Federal Funding Opportunities

Federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)

Title I, Part A

Purpose of Funding Source: ed.gov

Provides support for programs under Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA).

ARRA funds should be used to improve student achievement and help close the achievement gap, make improvements in teacher effectiveness and in the equitable distribution of qualified teachers for all students, particularly students who are most in need.

These funds should be invested in ways that do not result in unsustainable continuing commitments after the funding expires.

Title I, Part A ARRA funds generally may be used only to support professional development for teachers, principals, and other staff in Title I schools ... The only exception to this rule is professional development for staff in an LEA that is in improvement status.

Title I, Part A ARRA funds (as well as funds from the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (Title IV, Part A of the ESEA)) may be used to fund activities designed to improve school climate in a Title I school operating a schoolwide program, provided that the need for improved school climate is among the specific educational needs of the school identified in the school’s comprehensive needs assessment and climate-focused interventions are articulated in the schoolwide plan.

Professional development to help staff address bullying, harassment, and social isolation, and to help them foster a greater sense of belonging and connectedness to the school among Title I students and families.

Title I, Part A ARRA funds may be used for professional development targeted directly toward building the capacity of school personnel in Title I schools to work effectively with families and to build ties between the parents and the school.

Applicable Cybersmart! Online Workshops

CyberSmart! Workshops, aligned to the National Staff Development Standards, help teachers make changes in their teaching practices that will engage students in learning and thereby increase student achievement.

CyberSmart! Online Workshops last 10 hours over four weeks, but can have lasting value when educators translate the knowledge and skills they have gained in the workshop into professional learning communities that can be set up and sustain with very low costs to school districts.

Two CyberSmart! Online Workshops are appropriate for ARRA Title I, Part A funding:

Safety & Security Online—this workshop addresses improving school climate
Manners, Cyberbullying & Ethics—workshops address improving school climate, bullying, and harassment.

No Child Left Behind

Title I Part A: Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies

Purpose of Funding Source: ed.gov

Title I provides flexible funding that may be used to provide additional instructional staff, professional development, extended-time programs, and other strategies for raising student achievement in high-poverty schools. The program focuses on promoting school wide reform in high-poverty schools and ensuring students' access to scientifically based instructional strategies and challenging academic content.

Unless a participating school is operating a schoolwide program, the school must focus Title I services on children who are failing, or most at risk of failing, to meet state academic standards. Schools in which poor children make up at least 40 percent of enrollment are eligible to use Title I funds for schoolwide programs that serve all children in the school.

Applicable Cybersmart! Online Workshops

All CyberSmart! Online Workshops may be used to address school-wide reform in high-poverty districts with professional development that guides educators in preparing all students to safely access challenging online content:

Safety & Security Online
Manners, Cyberbullying & Ethics
Authentic Learning and Creativity
Research and Information Fluency
Twenty-First Century Challenges

Title II, Part A: Improving Teacher Quality State Grants

Purpose of Funding Source: ed.gov

The purpose of the program is to increase academic achievement by improving teacher and principal quality. This program is carried out by: increasing the number of highly qualified teachers in classrooms; increasing the number of highly qualified principals and assistant principals in schools; and increasing the effectiveness of teachers and principals by holding LEAs and schools accountable for improvements in student academic achievement.

Title II, Part A provides these agencies the flexibility to use these funds creatively to address challenges to teacher quality, whether they concern teacher preparation and qualifications of new teachers, recruitment and hiring, induction, professional development, teacher retention, or the need for more capable principals and assistant principals to serve as effective school leaders.

Applicable Cybersmart! Online Workshops

CyberSmart! Online Workshops guide administrators, lead teachers, and mentors, as well as classroom teachers and therefore contribute to teacher and principal quality and effectiveness.

CyberSmart! Online Workshops can be used to target educators who do not have the skill set, or who are not yet comfortable, participating in online professional learning communities for professional development. Professional learning communities have been shown to be one of the most effective methods for improving instruction and student achievement.

All CyberSmart! Online Workshops are appropriate for Title II, Part A grants:

Safety & Security Online
Manners, Cyberbullying & Ethics
Authentic Learning and Creativity
Research and Information Fluency
Twenty-First Century Challenges

Title II, Part D: Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT)

Purpose of Funding Source: ed.gov

PRIMARY GOAL—The primary goal of this part is to improve student academic achievement through the use of technology in elementary schools and secondary schools.

ADDITIONAL GOALS—The additional goals of this part are the following:

To assist every student in crossing the digital divide by ensuring that every student is technologically literate by the time the student finishes the eighth grade, regardless of the student's race, ethnicity, gender, family income, geographic location, or disability.
To encourage the effective integration of technology resources and systems with teacher training and curriculum development to establish research-based instructional methods that can be widely implemented as best practices by State educational agencies and local educational agencies.

At least twenty-five percent (25%) must be used for professional development.

Applicable Cybersmart! Online Workshops

CyberSmart! Online Workshops align with purposes 1, 4, 5, and 8 of Title II, Part D:

support of a comprehensive system that effectively uses technology in elementary schools and secondary schools to improve student academic achievement)
To promote initiatives that provide school teachers, principals, and administrators with the capacity to integrate technology effectively into curricula and instruction that are aligned with challenging State academic content and student academic achievement standards, through such means as high-quality professional development programs.
To enhance the ongoing professional development of teachers, principals, and administrators by providing constant access to training and updated research in teaching and learning through electronic means.
To support local efforts using technology to promote parent and family involvement in education and communication among students, parents, teachers, principals, and administrators.

All CyberSmart! Online Workshops are appropriate for Title II, Part D funding:

Safety & Security Online
Manners, Cyberbullying & Ethics
Authentic Learning and Creativity
Research and Information Fluency
Twenty-First Century Challenges

Title IV, Part A: 21st Century Schools: Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (SDFSCA)

Purpose of Funding Source: ed.gov

The purpose of this part is to support programs that prevent violence in and around schools; that prevent the illegal use of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs; that involve parents and communities; and that are coordinated with related Federal, State, school, and community efforts and resources to foster a safe and drug-free learning environment that supports student academic achievement.

Character education programs are an appropriate use of these funds.

Applicable Cybersmart! Online Workshops

Two CyberSmart! Online Workshops are appropriate for Title IV, Part A funding:

Safety and Security Online—addresses students safe use of electronic networks as part of their learning environment.
Manners, Cyberbullying & Ethics—this workshop addresses best practices from effective character education initiatives that help prevent cyberbullying and other technology-related safety situations that can derail learning in a school community.

Title V, Part A: State Grants for Innovative Programs

Purpose of Funding Source: ed.gov

Provides formula grants to State and local educational agencies (SEAs and LEAs) and is designed to increase the academic achievement of, and improve the quality of education for, all students.

Purposes

To support local education reform efforts that are consistent with and support statewide education reform efforts.
To implement promising educational reform programs and school improvement programs based on scientifically based research.
To provide a continuing source of innovation and educational improvement, including support for programs to provide library services and instructional and media materials.
To meet the educational needs of all students, including at-risk youth.
To develop and implement education programs to improve school, student, and teacher performance, including professional development activities and class size reduction programs.

Applicable Cybersmart! Online Workshops

All research-based CyberSmart! Online Workshops align with the five purposes of Title V, Part A:

Safety & Security Online
Manners, Cyberbullying & Ethics
Authentic Learning and Creativity
Research and Information Fluency
Twenty-First Century Challenges

Title VI, Part B, Subpart 2: Rural and Low-Income School (RLIS) Program

Purpose of Funding Source: ed.gov

This program is intended to meet the unique needs of rural and low-income districts by providing resources and flexibility to supplement selected NCLB priorities.

Grant funds awarded to local educational agencies under this subpart shall be used for any of the following:

Teacher recruitment and retention, including the use of signing bonuses and other financial incentives.
Teacher professional development, including programs that train teachers to utilize technology to improve teaching and to train special needs teachers.
Educational technology, including software and hardware, as described in part D of title II.
Parental involvement activities.
Activities authorized under the Safe and Drug-Free Schools program under part A of title IV.
Activities authorized under part A of title I.
Activities authorized under title III.

Applicable Cybersmart! Online Workshops

All CyberSmart! Online Workshops align with uses 2, 5, and 6:

Safety & Security Online—addresses students safe use of electronic networks as part of their learning environment.
Manners, Cyberbullying & Ethics—this workshop addresses best practices from effective character education initiatives that help prevent cyberbullying and other technology-related safety situations that can derail learning in a school community.
Authentic Learning and Creativity
Research and Information Fluency
Twenty-First Century Challenges