Does your district need more funds for K-12 Computer Science (CS) education? Here’s what you need to know: 

• Now accepting applications: Colorado’s Computer Science Education (CSEd) Grants for Teachers Program. 
• The deadline is Nov 17, 2023 to submit the proposal. 
• This program awards an average of $20,000 to $40,000 per district for CS teacher PD. 
• Funding is for district-determined CS PD for the 2023-2024 fiscal year. 
• Grants are awarded for a five-month term beginning in February 2024.
• Funds must be expended by June 30, 2024.
• Priority is given to rural and small districts with students > 60% free-reduced lunch.

Colorado LEPs, including school districts, BOCES, and district charter schools or Institute Charter Schools. 

From the prior year awards, we believe your district has a good chance if you meet the following criteria:

1. Serve students eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch exceeding 40.2%.
2. Serve a high number of minority students exceeding 49%.
3. Are designated as a Rural or Small Rural LEP.
4. At least 10 teachers in grades K-8 would participate in the PD program
5. Can expend the funds by June 30, 2024

Your district can be recognized for bringing new CS education to your community. Our experts help teachers teach CS/STEM better and enhance learning for ALL students. So you can have a comprehensive K-12 CS plan in place with teachers who are motivated to teach it.

Here’s a simple overview of our process – How we work with districts:

1. We conduct a brief needs assessment during a one-hour Zoom call. We identify your school’s unique requirements for CS programs. This includes your teachers, students, technology, and resources; where you are now, and where you want to be.
2. We start with our Colorado CSEd grant template. Then we input your district’s needs to craft the narrative. This explains how you will provide the PD, implement CS in classrooms, and evaluate the results.
3. We collaborate with you and your staff to complete the grant narrative and budget.  Using the new Colorado DOE’s grant application system, GAINS, we help you submit it.
4. You receive the grant award. Together we schedule the PD sessions. Then we help you put the program in place. Finally, we collect data, and report on the results of your successful implementation.

Computer science education is essential for all students in the 21st century. However, as we know, integrating computer science into your district’s curriculum can be challenging. It’s important to start planning now and to seek out support from experts in the field.

Partnering with EDforTech can help you ensure a successful and impactful implementation of computer science education for all students. We have the expertise and resources to help write the Grant proposal, provide the training and tools, and help you overcome any challenges you may face along the way.

Our experienced team is here to help, and we have a strong track record of winning grants. If you have any initial doubts, we’d be delighted to provide references from other satisfied clients. 

We have many years of experience in writing grant proposals.  In one year we helped earn over $200,000 for Mississippi schools; 80% of the schools we worked with were awarded! We helped schools in Jefferson, Stone and Natchez districts start brand new K-8 CS/STEM programs and provided PD for their teachers. 

In another year we helped California schools win over $150,000 in an ASES STEM after school funding grant. Again over 75% of those we worked with received the funding!

Our proven CS Professional Growth Bundle meets the grant requirements. It provides the professional development that teachers need to overcome their fears of teaching CS, and the tools needed to immediately begin applying CS in K-8 classrooms.

It includes two PDs, a follow-up session, robots for each teacher, and results data from the PD for district accountability reports for the grant funds.  We use your needs assessment to determine the number of teachers to serve and fit it within the typical awarded budgets. 

Here is a flier (PDF) with more details.

Our facilitators have extensive classroom experience, curriculum development expertise, and a proven track record in delivering professional development to educators. 

Our PD sessions are led by expert facilitators like Todd Ullah, Ed.D. Dr Ullah has >20 years of experience in education leadership and has led hundreds of PD sessions at large and small districts around the country. As findings from our PD suggest, we help teachers teach CS/STEM better while increasing confidence and expertise.  We would be happy to provide their Vita’s upon request. 

At EDforTech, we are deeply committed to fostering educational opportunities and promoting equitable access to STEM and Computer Science (CS) education.

We recognize that many smaller school districts face unique challenges, including limited resources, not having a grant writing team, and difficulty attracting teachers with STEM or CS backgrounds.  Despite these challenges, these districts often have talented students with tremendous potential for success in CS and STEM careers. Their small communities stand to benefit from the expertise gained through these fields. 

How do we know this? Our CEO and many people on our team grew up in small rural districts. They understand the obstacles that students face when pursuing higher education from such districts. It is this firsthand experience that drives our mission. We are dedicated to giving back to these communities and providing opportunities for all students.

Our CEO actively participates in the grant writing process, leveraging her expertise to secure funding for these essential programs. Our entire team shares in the joy of seeing students succeed in coding and STEM activities. Witnessing the impact on these young minds reaffirms our commitment to bridging educational gaps and making a difference in the lives of underserved students.

At EDforTech, we believe that every child should have the opportunity to explore and excel in STEM and CS fields, regardless of where they come from.