Educational Excellence Grant Program

Author : Joseph McCrary
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 44 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (16 download)

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Download or read book An Evaluation of the Participation of Faith-Based and Community Organizations in U.S. Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs and as Supplemental Educational Services Providers written by Joseph McCrary and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 44 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Historically, faith-based organizations (FBOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) have been involved in the provision of social services, such as drug treatment, job training, community redevelopment, housing, and education. However, FBOs and CBOs have not often participated in U.S. Department of Education (the Department) grant programs. In 2001, the Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (Center) was created within the Department to "break down existing barriers and empower faith-based and community groups, enlisting them in support of the Department's mission to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence for all Americans." Since then, the Center has worked to promote participation by faith-based and community organizations (collectively referred to as FBCOs) in Department programs The purpose of this evaluation is to determine if FBOs and CBOs are as successful as traditional grant recipients (non-FBCOs) in competing for the Department's discretionary grants in programs in which they are eligible and in becoming SES providers. The study also investigates whether the participation of FBO and CBO applicants in federal grant competitions has improved the overall quality of the applicant pool. This evaluation examines: (1) whether FBCOs are as successful as non-FBCOs in winning grants; (2) whether the quality of programs funded by the Department, as measured by applicant scores, has increased from FY 2001 to FY 2004 as a result of FBCO participation in the grant application process; and (3) how many FBOs have been approved by states as supplemental educational services providers under Title I of the "Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended." This report addresses the evaluation questions through analysis of data collected from Department records, including grant applications, grant application reviews, and state-by-state summaries of SES providers. The study found that between FY 2002 and FY 2004, applications from FBCOs to CTC, PEP and Mentoring increased. The success rates for FBCO applicants to PEP and Mentoring have, with the exception of FY 2003, remained fairly stable while they declined for FBCO applicants to the CTC grant program. The participation of FBCOs is associated with an increase in the pool of higher-quality applicants to PEP and Mentoring as measured by applicant scores; the evidence for CTC is neutral. Finally, states approved an increasing number of faith-based organizations as supplemental educational services providers between December 2002, when states first began approving SES providers, and March 2005. (Contains 25 exhibits and 15 notes.).