FY2024: Building Capacity for High-Quality Instruction through EdTech

Fund Code: 124

Purpose:

The purpose of this federally funded competitive grant program is to provide funds for districts to adopt or expand capacity-building programming that builds the collective expertise of educators to utilize technology to deliver high-quality instruction.

In addition to providing professional learning opportunities for educators in effective uses of educational technology, the Department is specifically seeking to fund programming that aligns to longer-term strategic plans of LEAs to develop wide-scale capacity for all classrooms to effectively leverage technology to enhance teaching and learning.

Priorities:

This grant opportunity is designed to support capacity building for educators to leverage technology to support effective instruction. Strong applications will not only articulate a plan to develop educator technology skills but will also clearly connect this plan with the school system's current instructional priorities (grounded in elements of effective instruction). Specifically, the Department is interested in promoting the following elements of effective instruction :

1. Culturally and linguistically sustaining practices
2. Skillful implementation of high-quality instructional materials
3. Implementing academic supports and interventions that provide all students, particularly students with disabilities and English learners, equitable access to grade-appropriate instruction
4. Engaging students in Deeper Learning through grade-level work that is relevant, real-world, and interactive, and allows them to demonstrate mastery, identity, and creativity.

Competitive Priority will be given to:

1. Districts serving traditionally underserved student populations, including: African American and Hispanic students, English learners, students with disabilities, and students from low-income families
   • Office of EdTech will pull student demographic data directly from District Profiles pages.
2. Districts who have current curriculum data submitted to DESE and have adopted High Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM)
   • Office of EdTech will pull curriculum data directly from District Profiles pages.
   • Curriculum Data must be up to date on DESE District Profiles for K–8 ELA/Literacy, K–12 math, and 6–8 Science by the time of the grant due date. To check if this information is complete, check the statewide Curriculum report. Or, visit your District Profiles page via Profiles Home, and select Curriculum Data from the left-hand navigation. If the required data is not complete or up-to-date, details and directions on how to enter or update this data can be found at Curriculum Data Collection webpage.
3. Districts who have adopted and implemented Digital Literacy and Computer Science Standards (DLCS) for students in the proposed grades/grade ranges.
   • Applicants must provide evidence of DLCS adoption and implementation. Evidence can include but is not limited to course listings/descriptions, participation in DESE-supported planning workshops, implementation plans, school website links with information about the programming, PDF of DLCS Course-taking Report for the school/district, narrative, etc.

Eligibility:

School districts, charter schools, career vocational-technical education schools (CVTE), education collaboratives, and Approved Special Education Schools (ASES) are eligible to apply. Applicants may also submit one application representing multiple LEAs and/or eligible organizations through the use of a Schedule A.

Other non-LEA organizations may also apply on behalf of an LEA or multiple LEAs, such as regional service centers or nonprofits that support schools and districts with educational technology-related efforts. Such applicants would need to submit a signed agreement (such as an MOU or contract) with any district(s) it is applying on behalf of and complete relevant sections of the application for each LEA it will be supporting.

Applicants will agree to participate in all evaluation efforts coming from the Department, which may include a Digital Equity self-assessment, surveys, mid-year progress reporting, and end-of-year data collection and reporting on implementation and impact of programming.

Funding Type:

Federal CFDA# 84.425 Federal Coronavirus Relief Programs - Federal Grant Programs

Federal grant funds must adhere to:

• UGG (2 CFR 200)
• EDGAR As Applicable
• EDGAR General Fiscal Administration 34 CFR Part 76

Funding:

A total of approximately $495,688 will be awarded to schools and school districts for expenditure in FY2024 (through June 30, 2024) and FY2025 (through August 31, 2024).

This RFP is the governing document for these grant funds.

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:

Funds must be used to support capacity building programming, projects, and activities that build the collective expertise of educators to leverage technology to support effective instruction. Proposal for grant funds must directly align to promoting specific elements of effective instruction :

2. Culturally and linguistically sustaining practices
3. Skillful implementation of high-quality instructional materials
4. Implementing academic supports and interventions that provide all students, particularly students with disabilities and English learners, equitable access to grade-appropriate instruction
5. Engaging students in Deeper Learning through grade-level work that is relevant, real-world, and interactive, and allows them to demonstrate mastery, identity, and creativity.

The requested amount should be appropriate and reasonable for the scope of the proposed program, and the total number of staff and students impacted by the funding. Activities must be reasonable, appropriate, and consistent with all applicable state and federal requirements.

• Funds may be used to support programming costs including but not limited to provider fees, staff stipends, instructional materials, and other expenses associated with implementing grant funded programming.
• No more than 10% of the funds may be used for materials and supplies, and no more than 20% for program coordination. Proposals allocating more than 10% of funds for materials and supplies, and more than 20% for program coordination will be disqualified.

Unallowable expenses:

• Funds may not be used for equipment or software (e.g., devices, laptops, smartboards, software, or subscriptions)
• Travel or lodging
• Food or drinks

Project Duration:

FY24 Upon Approval – 6/30/2024 and FY25 Upon Approval – 8/31/2024

Program Unit:

Office of Educational Technology

Contact:

AJ Coté
781-338-3532

Date Due:

Thursday, August 3, 2023*

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

*All responses must be received by the due date listed above. Failure to do so will result in disqualification. Responses not received on time will not be reviewed. Applicants applying after the due date may be notified their application was received late and will not be reviewed. Applications must be submitted as directed in the Submissions Instructions below. Failure to do so may result in disqualification. If you need assistance with submitting your application, please reach out to the contact person listed on this funding opportunity.

Required Forms:

• Part I — General — FY24 Program Unit Signature Page

• Part I — General — FY25 Program Unit Signature Page (if applicable)

• Part II — FY24 Budget Details and FY25 Budget Details (if applicable)

• Part III — Required Program Information Form

• Schedule A (If applicable)

• MOU, Contract, or other formal agreement (if non-LEA applying on behalf of LEA) (If applicable)

Additional Information:

Information Webinar: Due to the competitive nature of this grant program, all questions about the Funding Opportunity documents and process will be addressed during the Grant Information Webinar on Tuesday, July 11, 2023 from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.

• The Department will host a webinar?to walk interested applicants through the RFP and respond to questions. You must register to receive the zoom link.
• The webinar will be recorded and posted to the Office of Educational Technology's web page by Monday, July 17^th.

Submission Instructions:

Submit all required grant materials for the Building Capacity for High-Quality Instruction through EdTech grant in one email to this address: k12edtech@mass.gov . Use the subject line: (LEA name) Fund Code 124 Application.

1. Part I — General — FY24 Program Unit Signature Page
2. Part I — General — FY25 Program Unit Signature Page (if applicable)
3. Part II — FY24 Budget Details and FY25 Budget Details (if applicable)
4. Part III — Required Program Information Form
5. (If applicable) Schedule A
6. (If applicable) MOU, Contract, or other formal agreement (if non-LEA applying on behalf of LEA)

Grants will be evaluated after the grant deadline. Recipients will be notified of their award status.

Upon award, recipients will be required to enter the Part I, Budget, and Schedule A (if needed) in EdGrants. Once selected, recipients will be contacted with further instructions on the process.

Last Updated: June 29, 2023