1. Burbio's State-Level Funding Tracker features state-specific grants for K-12 schools, covering all state departments, as well as Federal grants where states can tailor the criteria. Burbio has identified over 1,400 grants, and the database is growing daily. The middle of the academic year represents the high point of state grant availability, defined as grants open for submission and grants in their spending period. States awarded grants in the summer and early fall that are being spent this academic year, and there are billions of dollars of outstanding grants taking applications for the balance 2024-25.
This week we look at the size of grant categories by use of funds. Below is a chart that summarizes 37 categories of grants, the number of grants for each category, and the market size for the categories involved. There are some important points of explanation to interpret the data:
- The majority of grants issued by states apply to multiple categories so it's important to look at each category size in isolation and not add all the figures together.
- In general state grants are written clearly, but they can also be a bit broad and not mention specific service elements. We encourage partners to review categories under which they often work. Some examples: Tutoring companies should review afterschool and summer grants, furniture suppliers should review facilities grants, providers of family engagement and mental health should review community schools grants, etc.
- The State-Level Funding Tracker does not include Federal formula grants (e.g. Title 1). It does include a handful of Federal grants where the criteria is tailored at the state level.
- The absolute, "unduplicated" total funding we have identified from state grants is in excess of $40 billion, even as the figures below total to more than that.
We hear repeatedly from industry partners that districts are often not aware of grants that have been issued by their states and outreach to discuss them is a key part of district engagement.
Burbio will be adding more spending datasets in early 2025 to supplement our current coverage of state grants, board documents, strategic plans, checkbook registers, and school budgets, all available via the PreK-12 Intelligence Hub.
2. In January Burbio will be expanding our coverage of checkbook registers posted by school districts to include just under 40% of PreK-12 students. The disclosures list out checks written to vendors of all sizes, and the data is used to track competitive activity and market share.
This week we expand our market penetration analysis for select vendors. The following chart highlights the supplier name and the percentage of districts with a payment to the supplier at least once during the twelve month period from July 2023 to June 2024: 
3. A growing program in public education is eSports. Below is a map of school board meetings where eSports has been mentioned in the minutes since the Fall of 2023:
Below are some examples of the role it is playing as an extracurricular activity and an area of investment:
- In Rapid City Area School District, SD, the school board reports, "The SDHSAA (the state sports governing body) has been discussing eSports and the board will receive information in the near future to adopt it as (an) activity."
- In Gadsden Independent School District, NM, the district's recent board meeting summarizes the "technology team’s projects include advancements in AI, drones, eSports, and robotics." Artificial intelligence is frequently mentioned alongside eSports initiatives.
- In Kansas City Public Schools, MO, the district's strategic plan sets a goal of having 75% of all students participating in extracurriculars by 2030, with a supporting tactic being to "expand athletic and enrichment opportunities with tournament/event settings in elementary schools (i.e.,debate, chess, Lego League and eSports)."
- We see frequent references to eSports clubs and teams. In Perkiomen Valley School District, PA, the board "recognized the high school eSports club that offers students a unique way to cultivate critical thinking, coordination, problem-solving, collaboration, and communication skills . . . These skills . . . bolster academic success but are also highly valued in the workplace . . .".
- In Belleville Township High School District 201, IL, their strategic plan showcases the district's Center for Academic and Vocational Excellence, "home to the district's alternative education center and our eSports studio."
- The LCAP for Beaumont Unified, CA makes repeated references to the popularity of eSports, including "The sports program expansion, especially in eSports . . . significantly (benefitted) low-income students and (boosted) their school involvement," and "the rise in the number of students participating in eSports has created a need for adults to learn and understand the dynamics of eSports . . ."
- Burbio's checkbook register database highlights investments in the space. Cape Girardo is installing an extra data cable for eSports, Putnam City Public Schools, OK, is purchasing computer parts for eSports, and San Bernardino City Unified School District, CA, is purchasing a Nintendo Switch and a Playstation for eSports.