Connecticut State Department of Education Announces $12 Million Investment in Summer Enrichment
200 Grants Awarded to Expand High-Quality Summer Enrichment Programs for Connecticut Children
Hartford, CT - The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) today announced the recipients of the Department’s 2022 Summer Enrichment Grant Program, which will deploy over $12 million in CSDE’s federal COVID relief funding to 200 programs delivering high-quality and accessible enrichment opportunities to children across Connecticut this summer.
Initially committing $8 million to the program, the CSDE increased its investment by
an additional $4 million after a large and competitive application pool demonstrated the substantial need for summer programming. Families can search high quality, community-based, and financially accessible summer enrichment programs by visiting: https://summerct.org/.
“After the success of last summer’s expansion and innovation grants, and the unequivocal demand from families for continued summer programming, I am proud to continue investing in our children by expanding access to some of the best summer programming that Connecticut has to offer,” Commissioner of Education Charlene Russell-Tucker said. “Summer programs provide students with the space to develop healthy relationships, broaden minds, and continue learning every day - all critical factors we need to augment for our youth as we continue to emerge from the pandemic.”
Innovation Grants
Innovation Grants ranging from $78,639 to $225,000 were awarded to 18 eligible applicants to deliver bold and innovative summer enrichment programming to over 17,000 students for free or at very low cost. Grantees represent a diverse set of organizations, serving students in both rural and urban areas with a wide variety of innovative enrichment activities: sports and recreation, swimming, hands-on academic experiences, Scouting, STEM, theater, mentorship, and much more. Many of these organizations have partnered with other local organizations to create bold new programs that are designed to meet the needs of students who have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic.
Expansion Grants
Expansion Grants ranging from $6,300 to $67,500 were awarded to 182 eligible applicants that will expand existing enrichment opportunities and increase access for children who might otherwise not have access to summer camp or programming. These grants, expected to serve over 48,000 students, are geared towards local organizations to either serve more children, subsidize enrollment costs, or both. Additionally, priority was given to providers that offered
programming summer-round and extended before- and after-camp hours so that working families can take advantage of affordable child care options.
This year, the CSDE will continue its partnership with Connecticut COVID-19 Education Research Collaborative to evaluate the impact of affordable and enriching summer programming on student outcomes upon return to school in the fall of 2022. An evaluation of the 2021 Summer Enrichment Grant Program found that the initiative successfully helped reengage thousands of students in time for the return of in-person learning in the fall of 2021.
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