quality Partnership Grant Program.
• To review and revise terms and conditions for Enhancing Education through Technology (Ed Tech) State Program.