What’s the Scoop with the Stronger Connections Grant?

The Ohio Department of Education (ODE) plans to open its new Stronger Connections Grant program in early 2023. While important details are still being finalized, I participated in last week’s stakeholder feedback session, where ODE staff provided a great deal more information than previously had been available. Read on to learn scoop… 

What is the funding source and purpose? 

This is federal money, awarded to the State of Ohio to provide safer and healthier learning environments for students. The Stronger Connections Grant (SCG) was authorized in June under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), Public Law 117-159. Ohio received an SCG award of $35,078,494 in September. The SCG is a supplement to the Title IV, Part A, Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) program. Ohio’s award is to be distributed to public schools that ODE defines as “High-Need” for school health and safety through a combination of qualified and competitive grants.

What schools are eligible applicants? 

Only Local Education Agencies (LEAs) that are eligible for Title IV-A funds may receive Stronger Connections Grant funds. This means ONLY traditional public school districts, community schools and independent STEM/STEAM schools are eligible applicants. 

• Educational service centers, non-profits and other organizations are encouraged to collaborate with eligible applicants, but cannot submit their own applications. 
• Equitable services outreach is required, so non-public schools should receive notification of this opportunity from their neighborhood public school districts or schools. Non-public schools may choose to participate or decline the opportunity. 

How is ODE planning to define ‘High-Need’? 

This has not been finalized. During the stakeholder feedback session, Department staff indicated that ODE believes all schools need health and safety resources and is considering a tiered approach to allow those with the greatest need to receive support. The proposed approach includes three tiers:

• • Tier 1. Every Title IV-A eligible LEA in the state would receive as much as 50% of the LEAs Title IV-A funding in FY2023. An application would have to be submitted, but all eligible applicants would be awarded funds.

• Tier 2. Only eligible LEAs that also have high chronic absenteeism data and discipline data will be able to apply  to receive these funds. An application would have to be submitted, but all eligible applicants who meet the criteria that ODE establishes for high chronic absenteeism and discipline, based on data submitted via EMIS, would be awarded funds.

• Tier 3. Any LEA could choose to compete for the final remaining funds for self-identified needs related to safe and healthy learning environments. These would be competitive grants.

How do we determine our tiers and amount of funds we can potentially receive? 

Some of these details are still being worked out, but in general, LEAs can estimate funds using their FY2023 Title IV-A allocations. ODE plans to calculate the base for each tier as a percentage of Title IV-A funds: Tier 1: 50%, Tier 2: 25%, Tier 3: 25%. One caveat that was discussed was that an LEA with less than $5,000 in Title IV-A funds be allocated $5,000 for Tier 1. 

Here are some scenarios to help you understand what this process is likely to look like. Note: ODE will actually load these budget amounts into your CCIP once the application period opens. You won’t have to provide the data or figure out how much you can receive.