Stronger Connections Grant (SCG) FAQ

The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) referred to the Stronger Connections Grant Frequently Asked Questions released by the United States Department of Education (ED) to inform the answers provided in this FAQ.

For questions, please contact:  stronger_connections@cde.state.co.us

 

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1. What is the Stronger Connections Grant (SCG)?

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), signed into law in June 2022, authorized $1 billion for states to pursue safer communities and healthier outcomes for students through activities that are allowable under Title IV, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Specifically, funds were awarded to state education agencies (SEAs) to support safe and healthy students, by allocating 95% of the state’s allocation to local education agencies (LEAs) in a manner consistent with the SEA’s established competitive process and to design and implement a statewide support using 4% of the state’s allocation. SEAs may reserve 1% for administration of the competitive grants.

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2. How much funding did Colorado receive through the Stronger Connections Grant?

The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) received a total allocation of $9,356,572 for a three-year performance period, ending on September 30, 2025. CDE is responsible for the administration of the Stronger Connections Grant. 95% of funds will be awarded to "high-need" local education agencies (LEAs) through a competitive grant process. 4% of the total amount ($374,262.88) will be reserved for state-level activities, and 1% can be reserved for administrative costs ($93,565.72) for the three-year period.

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3. How does Stronger Connection relate to the existing Title IV, Part A formula grant program?

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) funds, called the Stronger Connections Grant (SCG), can be used for activities allowable under section 4108 of the the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), also known as Title IV, Part A, Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants. While Title IV, Part A, includes three categories of activities, Safe and Healthy Students, Well-Rounded Education, and Effective Use of Technology, activities funded with SCG funds must support Safe and Healthy Students as defined in section 4108 of the ESEA.

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4. What is the period of availability of the Stronger Connections Grant?

On September 15, 2022, the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) received a total allocation of $9,356,572 for a three-year performance period, ending on September 30, 2025. Approximately $8.8 million is available for distribution to LEAs through the 2024-2025 school year. Initial awards, not to exceed $200,000 per applicant, will be made for a two-year period that includes the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years. Funds must be expended by September 30, 2025. A Tydings period is available through September 30, 2026.

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5. Is the Stronger Connections Grant a formula or competitive grant?

The Stronger Connections Grant (SCG) is a competitive grant. All state education agencies (SEAs) must develop a Stronger Connections Grant subgrant application to identify and award funds to "high-need" local education agencies (LEAs) for use on activities to support Safe and Healthy Students as defined by section 4108 of the ESEA.

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6. Did CDE consult with the public regarding development of the Stronger Connections Grant application process?

Yes. The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) has sought feedback from the Committee of Practitioners (CoP) for the Stronger Connections Grant application process. CoP membership varies, but may include representatives from local education agencies (LEAs), federal programs administrators, teachers (including vocational educators), parents/guardians, members of local school boards, representatives of private school children, charter school personnel, and pupil services personnel. CDE strives to have representation from all regions of the state, as well as representatives from rural, urban, and suburban LEAs. More information about the CoP and access to the membership application can be found on the CoP webpage.

In February 2023, CDE also posted a proposed definition for "high-need" LEAs for use in determining eligibility for the Stronger Connections Grant. CDE asked for public comment on the inclusion of the following three eligibility criteria:

1. Free and Reduced-Price Lunch Rates

2. Student-to-Mental Health Professional Ratios

3. Chronic Absenteeism Rates

CDE also asked for comments on an alternative eligibility option through which LEAs would be able to provide local data to demonstrate SCG-aligned needs. See more detailed information about the public comment for SCG here.

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7. What is Colorado’s definition of "high-need" LEA?

In defining a "high-need" local education agency (LEA), the United States Department of Education (ED) has asked states to consider a focus on LEAs with high rates of poverty and with one or more of the following characteristics:

1. High student-to-mental health professional ratios;
2. High rates of chronic absenteeism, exclusionary discipline, referrals to the juvenile justice system, bullying/harassment, community and school violence, or substance abuse; or
3. Where students recently experienced a natural disaster or traumatic event.

The definition of a "high-need" LEA in Colorado, developed by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE), in consultation with stakeholders and with public input, is based on quartile rankings for three criteria:

1. the percentage of students eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch (FRL),
2. the student-to-mental health professional ratio, and
3. the rate of chronic absenteeism, for public school districts within the state.

Points were assigned to each criteria using the ranges in the table below, and a total composite score was calculated for each LEA, including the Charter School Institute, the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind, and any BOCES that serve their own schools. LEAs with at least 10 total points are considered "high-need" LEAs.

Metric	Quartile 1 (1 point)	Quartile 2 (2 points)	Quartile 3 (3 points)	Quartile 4 (4 points)
Poverty Rate	Less than 27.5%	27.5% - 40.7%	40.8% - 53.0%	Greater than 53.0%
Student-to-Mental Health Professional Ratio	Less than 176 students per 1 (FTE) staff	176 - 233.5 students per 1 (FTE) staff	233.6 - 375 students per 1 (FTE) staff	More than 375 students per 1 (FTE) staff or no mental health professionals
Chronic Absenteeism Rate	Less than 22.2%	22.2% - 30.7%	30.8% - 39.7%	Greater than 39.7%

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8. Will there be training for LEAs on the Stronger Connections Grant application process and best practices?

Yes. The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) hosted a Stronger Connections Grant (SCG) application information webinar, which addressed the grant requirements and the application process on April 13, 2023  PowerPoint | Recorded Webinar   CDE also hosted a Round 2 Application Webinar on September 28, 2023  PowerPoint | Recorded Webinar

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9. What is the application process for the Stronger Connections Grant?

The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) has created an online competitive grant application as well as application materials and resources available on CDE’s Stronger Connections Grant webpage. Completed applications for Round 2 must be submitted through the online application form by Friday, December 15, 2023, by 11:59 pm.

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10. Which LEAs are eligible for the Stronger Connections Grant?

LEAs that meet CDE’s definition of a "high-need" LEA will be automatically eligible to apply for this opportunity. LEAs in this category are encouraged to consider the needs of all schools within the LEA, including charter schools and non-public schools, when determining whether to submit an application. A BOCES may submit an application on behalf of one or several automatically eligible LEAs.

See Appendix A: "High-Need" LEA Eligibility within the Request for Applications (RFA) for a more detailed explanation and the list of eligible LEAs.

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11. Can an LEA apply if they do not meet the definition of a "high-need" LEA?

Yes. LEAs that are not automatically eligible to apply based on CDE’s definition will have the option to submit an application using their own data to demonstrate an identified need that aligns with the intent of the SCG. All applications submitted under this category must include a data summary that clearly demonstrates an identified need aligned with the grant’s intent to address the health and safety of students and explains the urgency of the identified need.

A BOCES may submit data on its own behalf to demonstrate eligibility and apply for BOCES-level activities and/or submit an application and data on behalf of any LEAs that did not meet the "high-need" LEA eligibility criteria for this grant.

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12. What data were used to determine the "high-need" LEAs?

"High-need" LEAs were determined based on a total composite score utilizing three metrics:

1. Poverty rate - calculated based on the percentage of K-12 students eligible for free/reduced meals (FRL), utilizing 2021-22 Student October Snapshot data.
2. Student-to-mental health professional ratio - calculated based on the total number of K-12 students (utilizing 2021-22 Student October Snapshot data) divided by the total FTE (full-time equivalent) of staff with a job classification code of 211 (counselor), 236 (psychologist), or 237 (social worker), as reported by LEAs in the 2021-22 Human Resources Snapshot.
3. Chronic absenteeism rate - calculated based on the percentage of students considered chronically absent (students who are absent for any reason [excused or unexcused] for 10% or more of the days enrolled during the school year), utilizing 2021-22 Attendance Snapshot data.

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13. Can charter schools apply for the Stronger Connections Grant?

LEAs may submit an application that includes their charter schools or may opt to submit a separate application jointly with their charter school(s) if the needs of the charter school(s) do not align with the identified needs of the LEA or the non-charter schools. Pursuant to C.R.S. 22-30.5-104 (11), a charter school may choose to apply apart from their authorizer for a competitive grant program created by a federal or state statute or program. However, the charter school’s authorizer must be the fiscal agent, if funded. If a charter school intends to apply for a grant that the school’s authorizing school district is also intending to apply for, the charter school shall seek to collaborate with the school district in the application and to submit the application jointly. However, the LEA may submit a separate application on behalf of the charter school only.

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14. When will the Stronger Connections Grant application open and close?

Round 2 of the Stronger Connections Grant (SCG) application opened September 28, 2023. Completed applications must be submitted through the online application form by Friday, December 15, 2023, by 11:59 pm.

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15. When will Stronger Connections Grant funds be available?

Round 2 Grant award letters will be sent in April 2024 to local education agencies (LEAs) that are selected to receive Stronger Connections Grant (SCG) funds.

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16. What are allowable activities that LEAs can fund with the Stronger Connections Grant?

A local education agency (LEA) that receives a Stronger Connections Grant (SCG) award shall use the monies to fund activities that are reasonable, necessary, and allowable under section 4108 of the ESEA to provide students with safer and healthier learning environments.

Examples of allowable services or activities include:

• Drug and violence prevention activities that are evidence-based
• School-based mental health services
• Comprehensive health education programs
• Integrating health and safety practices into school or athletic programs
• Nutritional education and physical education activities
• Implementation of schoolwide positive behavioral interventions and supports
• Bullying and harassment prevention
• Activities that improve instructional practices for developing relationship-building skills
• Prevention of teen and dating violence, stalking, domestic abuse, and sexual violence and harassment
• Mentoring and school counseling
• Establishing or improving school dropout and reentry programs
• Suicide prevention
• Crisis management and conflict resolution techniques
• School-based violence prevention strategies
• Reducing exclusionary disciplinary practices
• Establishing partnerships within the community to provide resources and support for schools
• Strengthening relationships between schools and communities
• High-quality training for school personnel in effective practices related to any of the above

In addition to the federally negotiated indirect cost rate, applicants may use a reasonable amount of funds for direct administrative costs. Direct administrative activities must be tracked, charged, and allocated directly to the grant and may include, but are not limited to:

• Overall program management, including salaries and related costs
• Activities concerned with paying, transporting, exchanging, and maintaining goods and services
• Activities concerned with establishing and administering policy, preparing reports, etc.
• Activities related to the program requirements of grantees

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17. Are there any activities that are prohibited and cannot be funded with the Stronger Connections Grant?

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) prohibit the use of these funds for food, school construction, or to provide any person with a dangerous weapon or training in the use of a dangerous weapon. A "dangerous weapon" as defined in section 930(g)(2) of title 18 of the United States Code is a weapon, device, instrument, material, or substance, animate or inanimate, that is used for, or is readily capable of, causing death or serious bodily injury, except that such term does not include a pocketknife with a blade of less than 2 1/2 inches in length.

On October 6, 2023, President Biden signed into law a bipartisan bill amending section 8526 regarding use of ESEA funds for the provision of, and training in, dangerous weapons (as defined in section 930(g)(2) of title 18 of the United States Code). Specifically, section 8526 now clarifies that the prohibition does not apply to the use of ESEA funds for activities that are carried out under ESEA programs and that are otherwise permissible, and that “provide students with educational instruction or educational enrichment activities, such as archery, hunting, other shooting sports, or culinary arts.”

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18. May an LEA that receives SCG funds transfer those funds to an authorized ESEA program consistent with section 5103 of the ESEA?

No. A local education agency (LEA) that receives a Stronger Connections Grant (SCG) award may not transfer any funds out of that award to another authorized program. The State and Local Transferability Act, codified in Title V, Part A, of the ESEA, provides authority for state educational agencies (SEAs) and LEAs to transfer funds allotted under certain ESEA formula grant programs, including Title IV, Part A. However, the Stronger Connections Grant was enacted only to support the safety and health of students, so the statute requires SEAs and LEAs to use funds to support activities under section 4108 of the ESEA.

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19. Do Stronger Connections Grant funds need to supplement, not supplant state and local funding?

Yes. The requirements of ESEA Title IV, Part A, including the supplement, not supplant requirement (ESEA section 4110) and other applicable requirements, apply to Stronger Connections Grant (SCG) funds.

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20. Which stakeholders should the LEA involve when developing an application and, if awarded the grant, implementing and evaluating the activities?

Local education agencies (LEAs) should meaningfully consult with students, parents and families, teachers, principals, and other school leaders, specialized instructional support personnel, community-based organizations, local government representatives (which may include a local law enforcement agency, local juvenile court, local child welfare agency, or local public housing agency), and other organizations or partners with relevant and demonstrated expertise in the programs and activities within the grant application.

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21. How can the LEA select evidence-based interventions?

Local education agencies (LEAs) are strongly encouraged to invest Stronger Connections Grant (SCG) funds on evidence-based interventions (EBIs) that have been shown to significantly improve student safety and health, as well as academic outcomes. Specifically, "evidence-based" means an activity, strategy, or intervention that demonstrates a statistically significant effect on improving student outcomes or other relevant outcomes. ESEA section 8101(21) defines the term "evidence-based" and the definition includes four tiers of evidence.

Tier 1: Strong Evidence	Supported by one or more well-designed and well-implemented randomized control experimental studies.
Tier 2: Moderate Evidence	Supported by one or more well-designed and well-implemented quasi-experimental studies.
Tier 3: Promising Evidence	Supported by one or more well-designed and well implemented correlational studies (with statistical controls for selection bias).
Tier 4: Demonstrates a Rationale	Practices that have a well-defined logic model or theory of action, are supported by research, and have some effort underway by an SEA, LEA, or outside research organization to determine their effectiveness.

For more information around selecting EBIs, LEAs can review the United States Department of Education’s (ED) guidance on evidence or visit the Colorado Department of Education’s (CDE) Evidence-Based Interventions website. CDE has also created a number of strategy guides to help districts and schools better understand what research says about common EBI strategies. These guides can be found on CDE’s UIP Major Improvement Strategy Guides webpage.

Additional Resources:

• What Works Clearinghouse
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Evidence-Based Practice Resource Center
• Selecting Evidence-Based Programs and Practices for Title IV, Part A Activities

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22. How can the LEA monitor and evaluate evidence-based interventions?

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) calls for the use of evidence-based interventions which demonstrate a statistically significant effect on improving student outcomes or other relevant outcomes. The Federal Programs and Supports Unit partnered with the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL Central) to develop and deliver a series of Program Evaluation Trainings to support schools and districts with evaluating the impact of programs supported with ESEA (or ESSA) funds. These trainings may be useful in monitoring and evaluating Stronger Connections Grant (SCG) funds as well.

Reports summarizing data analysis and program evaluation results for various programs, and recorded webinars from the Program Evaluation Trainings series can be found on the Program Evaluation Page.

Program Evaluation Training Topics:

• Modules 1 & 2 | Logic Models and Evaluation Questions
• Module 3 | Assessing the Availability and Quality of Existing Data
• Module 4 | Identifying and Developing Data Collection Instruments
• Module 5 | Coding, Cleaning, and Analyzing Data
• Module 6 | Interpreting and Presenting Findings

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23. What are some additional health and safety resources?

Local education agencies (LEAs) may consider additional health and safety resources to assist with identifying LEA needs, planning activities to address the identified needs, and developing an application for Stronger Connections Grant (SCG) funds. Additional resources may include, but are not limited to:

Please visit the federal government’s website on school safety

Please visit the Colorado Department of Education’s Health and Wellness webpage

Please visit the webpage for the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments

Please visit the webpage for the Colorado Office of School Safety

Please visit the Colorado Education Initiative’s webpage for social emotional development

Please visit the Colorado Department of Education’s webpage for community partners for comprehensive health

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24. What are the monitoring and reporting requirements for the Stronger Connections Grant?

Each local education agency (LEA) that receives an award through the Stronger Connections Grant (SCG) is required to participate in all components of program monitoring, evaluation, and reporting to the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) and the United States Department of Education (ED). This includes, but is not limited to, the following:

1. Reporting LEA uses of SCG funds, including any revisions to activities or the approved budget;
2. Evaluating the effectiveness of the LEA’s implementation, including challenges, successes, and lessons learned; and
3. Submitting an Annual Financial Report (AFR) for each funding year.

Note: Additional fiscal and programmatic reporting requirements may be required as additional guidance is provided by ED.

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25. Do uniform grant requirements apply to the Stronger Connections Grant?

Yes. The requirements of ESEA Title IV, Part A, including the uniform grant guidance and other applicable requirements, apply to Stronger Connections Grant (SCG) funds.

 

26. Are Post-Award Revisions (PAR) required for SCG?

Yes. LEAs should submit Post-Award Revisions (PAR) to update indirect costs (overrode the indirect amount allocated, or will now take the full indirect cost rate); to reflect changes in the project/program scope or objective; and/or to reflect changes in the direct cost activities (Instructional, Support, Improvement of Instructional Services, or Administrative) or object categories (Salaries, Benefits, etc.) that exceed, or are expected to exceed, 10% of the total budget for that category as last approved. More than one PAR may be submitted online. The final PAR is due by June 30, 2025.

 

27. What is the process for carrying funds over from award year 1 to year 2

SCG is a one-time grant where funds may be obligated any time during the grant period. Submit a Post-Award Revision (PAR) if plans change regarding when funds will be spent. Keep in mind that the initial AFR is due on December 30, 2024 and should encompass all expenditures from July 1, 2023 through September 30, 2024 (award performance period: 7/1/23 – 9/30/26). The second AFR is due December 30, 2025 and should encompass all expenditures from October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2026.

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28. Are equitable services required under the Stronger Connections Grant?

Yes. A local education agency (LEA) applying for the Stronger Connections Grant (SCG) must consult with appropriate non-public school officials before making any decisions that affect the opportunities of eligible non-public school children and educators to participate (ESEA section 8501(c)(3)). Consultation with non-public schools allows the LEA to consider the needs of all students and educators when developing the LEA’s application and to include the projected costs for equitable services in the application.

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29. What is the consultation process to provide equitable services for LEAs who are awarded Stronger Connection Grant funds?

The local education agency (LEA) must ensure that timely and meaningful consultation has occurred and maintain a record of the process used. In addition, the LEA must submit written affirmation of the consultation, signed by a representative of the LEA and each non-public school, to CDE (Attachment A: Equitable Services to Non-Public Schools Form).

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30. How should LEAs provide equitable services according to the Stronger Connections Grant process?

If a local education agency (LEA) is successful in receiving an SCG award, it must ensure that expenditures for equitable services for eligible non-public school students and educators are equal on a per-pupil basis to the expenditures for participating public school students and educators. The LEA could also choose to base the equitable services on a specific need or group of students in alignment with the services being provided to public schools. After timely and meaningful consultation with non-public schools, an LEA could choose to calculate equal expenditures strictly on the basis of the relative enrollments of public and private schools in the LEA on the assumption that these numbers accurately reflect the relative needs of children and educators in public and private schools (ESEA Section 8501(a)(4)).

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31. How does CDE plan to use the SCG funds reserved for state-level activities?

The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) will use the Stronger Connections Grant (SCG) state level funds to streamline and ramp up supports pertaining to enhancing community safety and protecting against violence. An internal CDE Task Force was designed to conduct an inventory of the community safety and violence resources, initiatives, data, and tools currently available and make recommendations for additional supports necessary to address any identified gaps in resources. As part of the recommendations, the Task Force identified the need for a Health and Safety Implementation Coordinator who could lead this work for CDE. A position has been filled as of Nov. 1, 2023. 

The Health and Safety Implementation Coordinator will support SCG grantees with implementing SCG-funded activities to address health and safety needs of students, including but not limited to developing and implementing a community safety plan. Additionally, the Health and Safety Implementation Coordinator will provide broader technical assistance and training on existing health and safety tools and resources to districts and schools that do not have SCG funding, including non-public schools, to enhance health and safety efforts to improve student outcomes. Finally, this position will collaborate with other state agencies and partner organizations, including the Department of Public Safety's Office of School Safety, to coordinate external school safety initiatives and disseminate information about the resources and tools available to schools and districts from other agencies. 

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For questions, please contact:
stronger_connections@cde.state.co.us