Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs

FY2023: CTE Equitable Access Grant

Fund Code: 427

Purpose:

The goal of this federally funded targeted grant program is to provide supplementary support to build school and district capacity to address issues around equitable access in Career Technical Education (CTE) programs, specifically in underrepresented populations including students with disabilities and English learner students and students of color.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has data resources available on CTE-ART and other pages for districts to analyze trends and prioritize approaches in this work. In examining issues of access and engaging in a multiyear professional development network, participants will apply a racial equity lens to data and systems review to consider systemic challenges that may be creating or expanding on issues of equitable access.

This grant offers schools and districts funding to build upon efforts to implement and sustain culturally responsive admissions and learning environments particularly for building equity for English learners and students with disabilities. This in turn will help grow awareness of opportunities in college & career pathways as students prepare for the ever growing and changing labor market.

Priorities:

Through this grant, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and/or its partners will provide technical assistance, professional development and/or coaching to support school and/or district teams, in addition to the grant funds. Participation in these technical assistance activities is an expectation of this funding opportunity. All districts will examine admissions/waitlist, enrollment, and/or outcome data as part of this work. Participating districts will share learning from this experience in the form of tools, resources, artifacts, lessons and more, which the Department can compile and make available statewide in the future.

Applications should include Data-Informed Decision-Making in CTE. Districts will strengthen the use of data to improve access to and performance of Chapter 74 programs for all students. Districts may accomplish this through re-thinking teaming or collaboration structures; enhancing data routines; and other justified innovations to improve access and outcomes aligned with a reflective continuous improvement cycle.

Applications may also draw on these methods:
English Learner (EL) Recruitment and Success in CTE
Districts may prioritize and strengthen recruitment and success through establishing an EL Recruitment Specialist or developing a creative approach using staff; rethinking recruitment and local partnership strategies; and developing specific culturally responsive and collaborative practices.

Building Equitable Structures in CTE
Districts may build other equitable structures that strengthen the CTE admissions and/or learning environment. Districts may accomplish this through rethinking collaboration and reflection routines and developing specific tools, practices, and professional development experiences to build cultural competency.

Please see the Additional Information section below, as well as Part III — Required Program Information for full details about the key grant activities and grant requirements for each of the above priorities.

Eligibility:

This is a targeted grant. Eligible recipients are specific districts identified through analysis of Chapter 74 Admissions and Population Trends.

Funding Type:

Federal CFDA 84.048

Funding:

Approximately $560,000.00 is available for districts with Chapter 74-approved secondary CTE programs that have been identified through analysis of Chapter 74 Admissions Collection and/or Population Trends as having awareness, opportunity and/or enrollment gaps for either English Learners, Students with Disabilities or both student groups in Chapter 74 programming.

Funding will go to:

districts with demonstrated awareness, opportunity and enrollment gaps for multiple subgroups or over multiple years and
regional districts who submit applications in partnership with sending districts, as demonstrated by a letter of partnership commitment and collaboration plans.

Applicants may apply for planning funds of up to $40,000. Subsequent years of continuation funding will be available for 3 continuation years (anticipated for up to $75,000 each year).

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:

Grant funds must be used to implement systems and strategies outlined in submitted proposal. Grant funds may be used for staff stipends, consultants, substitutes, professional development, and materials to be used in the implementation of system-level changes.

Project Duration:

Upon Approval * (no earlier than 10/1/2022) – 8/31/2023

* Grant start date cannot be prior to DESE receiving a substantially approvable Application Submission as directed in this RFP's Submission Instructions. Goods and Services cannot be procured prior to Grants receiving and approving an application submission. Funds cannot exceed the project duration end date.

Program Unit:

College, Career and Technical Education

Contact:

Jennifer Appleyard

Date Due:

Tuesday, November 1, 2022

Required Forms:

Submission Instructions:

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:

FY23 427 CTE Equitable Access Grant (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 Schedule A form, if applicable to your district. 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, Information and Trainings.

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: September 26, 2022