Opportunity Overview
The Arizona Department of Education 9th Grade On Track Grant Project is a multi-year Arizona education funding opportunity for local education agencies and charter schools designed to improve ninth-grade student success, help students advance to tenth grade on time, and increase high-school completion. ADE identifies four core implementation areas: highly effective ninth-grade success teams, proactive and data-driven interventions, high-quality instruction, and comprehensive transition supports.
Current Status and Deadline Control
ADE states that complete applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis through Grants Management Enterprise (GME). The controlling guidance states that grant opening dates, deadlines, and notifications are To Be Determined. No authoritative exact application deadline, closing clock time, or time zone is currently published. Atlas therefore treats the exact deadline as unverified and blocks new cold applicant outreach until ADE publishes an authoritative deadline and time zone.
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants are Arizona local education agencies that identify participating schools. The current guidance requires an in-person ninth-grade class, excludes AOI students, requires a partnership with an organization having at least five years of experience providing ninth-grade on-track programs and services, and requires an uploaded Intent to Apply approved by a majority vote of the district governing board or charter-school governing body.
Available Funding
Approximately $3.4 million is available for the 2025-2030 school years. Awards are calculated at $150 per current or projected ninth-grade student, applications are capped at 3,500 students per LEA, and the statewide program is capped at 22,650 students. Future funding levels are not guaranteed.
Allowable and Unallowable Costs
Examples of allowable expenses include a grant coordinator or ninth-grade success leader, intervention curriculum, training or coaching, staff planning time to review data and plan interventions, and professional development supporting implementation. Capital equipment and capital improvements, including building, utility, or IT infrastructure upgrades, are identified as unallowable, as are maintenance and gift-card, cash-award, personal-gift, and similar incentive costs.
Atlas Analysis
Atlas Opportunity Score: 88/100. This is a substantial Arizona school-system opportunity with quantified funding and clear implementation requirements, but the exact application deadline and time zone remain unpublished.
N9+ Fit Score: 0/100. Capital equipment and IT infrastructure are expressly identified as unallowable, and no defensible N9+ acquisition pathway is established. QC Healthcare Fit: 5/100 conditional. The program is not a healthcare procurement. Dr. Miltie direct-applicant fit: 0/100. Direct applicants are eligible Arizona LEAs.
Submission
Applications are submitted through ADE Grants Management Enterprise. Publication does not authorize outreach. New applicant outreach remains blocked until ADE publishes an authoritative exact deadline and time zone and all applicant eligibility, recipient identity, CRM deduplication, and send controls pass.
Official ADE source: Arizona 9th Grade On Track Grant Project.