Cleveland Metropolitan School District Monday announced the return of the "Get More Opportunities" fund, a grant program that allows students, staff and parents to apply for money for educational opportunities that the district normally couldn't fund.
The school district in late 2023 had pulled the program, funded by a $20 million grant from billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, after it said it would need to use the money to help plug a budget hole. CMSD CEO Warren Morgan has also said he had concerns about "equity" in the former program, arguing the money wasn't being spread out evenly across all schools.
Cleveland City Council members and other local residents cried foul after the funding was pulled; the school district several months later, in February, said it would relaunch the program.
Morgan in a press release Monday said the fund in its new form should benefit as many schools as possible.
“With the relaunch of this fund, we are making a deliberate effort to ensure that all our schools can enrich the educational experience of their students," he said. "This program exemplifies our commitment to equity by distributing funds in a way that considers the unique needs of each school, allowing for a more tailored approach to student success.”
Under the newly revamped program, "most schools" can expect to get between $35,000 and $55,000 per year, according to CMSD website's page about the program. About $4 million total will be given out each year. The program will work in the following way, according to the website:
- Students, staff and parents can submit grant applications through an online portal. The applications "may involve enriching programs or experiences for scholars, improvements to the school facility and/or its surroundings, or investments in technology or equipment used by scholars. Applicants are encouraged to approach the process creatively and with local needs in mind."
- A school-based review committee made up of students, parents and staff and chaired by the school's principal will review the proposals, which can range from "a few hundred dollars up to the school's total share of the fund. Allowable uses will be limited to those that directly benefit scholars."
- The program has several caveats. One - any proposals requiring "facilities updates or technology purchases" will be reviewed by the CMSD central office prior to being reviewed at the school level, the website said. Two - expenditures that will primarily benefit educators will "not be considered, regardless of any indirect benefits to scholars."
The original grant had been advertised as a way to fund opportunities for teachers in addition to students, Ideastream Public Media has previously reported.
The district says the first round of applications will open on September 23.
"CMSD is committed to transparency and will publicly share the details of funded proposals, highlighting the impactful work being done across the district," CMSD wrote in the news release.
