Essentials Monthly Briefing: Grant Writing/Summer School Funding

Blended Programs, Braided Funding

The purpose of this guide is to help school leaders make the most out of the funds received each year. Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) wants to provide school leaders with the knowledge necessary to leverage a variety of funds by coordinating spending to support activities that drive performance and improve outcomes for all students.

MDE is committed to educational equity so that all students have access to opportunities to learn and develop to their fullest potential. We recognize that historical conditions and barriers have created opportunity gaps in learning for students based on their race, income, zip codes, and other social conditions. High-quality summer programs are a critical step in closing opportunity gaps that contribute to education achievement disparities. Research has found that strong, high-quality OST programs provide youths with opportunities for growth, learning acceleration, and fun and enriching experiences, with benefits that match the program's design, whether it focuses on specialized skills, general enrichment, or academics.

While the need for high-quality summer programming was clear prior to the pandemic, the impact of the lost learning time that occurred will be felt for years to come, making summer learning an even more important strategy for students. But individual summer programs do not exist in a vacuum. When local community and school leaders intentionally collaborate with one another, students benefit. Summer learning systems that are coordinated effectively and efficiently with blended programs and braided funding can improve access for students by addressing common barriers such as transportation, convenience, affordability, the number of available slots for children, and program quality. However, the lack of robust, comprehensive funding is often a barrier to collaboration, and a barrier to program expansion and quality improvement efforts.

This guide helps meet this need by identifying a broad variety of federal and state funding streams that districts and charter schools may tap to support equitable access to high-quality programs. This guide will not focus on the in-depth steps needed to develop quality summer programs but will instead provide a broad overview with a focus on funding sources and relies on work done by the Wallace Foundation and the RAND Corporation.

Essential Briefing recordings are available to be viewed for two years after the initial presentation.  Due to this timing, it is possible that some of the information may no longer be fully accurate, and it is recommended that you follow up with the appropriate resources for any questions.