Colorado Boosting Support for Innovative Pandemic-Era Initiatives

Gov. Jared Polis distributed over $30 million in Response, Innovation, and Student Equity (RISE) Fund grants to help students in communities hit hard by the pandemic. The RISE grant program emphasizes cooperative programs between school districts, charter schools, and higher education institutions, with a focus on helping students disproportionately impacted by missed instructional time.

We are spotlighting this because the use of recovery dollars to fund a competitive grant program is innovative and creates a cohort of new initiatives and investments to monitor for progress and impact.

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Reviewer Analysis

John White

This remains the most generative and intriguing idea to come out of state stimulus plans. A small amount of resources catalyzes lots of creative thought, partnerships, and outside investment. Very smart and easily replicated.

Learning Heroes

This is a good example of a state-level intervention: making funding available for a broad idea regarding equity, but allowing local groups to decide how that should look in their context. - Dr. Eyal Bergman

New Leaders

These grants will allow schools, organizations, and districts to respond to and innovate to address the specific needs of the communities they serve, potentially leading to increased engagement and more opportunities for students. What if any support or oversight will be provided to grant recipients?

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Colorado Boosting Support for Innovative Pandemic-Era Initiatives

Reviewer Analysis

John White

Learning Heroes

New Leaders

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