A federal education freeze has thawed, somewhat, and money is now on the way for before- and after-school programs in Idaho.
The U.S. Department of Education says it will release federal grant money Monday for “21st Century Community Learning Centers.” The $1.3 billion about-face will translate to $6.5 million for Idaho.
Idaho had been expecting that $6.5 million before June 30, when the federal Education Department abruptly froze several grant programs, which had already been approved by Congress. That left the state scrambling to try to find a way to keep the before- and after-school programs afloat.
“This is great news for schools and communities,” state superintendent Debbie Critchfield said in a statement to Idaho EdNews Friday afternoon. “This particular grant directly benefits students across Idaho by supporting school and community partnerships that provide high-quality afterschool and summer learning programs.”
Even before Friday’s development, the community learning centers had a short-term lifeline in hand. Critchfield’s office had planned to use $2.8 million in federal funds, reserve money from previous budget years, to keep the lights on until the end of the year.
The Idaho Department of Education will still spend that $2.8 million first, spokesman Scott Graf said. This should allow the state to build back a reserve — and have money in hand if funding is frozen again in the future.
While Critchfield’s office celebrated Friday’s news, Graf noted that much of the June 30 freeze remains intact. “It’s not everything, but at least for this particular grant, this is very good news,” he said.
Nearly $27 million for other Idaho programs remain in limbo:
- Professional development and teacher training grants, known as Title II-A: $10.8 million.
- Migrant education: $7.1 million. The Title I-C program offers extra help for students who frequently move from school to school.
- Student support and academic enrichment: $6.7 million. The far-reaching Title IV-A grants can cover anything from digital literacy and new course offerings to bullying prevention and suicide prevention.
- Title III grants for English language programs: $2.1 million.
Decisions about the other grant programs “have not been made at this time,” the U.S. Education Department said in an email to state education departments.
