The California Department of Education has announced the recipients of $470 million in grants for the Golden State Pathways Program for the third time on Friday. The program is aimed at high schools creating career pathways in fields such as STEM, education, and health care, but it has faced challenges in its rollout.
The initial grant awards were announced in May but were later revoked in July. The recent announcement of the grants being pulled back once again came on October 1. The California Department of Education stated that the grants were temporarily removed in September after school districts raised concerns about the funding results. This decision was made to ensure the accuracy of the grant distribution process.
Advocates see the Golden State Pathways Program as a crucial investment in improving economic mobility for the next generation of Californians. However, there is frustration that despite the program being approved by the legislature over two years ago, the funds have yet to be distributed.
Denise Luna, the higher ed policy director for EdTrust-West, expressed concern over the lack of transparency regarding the grant award information and the ongoing delays. The advocacy group, along with others, called on state leaders to release the promised funds by November.
The Golden State Pathways Program was approved in 2022, with grant proposals expected to begin in April. However, the grant results were not announced until May, and were then recalled in July. The California Department of Education has not provided explanations for the issues that led to the recall of the grant results.
Following the July recall, it was noted that some school districts had been awarded significantly more funding than they had applied for, causing concerns about the distribution process. The California Department of Education acknowledged the frustration caused by the delays and stated that the reevaluation was essential to ensure the integrity of the process.
Tim Hire, the Tulare County Superintendent of Schools, who is leading the state’s lead agency for the program, mentioned that efforts are being made to address any technical issues that may be causing delays in the grant distribution. The regional agencies are preparing for the grants to be disbursed and are working to ensure that the funds are allocated accurately and efficiently.