Regional K-16 Education Collaboratives Grant Program

The K-16 Program is part of a statewide strategy for strengthening education-to-workforce pathways and ensuring that education, vocational, and workforce programs work in partnership to address the income, racial, and gender inequalities in education and employment. The program is designed to support regional K-16 education collaboratives that create streamlined pathways from high school to postsecondary education and into the workforce. 

The 2021 Budget Act provides $250,000,000 for the Department of General Services (DGS) to establish and administer a competitive grant program to support regional K-16 education collaboratives that create streamlined pathways from high school to postsecondary education and into the workforce. The K-16 Program will use a two-phased approach. Phase 1 is for existing collaboratives that already include all required partners and are fully operational and prepared to move forward immediately upon receipt of grant funds. Phase 1 awards are anticipated to be in the $15-$20 million range for a 5-year project period. Phase 2 will include Planning grants in October 2022 and Implementation grants in October 2023. Information about Phase 2 is available on the K-16 Program website, and additional guidelines will be forthcoming. The K-16 Program requires collaboratives to meet all of the following criteria: Include at least one K-12 school district, at least one University of California campus, at least one California State University campus, and, at least one California Community College district. Establish a steering committee, of which at least 25 percent of the members shall be local employers, thereby ensuring that regional economic needs inform the creation of the streamlined pathways. Commit to participate in the California Cradle-to-Career Data System established pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 10860) of Chapter 8.5 of Part 7 of Division 1 of Title 1 of the Education Code. Commit to implement at least four of the following seven recommendations from the February 2021 Recovery with Equity report to promote student success. By June 30, 2024, implement two of the target Recovery with Equity report recommendations and fully establish one occupational pathway, demonstrate progress toward the final two target Recovery with Equity report recommendations and occupational pathway, and participate fully in a statewide evaluation of the regional collaboratives. By June 30, 2026, fully implement both occupational pathways and all four target Recovery with Equity report recommendations. Awards for Phase 1 and Phase 2 Implementation will be up to $20 million. Awards for Phase 2 Planning will be $100,000-$250,000 for a one-year planning period. It is anticipated that there will be 13 awards total for Phase 1 and Phase 2 Implementation grants, with one award per Consumer Economic Resilience Fund (CERF) region. The number and location of awards for Phase 2 Planning will vary depending on how many awards are made in Phase 1 and in which regions. Collaboratives that receive a Phase 2 Planning grant in October 2022 will be able to apply for a Phase 2 Implementation grant in October 2023. Eligibility The lead applicant for a collaborative must be one of the required educational partners: K-12 school district, University of California campus, California State University campus, California Community College District The lead agency will be required to sign a Grant Agreement prior to the release of funds.