Exploration Supports: Alternative Education Campus & Online School Reviews Grant Program

The Colorado Department of Education provides Exploration Supports: Alternative Education Campus & Online School Reviews through a Diagnostic Review and Planning process designed for Alternative Education Campuses and online schools that are working to prioritize improvement efforts. The support began in 2018 and has served more than 30 AECs or online schools. Its purpose is to help participating schools reflect on progress, identify and prioritize improvement efforts, and develop implementation plans tailored to the particular needs of alternative education and online learning environments. CDE's framework for effective practices draws on the Four Domains used in its Quality Schools School Improvement initiatives, National Alternative Education Association exemplary practices, research on effective high school practices, online and blended learning rubrics, and observations of Colorado schools. The support consists of several connected activities. School leadership teams begin with self-assessment and reflection using AEC- or online-school-specific CDE tools and a staff survey to identify areas of strength and growth. An on-site diagnostic review follows, during which approximately two to three CDE staff and a current school leader spend at least one day at the school reviewing materials, interviewing staff, students, and families, and conducting observations. CDE then provides a formal report highlighting strengths and prioritized recommendations. Follow-up support includes three to six monthly check-ins to review the report, prioritize improvement work, and develop implementation and short-cycle plans aligned with the Unified Improvement Plan. The sequence incorporates diagnostic review, improvement planning, stakeholder engagement, and early implementation. Eligible applicants are schools designated as an Alternative Education Campus or online school for the previous and current school years. Eligible AEC types include online, blended, charter, and district-run schools. The program also identifies schools for improvement under ESSA as Comprehensive Support, Targeted Support, or Additional Targeted Support and/or schools with a state School Performance Framework plan type of Priority Improvement, Turnaround, or On Watch. If all qualifying EASI proposals cannot be funded, proposals meeting expectations are prioritized according to the EASI school-level prioritization list, with schools having the highest number of prioritization points funded first. The number of new schools supported may also be limited by CDE staff capacity, and prioritization points and service capacity within a district or region may be considered. Awards may be up to $42,000 per school. CDE recommends allocating $10,000 for the diagnostic review, $10,000 for stakeholder engagement, $2,000 for improvement planning, and $20,000 for early implementation. The support period is designed for 18 months across the 2025-26 and 2026-27 school years. Allowable expenses include review visits and related staff time, stakeholder engagement such as stipends, translation and childcare, development of improvement or strategic plans, early implementation activities such as leadership or teacher development and job-embedded training, travel to other school sites, and other expenses supporting the process. Expenses for stakeholder engagement, improvement planning, and early implementation must align with diagnostic review recommendations. General budget placeholders for these components are permitted at application because specific activities may depend on the review findings. Indirect costs may be included using the district's restricted indirect cost rate, but the total request including indirect costs cannot exceed the maximum award. Indirect costs are permitted only on federal awards and must be removed during post-award revision if the grantee receives a state award. Program funds must supplement and not supplant federal, state, and local funds already supporting activities. Post-award revisions must be submitted and approved before expenses are incurred, and all revisions must be approved by June 30. Federal award funds must be obligated by September 30 and requested by November 1 of each applicable fiscal year. State award funds must be obligated by June 30 of the final grant-cycle year. Carryforward may be permitted consistent with funding-source restrictions and CDE approval. Non-requested federal funds revert at the end of the performance period, while unspent state funds must be returned. Future-year award amounts remain contingent upon state and federal allocations to CDE. CDE may terminate an award on thirty days' notice when program requirements are not being fulfilled or results are less than satisfactory. The program timeline identifies September through December for meetings with a CDE School Transformation Manager to discuss interest and develop a proposed budget, with the application due in December. Award notifications occur in January, followed by orientation and a check-in in February. Diagnostic review site visits and reports occur from February through April, with follow-up support and implementation planning from April through October. Grantees must incorporate findings into their Unified Improvement Planning process, provide CDE feedback on the tools and process, and submit a Final Expenditure Report in GAINS each fiscal year by September 30. LEAs must maintain appropriate fiscal and program records and use the diagnostic review findings to inform the school's comprehensive needs assessment and selected strategies in the Unified Improvement Plan. Program contacts are Johann Liljengren at Liljengren_J@cde.state.co.us and (303) 986-0201, and Renee Martinez at Martinez_R@cde.state.co.us and (720) 765-6388.

Demonstrate willingness to reflect on current practice and identify improvements; involve a principal supervisor or district liaison to support long-term implementation; include all four Exploration Supports components in the proposed budget; align stakeholder engagement, improvement planning, and early implementation expenses with diagnostic review recommendations; do not combine this support with other Diagnostic Review support.