The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) was recently awarded $13 million under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) Stronger Connections Grant. The BSCA Stronger Connections grant program aims to provide students with safer and healthier learning environments. Under the BSCA, State Educational Agencies (SEAs) must award these funds competitively to high-need local educational agencies (LEAs) to fund activities allowable under section 4108 of the Elementary and Secondary Educational Act of 1965 (ESEA).
As a requirement of the grant program, the MDE must establish the criteria for high-need LEAs consistent with Congressional intent. At this time, the MDE is recommending “high-need LEA” be defined as an LEA with a poverty percentage of 75% or higher and a chronic absenteeism rate of 28% or higher for the 2021-2022 school year.
As part of the grant process, MDE requests public comments on MDE’s criteria for “high-need LEA” from LEAs and the public between March 20, 2023 – April 20, 2023. For those wishing to comment on the requirements of “high-need LEA” under BSCA, please email comments to federalprograms2@mdek12.org. Please indicate “High-need LEA” in the subject line. The MDE will consider all comments.
The Stronger Connections Grant Program Dear Colleague Letter and Nonregulatory Guidance are available for review.
BSCA_Stonger_Connections_FAQs_11-2022-FINAL
BSCA-Stronger-Connections-DCL_9.12_signed
Additional information can be found at https://oese.ed.gov/bipartisan-safer-communities-act/.