Frequently Asked Questions

Scope of Work

What are the award amounts for each LEA?

As with prior rounds of Race to the Top, 50 percent of the award is designated for local education agency (LEA) use based on Title IA share distributions. Eligible LEAs were provided the opportunity to participate in the grant program. More than 90 percent of districts elected to participate.

Click here to view final award amounts to each district.

When will districts receive their allocations?

Although districts will be able to be reimbursed for allowable expenses incurred beginning December 22, 2011, districts will not receive allocations until the U.S. Department of Education has approved Colorado’s final scope of work. Colorado is required to submit its final scope of work by early April, and expects to receive final approval from the federal government by May or June. Districts may request funds on a reimbursement basis by the 10th of each moth using the Request for Funds form. Click here for more information.

Who will approve districts’ scopes of work?

CDE will review and approve each district’s scope of work, but the U.S. Department of Education will spot check district scopes of work and will approve CDE’s process for reviewing and monitoring local scopes of work.

If a district would like to use funds to attend CDE trainings, how can it complete the timelines in its scope of work without knowing when the trainings will be made available?

Districts are encouraged to list the school year and estimated general time period (e.g., Fall/Winter 2012) that they anticipate participating in CDE training.

If a district plans to use all funding that it will receive in 2012-13, how is it expected to include quarterly milestones for all four years of the grant period?

Even after a funded activity has been carried out, districts are expected to demonstrate how they will build on that activity and sustain the activity throughout the four-year grant period. For instance, if a district used funding for district personnel to attend training on standards implementation in 2012-13, the district could then sustain that activity by using district funding to conduct internal trainings for school leaders and staff. For more examples, please see the sample work plans in the scope of work template.

Are there any requirements for the performance targets included in the scope of work?

Performance targets must include desired overall outcomes (e.g., elementary student growth in reading and writing) and may also include expected process outcomes (e.g., percentage of principals that indicate they understand and are comfortable using the state’s teacher evaluation rubric).

If a district pools its funds with other districts, do all of the pooling districts need to submit the Scope of Work document, or does just the lead LEA or BOCES need to submit the Scope of Work?

All of the pooling LEAs, as well as the lead LEA or BOCES must submit documentation. Pooling LEAs are only responsible for submitting Parts 1-3 and section 1 of Part 4. Lead LEAs or BOCES must submit the entire Scope of Work document, including section 2 of Part 4 (the work plan) and Part 5 (the budget).

Are LEAs or BOCES allowed to amend their scopes of work?

LEAS or BOCES are allowed to amend their scopes of work provided the amendment does not include activities or expenditures that are not allowed and do not substantially change the approved outscome measures. For more information, see the Grants Management Manual (under More Resources at http://www.cde.state.co.us/rttt/lea_resources). 

When does the RTT grant period end?

The RTT grant period ends on Dec. 22, 2015. All district activities must be completed by that time. All funds must be requested within 90 days of that date. 

Where can I go for additional information?

For additional information, please contact CDE’s Race to the Top office at racetothetop@cde.state.co.us