FY2020: Significant Disproportionality in Special Education Targeted Federal Program Improvement Grant

Fund Code: 258B

Purpose:

The purpose of this targeted grant is to support the work of Local Education Agencies (LEAs) identified with significant disproportionality in special education for the 2019-2020 school year and LEAs that are at-risk of identification with significant disproportionality in special education for the 2020-2021 school year. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) notified these LEAs of disproportionality identification in August 2019.

Priorities:

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) outlines requirements pertaining to significant disproportionality and the related fiscal implications. States are required to identify significantly disproportionality in LEAs by race and ethnicity in special education identification, placement, and discipline.

IDEA requires that any school district identified with significant disproportionality must take specific actions to address that disproportionality, including targeting expenditures from the following year's IDEA Part B grant for these activities. Specifically, a district identified with significant disproportionality is required to:

• review and, if appropriate, revise policies, practices, and procedures (PPPs) to ensure compliance with the requirements of IDEA;
• publicly report on the revision of PPPs; and
• set aside 15 percent of its total IDEA Part B allocation and spend those funds on providing comprehensive coordinated early intervening services (CCEIS or Comprehensive CEIS) to address factors contributing to the significant disproportionality.ⁱ Comprehensive CEIS is used to serve, particularly, but not exclusively, students in those groups significantly disproportionate from age three through grade 12 with and without disabilities.ⁱⁱ

More information on significant disproportionality can be found here: Memorandum on Significant Disproportionality in Special Education and Special Education: Significant Disproportionality webpage.

The purpose of this grant is to provide funds to support identified and at-risk LEAs' participation in trainings and a professional learning community sponsored by DESE during FY20, and the related analysis and planning activities that will occur outside of sessions convened by DESE. For identified LEAs, this work is in service to planning for CCEIS activities that must occur in school year 2020-2021 to address root causes of significant disproportionality and to support the population(s) of students affected by it. At-risk LEAs may use funds to cover costs to participate in sessions convened by DESE and other related activities in school year 2019-2020.

Eligibility:

Local Education Agencies identified with significant disproportionality in special education for the 2019-2020 school year and LEAs that are at-risk of identification with significant disproportionality in special education for the 2020-2021 school year.

Funding Type:

Federal U.S. Department of Education CFDA 84.027

Funding:

Approximate total award amount is $149,000. LEAs identified in significant disproportionality in 2019-2020 are eligible to receive up to $8,000. At-risk LEAs are eligible to receive amounts aligned with the number of areas in which they at risk for significant disproportionality. Any LEA identified with significant disproportionality is not also eligible for at-risk funding. Eligible LEA's have previously been notified of their designation and will, concurrent with this posting, be notified of their award and the matrix utilized to determine the award.

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

Fund Use:

Grants funds are to be used to support identified districts' work in planning for implementing CCEIS in school year 2020-2021 and for at-risk district in later school years. Districts may use funds to participate in planned activities hosted by DESE, data and root cause analyses, planning, consultation, and related activities determined by the LEA based on their unique needs.

The following are allowable costs:

• consultant fees (e.g., professional development and program evaluation)
• stipends
• MTRS/fringe (related to stipends only)
• tuition costs for college/university courses
• conference registration costs
• substitutes
• travel for professional development activities

The following are not allowable costs:

• food and refreshments
• indirect costs
• staff salaries
• advertising
• maintenance/repairs
• Supporting individualized instruction or programming for specific children

Project Duration:

Upon Approval – 08/31/2020

Program Unit:

Special Education Planning and Policy Office

Contact:

Bob Hanafin

Phone Number:

(781) 338-3364

Date Due:

Friday, February 7, 2020

Required Forms:

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

 

Statement of LEA outlining proposed activities to address significant disproportionality and CCEIS implementation.

Additional Information:

Instructions for Completing an Application Submission in EdGrants

EdGrants Front Office User Guide: Requesting Grant Funds (payments)

EdGrants: User Security Controls

Budget Detail — Description of Line Item Information

Applications can legally claim expenses to the grant only as of the DESE approved start date.

Submission Instructions:

Submit all required grant materials through EdGrants.

Grant proposals must provide a written statement about how proposed activities contribute to addressing significant disproportionality in the LEA and in the implementation of CCEIS.

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

FY20 258B-B [Applicant # District Name]

All items listed under the required forms section of this grant 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 an original signature of the Superintendent/Executive Director and Required Program Information.

Applicant final budgets 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 the 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.

Amendments:

Submit Amendments through EdGrants. Refer to EdGrants Front Office User Guide: Application Submission .

If you have specific questions, please contact Bob Hanafin or 781-338-3364.

ⁱ 34 C.F.R. § 300.646(c) and (d)

ⁱⁱ 34 C.F.R. § 300.646(d)

Last Updated: December 17, 2019