FY2019: Curriculum Audit

Fund Codes: 146/183

Purpose:

The purpose of this grant is to support a select group of districts in conducting a 360 degree curriculum audit. DESE is interested in supporting districts make decisions about curricular materials recognizing:

• Mounting evidence that suggests that providing teachers with access to high-quality, standards-aligned curricular materials can significantly improve student outcomes;
• Well-designed curricular materials can refocus teachers' workloads, deepen their pedagogical content knowledge, and increase coherence within and across grades; and
• Ensuring curricular materials' quality and alignment to standards costs less, builds more human capacity, and scales more easily than many other "interventions" in education.

Priorities:

Supporting districts make decisions about curricular materials recognizing:

• Mounting evidence that suggests that providing teachers with access to high-quality, standards-aligned curricular materials can significantly improve student outcomes;
• Well-designed curricular materials can refocus teachers' workloads, deepen their pedagogical content knowledge, and increase coherence within and across grades; and
• Ensuring curricular materials' quality and alignment to standards costs less, builds more human capacity, and scales more easily than many other "interventions" in education.

Eligibility:

The following districts are eligible to apply for this grant:

• Blackstone-Millville
• Brockton
• Chelsea
• Salem

Funding Type:

Federal CFDA: 84.367 and 84.365

Funding:

A total of $154,000 will be awarded to the four districts.

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:

Districts can use funds to conduct the following curriculum audit activities:

• Formal Alignment Analysis
• Classroom Observations
• Focus Groups
• Teacher Surveys
• Student Work Samples
• Assessment Analysis, and/or
• Knowledge Mapping of Texts

DESE will participate in initial meetings as the work begins and in final meetings as results are complete and shared with stakeholders. In addition, DESE will work with the four districts to determine scaling opportunities and best practices.

Project Duration:

Upon Approval – 6/30/2019

Program Unit:

Center for Instructional Support

Contact:

Liz Losee

Phone Number:

(781) 338-3264

Date Due:

Thursday October 25, 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 II — Budget Template (This is a budget template for the applicant to use as part of planning discussions in order to prepare for officially entering it into EdGrants. The actual final budget will be entered directly into EdGrants as part of the application submission process.)

Part III — Information on program requirements for Curriculum Audit Grants

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:

FY19 146-183 Curriculum Audit (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 Part III. 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