Colorado schools to receive portion of federal funds that were expected on July 1
The Colorado Department of Education today received a message from the U.S. Department of Education that it would receive $12.8 million of the $72 million it anticipated receiving on July 1.
CBS News Colorado reported early this month how the federal government delayed the funds delivery in order to conduct a review of whether the grants align with President Trump's priorities.
On July 1, nearly $7 billion in federal grants allocated for after-school and summer programs, English language instruction, adult literacy and more were not delivered to the states. Friday's message indicated that the federal government would release $1.3 billion in Title IV-B - 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant – funding to states, including Colorado.
Colorado Education Commissioner Susana Córdova issued a statement:
We received confirmation from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) that it will release funding for the Title IV-B - the 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant - on Monday, July 21. This funding, in the amount of approximately $12.8M allows districts, BOCES, and community partners to continue to provide safe and enriching out-of-school time programs and activities for students across our state.
At the same time, Colorado still stands to lose more than $60 million in funding from Title I-C, II-A, III-A, IV-A and other related federal programs. These funds support districts and BOCES to recruit and retain great teachers, counselors, and specialists; implement school-based programs in music, art, and STEM; and provide instructional supports for students who are learning English and for the children of agricultural workers.
Without the grant funds, schools may face significant cuts to programs and services that families and educators rely on. These programs help ensure every child—no matter where they live—has the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed.
The Colorado Department of Education is updating the status of these federal grants, and the impact by school district at .
Embedded below is the email sent on Friday by the U.S. Department of Education:
