Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs

FY2019: Curriculum and Assessment Partnership

Fund Code: 219

Purpose:

The purpose of this non-competitive grant program is to fund specific strategic initiatives that will improve the state's lowest achieving schools and districts, and support their continuous cycle of improvement.

This grant supports Massachusetts' goals for increasing student achievement by expanding school districts' capacity to support and educate students with the greatest needs. The goal of Massachusetts' public K-12 education system is to prepare all students for success after high school. Our five core strategies

to accelerate the pace of school improvement are:

Strengthening standards, curriculum, instruction, and assessment
Promoting educator development
Supporting social-emotional learning, health, and safety
Turning around the state's lowest performing districts and schools
Enhancing resource allocation and data use

These grant funds will contribute to that goal primarily by supporting DESE's Core Strategy #4

We aim to turn around underperforming schools and districts by supporting sustained improvement, so that all students have access to high quality, culturally relevant learning opportunities that prepare them for successful futures. By supporting our lowest performing schools in:

Establishing a community of practice through leadership, shared responsibility, and professional collaboration,
Employing intentional practices for improving instruction,
Providing student-specific supports and instruction to all students, and
Providing appropriate social, emotional, and behavioral supports in order to create a safe, orderly, and respectful learning environment for students and teachers, schools will achieve meaningful improvements in student learning, so that students are prepared for success after high school.

The grant is available to fund activities relative to coordinating curriculum and assessment needs across the Five District Partnership of Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Revere, and Winthrop Public Schools.

Priorities:

Priority will be given to specific underperforming schools and districts that have been identified under the state's Framework for Accountability and Assistance.

Eligibility:

This grant is available to Chelsea Public Schools only.

Funding Type:

State Fund Code 219. State Targeted Assistance funds.

Funding:

Approximately $40,000 is available

Funding is contingent upon availability. All dollar amounts listed are estimated/approximate and are subject to change. If more funding is to become available it will be distributed under the same guideline as listed in the initial RFP document.

Fund Use:

Fund use will conform to State Targeted Assistance funding requirements.

All expenditures will be closely reviewed as they relate to the priorities of this grant opportunity.

Funds may not be used to provide refreshments.

Project Duration:

Upon Approval – 6/30/2019

Program Unit:

Statewide System of Support

Contact:

Abigail T. Slayton

Phone Number:

(781) 338- 3517

Date Due:

Friday, November 16, 2018

Proposals must be received at the Department by 5:00 p.m. on the date due.

Required Forms:

Part I — General — Program Unit Signature Page — (Standard Contract Form and Application for Program Grants)

Part III — Required Program Information — Narrative description

Additional Information:

Grants will only be approved after programmatic and budgetary reviews by Department staff as noted above and upon request of review by the Office of the Governor.

ESSA encourages, and in select cases requires, states and districts to implement "evidence-based" practices, activities, strategies and interventions with demonstrated evidence of effectiveness. Evidence-based practices refer to interventions for which there is evidence of significant positive impact that can be found in published research papers, literature reviews, or ESE research briefs. Alternately, evidence-based practices can be those local practices that a district or state has previously instituted, measured, and found to be effective. Please visit the How Do We Know initiative for more information on evidence-based practices. Additional guidance from the U.S. Department of Education regarding evidence can be found at Non-Regulatory Guidance: Using Evidence to Strengthen Education Investments. More information can be found on DESE's How Do We Know Initiative and ESSA Evidence Quick Reference Guide .

These grants must demonstrate connections to the Massachusetts District Standards and Indicators as well as the Massachusetts research-based Turnaround Practices . When describing connections to the standards and indicators, the applicant may want to refer to the Massachusetts Tiered System of Support (MTSS), the Massachusetts Family, School, and Community Partnership Fundamentals, the Massachusetts Standards for Professional Development, and/or the Behavioral Health and Public Schools Framework.

To support effective planning and the strategic use of grant funds, DESE requires that eligible schools and districts explain how the strategic initiatives funded through this grant program connect to the implementation of the district and/or school's turnaround plan. Schools and districts are encouraged to explain how proposed strategic initiatives connect to indicators for one or more of the state's district standards and to the 2016 Massachusetts Turnaround Practices .

Applying schools/districts must identify the grant program goals and initiatives, and describe how they will monitor progress towards such goals. These funds should be aligned with other district funds focused on school turnaround efforts.

Submission Instructions:

Complete the Application Submission through EdGrants by the dates listed in the Due Date section above. The start date of the grant cannot be before the application is submitted in EdGrants.

Submit all required grant materials through EdGrants

In EdGrants, districts are required to create and name the project. Please use the following naming convention for your "Applicant Project Name" in EdGrants:

FY19 219 Curriculum and Assessment Partnership (Applicant Name)

All items listed under the required forms section of this RFP should be uploaded / attached in the Attachments List formlet of the Application Submission in EdGrants. This includes a signed / scanned PDF of Part I / Coversheet with Superintendent's signature as well as the applicable Workbook(s) and the pre-approved narrative and budget. The final budget the applicant is requesting will be entered directly into EdGrants as part of the application submission process.

For Guidance Documents regarding EdGrants, visit EdGrants: User Guides and Information.

Please note: It is up to the district to determine who they want to add as EdGrants Front Office users in order to submit grant application as well as payment request information. Please review the EdGrants: User Security Controls to make informed decisions regarding assigning your district level users.

Last Updated: October 16, 2018