FY2023: Summer Acceleration Academies Grant

Fund Code: 121

Purpose:

The purpose of this competitive grant is to fund the implementation of a specific strategic initiative, the Acceleration Academies, during summer 2022 to help accelerate the learning of students most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Acceleration Academies are intended to supplement, not supplant, programming an applicant is already planning to offer over the summer, therefore the Summer Acceleration Academy program should take place between the end of an applicant's currently planned summer school programming and when the applicant's teachers return for the 2022-2023 school year.

Focus Areas for FY23 Summer Acceleration Academies Grant

The focus areas for the FY23 Summer Acceleration Academies Grant are as follows:

• Early Literacy Academy for rising kindergartners, rising 1st graders, and rising 2nd graders
• Math Academy for rising 3rd graders, rising 4th graders, rising 8th graders, and rising 10th graders

Acceleration Academy Model

An Acceleration Academy is an academic program designed to accelerate student learning through engaging, standards-aligned lessons. Applicants that receive FY23 Summer Acceleration Academies Grant funds must implement the Acceleration Academy model with fidelity, ensuring the program adheres to the following key program components:

• Instruction is provided in-person
• Lessons are tailored to the specific needs of students and should involve engaging, hands-on learning experiences that prepare students for success in the grade they will be entering in the 2022-2023 school year
• Multiple forms of student data (MCAS, benchmark assessments, attendance, etc.) are used to determine which students are invited to participate in an Academy
• Students receive at least 20 total hours of early literacy or 20 total hours of math instruction during either a 1-week or 2-week Academy (If an Academy takes place over 2 weeks it must be 2 consecutive weeks)
• Students in elementary and middle school grades should attend at least 1 specials or enrichment class each day (Highly recommended but not required)
• Class sizes are small (10–12 students per early literacy or math teacher)
• Students are taught by the same early literacy or math teacher for the duration of the Academy program
• Classes are taught by highly effective teachers who are hired through a selective application process
• Teachers are given the autonomy to create lessons based on their students' specific needs and/or focus standards set by the district or school
• The schools/districts running Acceleration Academies provide planning time and/or professional development for Academy teachers prior to the Academy to ensure teachers are creating high-quality, engaging lessons and units that align to the focus standards set by the district or school
• Schools/districts should aim to serve roughly 10% of students within each target grade level

To ensure classes are taught by highly effective teachers, districts must commit to the following:

• Teachers are hired through an application process that ensures highly effective teachers are chosen to teach during the Academy week
• To help attract highly effective teachers, LEAs should provide a competitive stipend rate of up to $3,000. In job postings, LEAs should also inform teachers that the stipend covers up to 5 hours of district and/or school run planning time/PD prior to the Academy week as well as teaching time during the Academy.
• Academy site facilitators should conduct classroom walk-throughs/observations throughout the Academy week to ensure instruction meets instructional expectations and to provide feedback, if needed

To ensure student enrollment serves roughly 10% of students within each target grade level, LEAs must commit to the following:

• LEAs provide each Acceleration Academy host site and/or sending school with resources to support recruitment and enrollment management prior to the Academy week, as needed, to ensure high attendance rates

Key Instructional Components Specific to an Academy

• An Early Literacy Academy should prioritize skills for early reading based on student needs, as determined by local assessments. Instructional time should be dedicated to grade-appropriate foundational skills and engaging with complex text. Grade-specific guides for each of these instructional components can be found at Mass Literacy.
• A Math Academy should involve engaging, collaborative and hands-on learning experiences where students apply their mathematical knowledge and skills to real-world problems and focus on mastery (conceptual understanding and fluency) of a limited number of grade level standards (or above grade level standards, if appropriate).

Program Guidance

Please review the Early Literacy Acceleration Academy and the Math Acceleration Academy Guidebook for additional information regarding planning, implementation, and program reporting.

• Summer Acceleration Academy Guidebook

Competitive Priority:

Competitive priority will be given to proposals from districts and schools in chronically underperforming status.

Eligibility:

School districts, charter schools, education collaboratives, and career vocational technical education (CVTE) schools that serve students in any of the target grades (Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 8, and/or Grade 10) are eligible to apply.

School districts, charter schools, education collaboratives, and CVTE schools that do not serve students in any of the target grades are not eligible to apply. Due to the in-person program requirement, virtual schools/districts are not eligible to apply.

LEAs in the Strategic Transformation Region may be awarded multiple awards to account for alternative governance structures (e.g., Springfield Empowerment Partnership Zone).

Funding Type:

Federal CFDA 84.425 Federal Coronavirus Relief Programs - Federal Grant Programs

Funding:

A total of approximately $10,000,000 will be awarded under this grant program with the possibility of additional funding in subsequent years.

Applicants can request up to $3,000 per Acceleration Academy classroom needed for the program (10–12 students per classroom/teacher). Applicants can also request funding for general program implementation costs. Please see the "Fund Use" section of this RFP for information on allowable program costs.

Per the "Acceleration Academy Model" guidance provided in this RFP, schools/districts should aim to serve up to 10% of students within each target grade level. Applicants should only request funds needed to provide programming for up to 10% of students served within each of the target grades.

In all cases, funding is contingent upon availability. All dollar amounts listed are estimated/approximate and are subject to change. If more funding becomes available, it will be distributed under the same guidelines that appear in this RFP.

Funding is contingent upon availability. All dollar amounts listed are estimated/approximate and are subject to change. If more funding becomes available, it will be distributed under the same guidelines that appear in this RFP document.

Fund Use:

As outlined in the "Purpose" section, funds must be used to implement the Acceleration Academy model with fidelity and instruction must take place in person.

Funds should primarily be used for teacher stipends but can also be used for grant and program coordination salaries/stipends, administrative staff stipends, transportation, food/snacks, consumable program materials and supplies, professional development, family engagement activities, other services needed to implement programming during the summer, and any COVID-19 costs needed to comply with guidance (if applicable).

Important Note: Funds from this grant cannot be used for indirect costs, equipment costs (including software and technology), and purchasing of student incentives, curricula, or other non-consumable supplies such as books, calculators, etc. MTRS is allowable since this is a federally funded grant.

Approved applicants are expected to use these funds in accordance with state and federal laws.

Project Duration:

Upon Approval – 9/2/2022

Program Unit:

Center for Strategic Initiatives

Contact:

Thomas Zorich
Phone: (781) 338-3528

Date Due:

Proposals must be received via email by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, July 8, 2022.

Required Forms:

• Part I — General — Program Unit Signature Page

• Part II — Budget Workbook

• Part III — Required Program Information

• Part IV — Grant Assurances

Submission Instructions:

Please email Parts I, II, III, and IV to CSI@mass.gov by the due date noted above. Parts II and III should be in their original Word or Excel formats (i.e., not converted to PDFs) and Parts I and IV should be signed and converted to PDFs.

Upon award, recipients will be required to enter the approved budget in EdGrants and upload required documents. Grant recipients will be contacted with further instructions on the process.

Last Updated: June 23, 2022