by Brent Addleman
An investment of federal funds will benefit schoolchildren throughout Connecticut, Gov. Ned Lamont said.
The governor announced $8 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds will be invested in the Summer Enrichment Program. The funding will be sent to the Department of Education, which will disperse the funds to programs designed to help students continue to be connected to high-quality education programs when school is not in session.
“The pandemic has created a challenging situation for many students, and it is a priority of mine to ensure that Connecticut has opportunities during the summer months to keep students engaged between academic years,” Lamont said in the press release. “I don’t want any student to fall behind because they did not have access to high-quality summer enrichment opportunities, and I am glad that we can continue this successful program into another year thanks to the sustained federal funding championed by Connecticut’s congressional delegation.”
The program, according to the release, was launched in 2021 to keep students learning through summer camps, at child-care centers, and other programs for students in areas impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program is also funded using a share of the state’s federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund.
“I am pleased to announce a second round of funding for the 2022 Summer Enrichment Program,” Commissioner Russell-Tucker said in the release. “The impact of fun, challenging, and enriching summer programming on student growth and development cannot be understated. Today, we are proud to dedicate these federal dollars toward an initiative with a proven record of expanding access to affordable, high-quality summer programs.”
According to the release, competitive grant applications will be used to award funding to eligible groups who provide students and families with learning experiences when school is not in session. Applicants will be able to submit proposals for one expansion grant of up to $75,000 or one innovation grant between $75,000 to $250,000.
Funds can be used, according to the release, to increase enrollment, add supper services and other activities, or to subsidize enrollment costs through scholarships to low-income families.
Last year, the program reached more than 108,000 students.
Applications can be found online. A virtual information session will be held Monday at 11 a.m. for interested applicants.
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Brent Addleman is an Associate Editor and a veteran journalist at The Center Square with more than 25 years of experience. He has served as editor of newspapers in Pennsylvania and Texas, and has also worked at newspapers in Delaware, Maryland, New York, and Kentucky.
Photo “Governor of Connecticut Ned Lamont” by The Office of Governor Ned Lamont. CC BY-SA 4.0. Background Photo “Connecticut State Capitol” by jglazer75. CC BY 2.0.
