North Dakota Schools Working on Alternatives to Federal Funding

(Jeff Beach/North Dakota Monitor)

(North Dakota Monitor) – About $6.5 million in federal education dollars have been released for North Dakota after-school programs, but nearly $19 million remains frozen as educators plan for the upcoming school year.

The U.S. Department of Education confirmed Friday it would release funds for 21st Century Community Learning Center grants, which support before- and after-school programs and summer programs.

In north-central North Dakota, three summer programs had to stop operating after the federal government froze those funds, affecting more than 50 families, said Aimee Erdman, 21st Century Community Learning Centers project director for the North Central Education Cooperative in Bottineau.

Even though the federal funding has been released to the state, programs are now awaiting their grant awards.