Sheff Open Choice Summer Enrichment

Connecticut State Department of Education

Charlene M. Russell-Tucker

Commissioner of Education

Office of Strategic Planning and Partnerships

Application for the Sheff Open Choice Summer Enrichment Grant

Section 10-262s(b)(2) of the Connecticut General Statutes

Summer 2026

RFP 857

Application Due Date: March 20, 2026

Published: February 13, 2026

An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer

The Connecticut State Department of Education is committed to a policy of equal opportunity/affirmative action for all qualified persons. The Connecticut Department of Education does not discriminate in any employment practice, education program, or educational activity on the basis of: race; color; religious creed; age; sex; pregnancy; sexual orientation; workplace hazards to reproductive systems; gender identity or expression; marital status; national origin; ancestry; retaliation for previously opposed discrimination or coercion; intellectual disability; genetic information; learning disability; physical disability (including, but not limited to, blindness); mental disability (past/present history thereof); military or veteran status; status as a victim of domestic violence; or criminal record in state employment, in accordance with applicable statutes, unless there is a bona fide occupational qualification excluding persons in any of the aforementioned protected classes. Inquiries regarding the Connecticut State Department of Education’s nondiscrimination policies should be directed to: Attorney Louis Todisco, Connecticut State Department of Education, by mail 450 Columbus Boulevard, Suite 605, Hartford, CT 06103-1841; or by telephone 860-713-6594; or by email louis.todisco@ct.gov.

Section I. Background

On April 18, 1989, eighteen school-aged children from the metropolitan Hartford, Connecticut area, acting through their parents, commenced the civil action Sheff v. O’Neill (Sheff) in the Hartford Superior Court against the State of Connecticut. In 1996, the Connecticut Supreme Court rendered a decision in the case and held that the de facto racial, ethnic and economic isolation of schools in Hartford violated Hartford students’ State Constitutional rights.

Since 2003, the plaintiffs and the State have entered into several sequential stipulated agreements from Phase I through Phase IV, and, most recently, a Phase V final agreement, spelling out certain goals for reducing racial and ethnic isolation in Hartford and the steps the state would take to achieve such goals. The final agreement, referred to as the Comprehensive School Choice Plan (CCP), was signed by the state defendants, the plaintiffs and the City of Hartford on January 26, 2022, and the Connecticut Superior Court on March 21, 2022 as an Order of the Court. The CCP reflects the final agreement of the parties and articulates a plan for meeting the demand of Hartford-resident students for a diverse educational environment through a sustainable system of integrated education. Interdistrict magnet schools, the Open Choice Program, and the Hartford Region Technical High Schools within the Connecticut Technical Education and Career System (CTECS) provide the primary means for reducing isolation pursuant to the various agreements among the parties and play a consequential role in achieving the goals of the CCP. In the 2024-25 school year, more than 23,000 Connecticut students attended Sheff magnet schools, the Open Choice Program or a Hartford Region Technical High School, including over 11,500 Hartford-resident students.

The CCP articulates a complex and detailed strategic blueprint to increase opportunities for integrated, high quality educational opportunities for Hartford-resident students and students throughout Connecticut through a series of 42 commitments. These commitments reflect the State priority to support academic and social emotional development of students by offering high-quality, integrated educational programming through interdistrict school choice options.

Section II. Purpose

Given the unique nature of interdistrict programs, summer programming provides an essential educational continuum between school years that builds community, strengthens student connections, and mitigates summer learning loss. Through this grant, the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) seeks to expand enrichment and extracurricular programming opportunities to include summer enrichment offerings for Open Choice Districts in the Sheff Region to provide continuous opportunities to access integrated settings that support social, emotional, and academic growth.

The goal of the Sheff Open Choice Summer Enrichment Grant is to increase the involvement and participation of students in enrichment activities to support academic development, students’ social-emotional well-being, and build community among student participants pursuant to the commitments in the CCP. Thus, the purpose of this grant is to serve four (4) key priorities:

• provide students with access to enriching academic activities and supports through summer programming to promote student achievement, skills development and leadership;

• provide a continuum of academic and enrichment between school years to promote academic and social engagement over the summer months;

• build school community among student participants in the Sheff Open Choice program and resident students through fun and engaging enrichment and extracurricular activities; and

• support social-emotional development of student participants.

Section III. Eligible Applicants

Within available appropriations, the Commissioner of Education may award funds for academic support programs and summer school educational programs pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes (C.G.S.) § 10-262s(b)(2) to assist the state in meeting its obligations pursuant to the decision in Sheff and the CCP. The CSDE will award these academic and social support funds for summer programming through a competitive grant process based on the application requirements set forth herein.

Although Open Choice is a statewide program, this grant is specifically intended to support school districts and families participating in the Open Choice Program in the Sheff Region pursuant to the CCP through academic and social support programming authorized by C.G.S. § 10-262s(b)(2) and funded from the Sheff settlement. Only those school districts that participate in the Open Choice Program in the Sheff Region (Sheff Open Choice District) are eligible for funding through this grant (See C.G.S. §§ 10-266aa and10-262s(b)(2)).

To be considered for this grant, any such Sheff Open Choice District must submit a proposal that meets the requirements of this competitive grant application and articulates the proposed summer enrichment strategies, actions and/or programs that the district will implement to provide students enrolled or newly registered in Sheff Open Choice District schools (Sheff Open Choice School) with high-quality, enrichment opportunities to support academic development, social-emotional well-being, community building, skills development, and physical fitness. Proposals must include a detailed budget and plan for identifying, developing and implementing a meaningful and cohesive summer enrichment program. The primary location for the proposed summer programming must be a Sheff Open Choice School.

Eligible entities must submit a complete application for each proposed summer enrichment program.

Eligible entities that do not submit a complete grant application by March 20, 2026 will not be eligible for funding pursuant to this competitive grant opportunity.

Fiscal health and financial policies must be documented in a letter of commitment from the superintendent that states that the programs have the capacity to invest time and resources to support program start-up and implementation once the grant is awarded, notwithstanding a delay in reimbursement of funds.

Section IV. Funding

Total funds for this competitive grant are up to $220,000 in Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) and up to $500,000 in FY27 pursuant to C.G.S. § 10-262s(b)(2) to fund summer enrichment programming for students enrolled or newly registered to Sheff Open Choice Districts that assists the state in meeting its obligations pursuant to the decision in Sheff. This funding is in addition to, not in place of, the statutorily provided Open Choice enrollment grant currently funded on a tiered basis pursuant to C.G.S. § 10-266aa(g)(2), and other funding provided by the CSDE and through other sources, including transportation costs supported through C.G.S. § 10-266aa(f).

This funding is for Summer 2026 programming and is separate from the Summer 2025 iteration of this grant award. Summer 2025 award recipients are eligible to apply and must submit an application by the communicated deadline to be considered for this Summer 2026 grant opportunity.

All awards will be in the form of reimbursement grants based on funds requests after funds are expended. Grants are not final until the execution of award letters and are subject to the availability of funding. The level of funding and reporting requirements will be set forth in the notification of the grant award.

Section V. Allowable Activities and Costs

Submissions for this grant must include a detailed budget and plan for identifying, developing, and implementing a meaningful, cohesive summer enrichment program. When determining how to use the funds from this grant, eligible entities should consider, at a minimum, the academic and social needs of students enrolled in Sheff Open Choice Districts and the types of extracurricular and enrichment activities that will improve and enrich students’ experience. Summer enrichment programs must offer full-week, full-day programming hosted at a Sheff Open Choice School using one of the following program models:

• summer bridge programming for current and newly registered students;

• orientation programming for current and newly registered students;

• summer enrichment programming; and

• half day academic programming, half day summer enrichment/extracurricular programming.

Activities that may be funded through this grant include, but are not limited to:

• field trip experiences;

• programs to support student specialized enrichment experiences (e.g., culinary arts, robotics, athletic programming, etc.);

• tutorial services;

• family engagement activities;

• transition or promotion support to prepare for the upcoming school year;

• certification courses for students (driver’s education, lifeguard training and certification, etc.);

• programs across one or more Sheff Open Choice Districts or schools, or in partnership with community organizations, outside agencies, businesses, or institutions of higher education;

• evidence-based programming that supports the social-emotional or academic needs of students;

• extracurricular activities, including athletics; and

• team-building activities.

Allowable programming for this grant includes expenditures which support the aforementioned purpose, are expendable in the respective fiscal year, and are authorized via the competitive grant review, include the following:

• tuition costs for Hartford resident students to attend a summer program operated by a community partner or organization within the community with their peers;

• salaries and benefits of summer enrichment program staff;

• program curriculum, supplies, and materials directly related to the summer enrichment program or activity, including software and technology;

• fees and travel costs for student participation in competitions or special events related to summer enrichment programming;

• student transportation to and from site(s);

• contracts for professional and expert services with community-based organizations, institutions of higher education, organizations and/or businesses to provide academic, social-emotional, or enrichment opportunities and programming;

• contracts for professional or expert speakers to provide academic, social-emotional, or enrichment-based supports;

• staff training and professional development directly related to the summer enrichment program;

• subsidizing fingerprinting/background checks for summer enrichment program staff;

• equipment directly related to the summer enrichment program or activity, up to a maximum of $5,000;

• t-shirts and other spirit wear for participants and staff;

• awards and recognition of participants; and

• incentives for attendance and participation of students.

Summer enrichment programs must serve students currently enrolled or registered at a Sheff Open Choice District pursuant to C.G.S. § 10-266aa and identify a Sheff Open Choice School as the primary location of the summer program. Programs must designate which school(s) and their respective students will be served through this grant opportunity in the grant application. To be eligible for the award, proposed programs must serve both Hartford resident students and non-Hartford resident students.

Eligible entities may enter into cooperative agreements with other Sheff Open Choice Schools. Examples of such agreements include, but are not limited to, combined summer camp or enrichment programs, shared professional vendors or experts, expert speakers, transportation services, and shared facility space, equipment or activities.

Subcontractor/Vendor Guidelines

If a recipient enters an agreement to allocate grant funds to a partner, vendor, or another entity, the CSDE will consider the agreement between the recipient and the outside entity a “subcontract.” All subcontracts are subject to the terms of the CSDE grant funding source, and the grantee is held solely responsible for the performance of the subcontractor, including all safeguards related to child safety such as background checks, relevant licensing requirements, and ensuring that all subcontractors comply with all state and federal laws. Additionally, a copy of the CSDE approved funding application must be provided to the subcontractor as an attachment to the subcontract. The CSDE Program Manager may require fully executed subcontracts to be submitted to include as an addendum to the approved grant application. The CSDE reserves the right to communicate directly with the subcontractor about the terms and conditions of the funding and details of the subcontract. The CSDE further reserves the right to withhold reimbursement for subcontracted work or services until the fully executed subcontract is submitted to the CSDE Program Manager.

As set forth above, allowable costs must be directly related to the purpose of this grant and the implementation of academic, extracurricular and enrichment programming. Costs for other activities, programs, and supports may be approved beyond those listed in this section.

If you plan to include items or services other than those listed above in your proposal, contact the CSDE program manager, Kerry Mattson, at kerry.mattson@ct.gov prior to submitting your application.

Funds must be used to supplement, not supplant, Sheff Open Choice Districts’ summer enrichment offerings. All budgeted expenses must clearly support the proposed strategies. All offerings must be made at no additional cost to participants. Indirect costs are not allowable for this funding opportunity.

Section VI. Grant Period

The CSDE will award up to $220,000 in FY26 and up to $500,000 in FY27 for summer 2026, with a total award amount of up to $720,000 in the aggregate for all grantees.

Successful submissions will provide both a detailed ED114 and budget narrative for each program for FY26 and FY27.

The FY26 grant period shall begin upon notification of award and cover allowable costs and services through June 30, 2026. FY26 funds requests must be submitted June 12, 2026 for reimbursement for expenditures and all other obligations that will be liquidated no later than June 30, 2026. The FY27 grant period for this grant opportunity begins July 1, 2026 and ends prior to the school’s 2026-2027 academic school year.

Section VII. Application Requirements

Eligible entities must submit a separate application packet for each proposed summer enrichment program. To be considered, proposal submissions must conform with the required proposal outline and include the components listed below in order to be considered for a grant award.

• Signed Cover Page

• Signed Superintendent Letter of Commitment: A signed letter of commitment from the superintendent stating the proposed program has the capacity to invest time and resources to support program start-up and implementation once the grant is awarded, notwithstanding a delay in reimbursement of funds.

• Executive Summary: Brief description of the proposed program, identifying the needs to be addressed with the funding and how evidence-based programming will be used to address the identified need. The summary should include the total requested funding for FY26 and FY27.

• Main Proposal Body:

1. Program Operations

a. description of program structure, including Sheff Open Choice School(s) and grade(s) served, total number of students to be served, program length, and hours of operation;

b. description of facility(ies), with at least one facility being a Sheff Open Choice School, as the primary location of the program;

c. identification of partners or vendors, including any Memoranda of Agreement/proposed contract(s) with said partners or vendors:

i. describe the qualifications of the partner/vendor;

ii. indicate whether the association is from an existing or preexisting partnership or contract relationship and the impact of that relationship on student support systems;

iii. describe how proposed partner(s) or vendor(s) will be used to facilitate and enhance summer programming relative to academic development, social-emotional well-being, and/or community building;

iv. describe the timeline for securing the partner/vendor and the plan for implementation; and

v. if a partner has not yet been identified, provide a description of what services will be sourced to potential partners, including qualifications of potential partner(s) or vendor(s), timeline for securing partner/vendor(s), and expected budget.

d. inclusion of a comprehensive timeline for planning and implementation of the summer program;

e. the plan for recording summer program attendance and evaluating effectiveness;

f. description of meal and transportation plan for students at no cost to students; and

g. description of process for outreach to potential participants, application, placement, and registration plan.

2. Program Design

a. program focus, including a detailed description of academic, enrichment, and/or extracurricular activities, including field trips and other off-site programming;

b. description of how the program will serve currently enrolled or newly registered Sheff Open Choice students and facilitate academic development, community building and support enrollment in the Sheff Open Choice Program;

c. description of how the summer program will support participants’ social-emotional development, citing evidence-based strategies;

d. description of how the program will be accessible to multi-language learners and students with special needs; and

e. description of how proposed partner(s) will be used to enhance student experience.

3. Staffing Structure

a. description of staffing structure and training for the summer program, identifying certified staff for programs involving academic components and staff to student ratios in compliance with all statutory and/or any relevant summer program licensing requirements;

b. identification of a designated point of contact for each site, who will work with the CSDE Program Manager throughout the program’s planning and implementation phases; and

c. confirmation that prior to the start of the program, a successful applicant will submit an attestation that all school staff, partner staff, and volunteers working with participants have undergone required background checks and DCF mandated reporter training.

4. Budget

a. detailed ED114 and budget narratives for FY26 and FY27 that directly align with the summer program proposal and are reasonable in cost given the number of students served, duration of program, and scope of services provided.

• Signed Standard Statement of Assurances

A completed application packet must be e-mailed to Kerry Mattson at Kerry.Mattson@ct.gov no later than 11:59:59 pm EST on March 20, 2026. To be eligible for consideration, the application packet must be submitted no later than the communicated deadline and include:

• signed cover page;

• signed superintendent letter of commitment;

• program narrative, including the information set forth in this Section VII;

• ED114 and budget narrative, including the information set forth in this Section VII; and

• signed Standard Statement of Assurances.

Section VIII. Review of Proposal and Grant Awards

Only proposals that meet the application requirements detailed in Section VII will be reviewed for award.

The CSDE will convene a panel to review all completed applications meeting minimum requirements detailed in Section VII. Grant awards will be negotiated and accepted, with modifications, if necessary, in time for final award. Each application will be rated using the rubric in Appendix B.

The CSDE reserves the right to award in part, or to reject a proposal, in its entirety or in part, if, in its judgment, the best interest of the state would be served. After receiving the grant application, the CSDE reserves the right to not award all grants, to negotiate specific grant amounts, and to select certain grantees, regardless of points awarded, as part of the evaluation process to meet the Connecticut State Board of Education’s (CSBE) priorities.

All awards are subject to availability of funds. Grants are not final until award letters are executed.

The CSDE will notify applicants of the acceptance or rejection of their proposals in writing. The level of funding and effective dates of the projects will be set forth in the notification of the grant award.

Section IX. Freedom of Information Act

All the information contained in an application submitted in response to this Request for Proposals is subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), C.G.S. Sections 1-200 et seq. The FOIA provides that, except as provided by Federal or State law, records maintained or kept on file by any public agency (as defined in the statute) are public records and every person has the right to inspect such records and receive a copy of such records.

Section X. Management Control of the Program

The grantee has complete management control of this grant. While CSDE staff may be consulted for their expertise upon award, they will not be directly responsible for the selection of vendors, nor will they be directly involved in the expenditure and payment of funds.

Section XI. Fiscal Responsibility and Reporting Requirements

The grantee will be responsible for adherence to all state and federal regulations governing expenditures, accounting, and reporting requirements.

The grantee shall prepare and submit all required reports identified in this application by the communicated deadline, unless the CSDE Program Manager grants an extension in writing. The CSDE reserves the right to withhold payment or reimbursement of funds until all communicated reporting requirements are completed. Grantees must complete all communicated End of Year and/or Project reporting requirements for this grant period prior to receiving future fiscal year iterations of this grant award.

Reporting Requirements:

Program Attendance Reports: Due Weekly

End of Project Report: Due October 30, 2026

Section XII. Grant Timeline

Application Posted: February 13, 2026

Bidders’ Conference: February 19, 2026 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Join the Meeting

Application Closes: March 20, 2026

Notification of Award: April 2026

End of Project Report: October 30, 2026

Application Packet

Connecticut State Department of Education

Office of Strategic Planning and Partnerships

Summer 2026 (FY26 & FY27)

Sheff Open Choice Summer Enrichment Grant

Cover Page

Office of Strategic Planning and Partnerships

Summer 2026 (FY26 and FY27)

Sheff Open Choice Summer Enrichment Grant

Lead Applicant:

Grant Contact Name and Title:

Grant Contact Phone:

Grant Contact Email:

Name of Summer Enrichment Coordinator:

Email of Summer Enrichment Coordinator:

Total Number of Hartford Resident Students Enrolled in the School(s) Served:

Total Number of Non-Hartford Resident Students Enrolled in the Schools Served:

Total Summer Program Capacity:

Total Proposed Hartford Resident Student Participants:

Total Proposed Non-Hartford Resident Student Participants:

I hereby certify that the information contained in this application is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Superintendent Name:

Superintendent Signature:

Date:

Program Narrative:

Please describe your proposal for the Sheff Open Choice Summer Enrichment Grant for FY26 and FY27 in this program narrative.

Please provide narrative responses for each item detailed below, which are found in Section VII. Application Requirements. If necessary, please attach any related documents or appendices to supplement the narrative and support your responses. You can use the following as a Table of Contents.

Signed Superintendent Letter of Commitment: A signed letter of commitment from the superintendent stating the proposed program has the capacity to invest time and resources to support program start-up and implementation once the grant is awarded, notwithstanding a delay in reimbursement of funds.

Executive Summary:

In this section, please provide a brief description of the proposed program, identifying the needs to be addressed with the funding and how evidence-based programming will be used to address the identified need. The summary should include the total requested funding for FY26 and FY27.

Main Proposal Body:
Please respond to each of the following sections in your proposal.

1. Program Operations

a. description of program structure, including Sheff Open Choice school(s) and grade(s) served, total number of students to be served, program length, and hours of operation;

b. description of facility(ies), with at least one facility being a Sheff Open Choice school, as the primary location of the program;

c. identification of partners or vendors, including any Memoranda of Agreement/proposed contract(s) with said partners or vendors:

i. describe the qualifications of the partner/vendor;

ii. indicate whether the association is from an existing or preexisting partnership or contract relationship and the impact of that relationship on student support systems;

iii. describe how proposed partner(s) or vendor(s) will be used to facilitate and enhance summer programming relative to academic development, social-emotional well-being, and/or community building;

iv. describe the timeline for securing the partner/vendor and the plan for implementation; and

v. if a partner has not yet been identified, provide a description of what services will be sourced to potential partners, including qualifications of potential partner(s) or vendor(s), timeline for securing partner/vendor(s), and expected budget.

d. inclusion of a comprehensive timeline for planning and implementation of the summer program;

e. the plan for recording summer program attendance and evaluation of effectiveness;

f. description of meal and transportation plan for students at no cost to students; and

g. description of process for outreach to potential participants, application, placement, and registration plan.

2. Program Design

a. program focus, including a detailed description of academic, enrichment, and/or extracurricular activities, including field trips and other off-site programming;

b. description of how the program will serve currently enrolled or newly registered Sheff Open Choice students and facilitate academic development, community building and support enrollment in the Sheff Open Choice Program;

c. description of how the summer program will support participants’ social-emotional development, citing evidence-based strategies;

d. description of how the program will be accessible to multi-language learners and students with special needs; and

e. description of how proposed partner(s) will be used to enhance student experience.

3. Staffing Structure

a. description of staffing structure and training for the summer program, identifying certified staff for programs involving academic components and staff to student ratios in compliance with all statutory and/or any relevant summer program licensing requirements;

b. identification of a designated point of contact for each site, who will work with the CSDE Program Manager throughout the program’s planning and implementation phases; and

c. confirmation that prior to the start of the program, a successful applicant will submit an attestation that all school staff, partner staff, and volunteers working with participants have undergone required background checks and DCF mandated reporter training.

4. Budget

a. detailed ED114 budget narratives for FY26 and FY27 that directly align with the summer program proposal, and are reasonable in cost given the number of students served, duration of program, and scope of services provided.

FY26 ED114 Sheff Open Choice Summer Enrichment Grant

Original Request Date:

CSDE Program Manager Authorization:

Date:

FY26 Budget Narrative

FY27 ED114 Sheff Open Choice Summer Enrichment Grant

Original Request Date:

CSDE Program Manager Authorization:

Date:

FY27 Budget Narrative