1. Burbio's State-Level Funding Tracker features continuously updated, state-specific grants for PreK-12 schools, with over 2,000 grants covering over $40 billion in spending. As a general rule clients prefer to "get ahead" of grants being awarded to districts. When a grant is announced, they are alerted and can reach out to eligible districts to make them aware of the grant and offer assistance in advance of the application process.
That said, there is value in knowing when districts have been awarded funding. This week we share some observations about the dynamics around grants being awarded:
- Recurring grants: Reviewing and analyzing award winners from previous years offers a preview into the upcoming year as the grant will be available to districts once again. In one example, Indiana's Secured School Safety Grant has been awarded annually since 2013 and has distributed $187 million during that time, with $27 million set aside for 2026-27.
- Pilot Programs with Follow-On Opportunities: In Massachusetts, the WBL Planning and Resource Development Grant is being offered to districts to join a pilot to expand work-based learning opportunities, with funding available in future years for participants.
- Expansion Grants: In Wisconsin, the Technical Education Equipment Grant Program (Expanded Wisconsin Fast Forward Program) announced awards in May and was targeted to districts expanding an existing program.
- Blended Awards: Grants can be awarded to both districts, government organizations, and community groups. The Colorado State Grants to Libraries is available to school, public, and academic libraries. We also see this approach in grants related to extended day programs, STEM, Pre-K, CTE, and more.
- Priority school districts: In North Carolina, the Golden Leafs Schools Initiative is intended "to increase economic opportunity in North Carolina’s rural, tobacco-dependent, and economically distressed communities” and awarded 15 school districts in June.
- "Remaining Funding" Opportunities: In several categories, suppliers reach out to awardees near the end of the spending cycle to see if there is funding that still needs to be liquidated.
- Awards to specific regions: In Texas, we see awards to Education Service Centers in the state, which provide services to local districts in their region.
2. Burbio's State Information dashboard includes information such as state board meetings, budgets, Title I funds, state AI policies and curriculum lists, TSI/CSI schools, state report cards and more. Burbio summarizes state board of education meetings and highlights the issues covered in the dashboard.
3. Burbio collects strategic plans and LCAPs as they are issued by districts nationwide. This week we continue our look at frequency of terminology mentioned in strategic plans issued so far in 2025 versus those issued during 2023 and 2024. The analysis does not include California's LCAPs, which include a uniquely wide array of references and so we evaluate them separately: