FY2021: Kaleidoscope Cohort School Funds

Fund Code: 103

Purpose:

The purpose of this targeted grant is to fund school-based initiatives of the Kaleidoscope Collective for Learning that advance the development of a statewide vision for both effective and equitable deeper learning and understanding of the necessary implementation conditions that support deeper learning for all students. This grant integrates ongoing professional development and on-site experiences to pilot and develop deeper learning tasks created by Massachusetts educators and nonprofit partners that can be shared statewide.

These grant funds directly align with the focus of Commissioner Riley's 2019 report Our Way Forward. The four themes that are identified in Our Way Forward include:

1. Deeper Learning for All
2. Holistic Support and Enrichment
3. Innovation and Evidence-Based Practices
4. The State as a Partner

This grant is in support of Theme I: Deeper Learning For All. In Theme I, Commissioner Riley lays out four different levels of education in which this work needs to be championed:

• In the Classroom: Focusing on Deeper Learning Tasks.
• At the School: Establishing Conditions for Deeper Learning
• With the Community: Building Relevance and Connections.
• At DESE: Re-thinking Policy Conditions

This school-level grant will focus on the first two levels: in the classroom and at the school. As outlined in Our Way Forward: "Through this effort, we will start to gather the Massachusetts education community around this new vision for the student experience and take concrete steps to pilot new approaches. While this pilot … is intended to benefit all learners, the network will be committed to closing achievement gaps for underperforming subgroups through deeper learning efforts and the other themes outlined above."

Priorities:

Priorities for this grant include creating effective opportunities for deeper learning for all students by:

• increasing staff knowledge of deeper learning, staff expertise in pedagogy of 21st century skills, and expertise in execution of deeper learning tasks; and/or
• enlisting ongoing support with evidenced-based, high effect size partners; and
• providing access to opportunities for all students equitably and effectively.

This aligns with the vision set out in Commissioner Riley's Our Way Forward, "there is evidence that deeper learning experiences are more common in affluent communities and honors-track classes - school settings to which our underprivileged students, English learners, and students with disabilities do not always have equitable access. We must work together ensure these types of engaging deeper learning experiences are accessible to all students."

Eligibility:

This grant is available to the 22 schools in the Kaleidoscope Collective for Learning 2020-21 cohort.*

*M. Marcus Kiley Middle School is no longer continuing with the cohort as of early March and therefore is not eligible for this funding opportunity.

Funding Type:

Trust

Funding:

Maximum funding available per school will be calculated based on an equal weight of school size based on the number of pupils during the 2019-20 school year (50%) and the percentage of students with high needs (50%).

See Appendix A for maximum funding available by school.

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:

Subject to appropriation, meeting grant requirements, and submission of required documents, Kaleidoscope Cohort School Funds will be awarded for one year. Grants funds are to be used to support implementation of deeper learning initiatives in schools, either through staff development in-house or by working with partners to support school-based initiatives.

The following are allowable costs:

• stipends for summer training
• costs for ongoing professional development or curriculum work (e.g. stipends, substitutes, etc.)
• evidence-based, high-effect size Deeper Learning programming costs (e.g. partners, learning experiences)

The following are not allowable costs:

• food and refreshments
• indirect costs
• out-of-state travel
• staff salaries
• maintenance/repairs
• purchase of technology, computer software or hardware, unless a compelling case can be made for how these materials are necessary to fully implement the proposed intervention.

Schools should align with local policy requirements, including district policy, local collective bargaining agreements, etc.

Project Duration:

Upon Approval – 6/30/2021

Program Unit:

Kaleidoscope Collective for Learning

Contact:

Sarah Peteraf

Phone Number:

(781) 338-3104

Date Due:

Friday, June 5, 2020

Required Forms:

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

Part III — Required Program Information

Additional
Information:

Schools must meet the requirements as described in Part III — Required Program Information throughout the course of the year to maintain active status in this grant opportunity.

Submission
Instructions:

Submit all required grant materials through EdGrants. In EdGrants, grantees are required to create and name the project. Please use the following naming convention for your "Applicant Project Name" in EdGrants:

• FY21 FC103 Kaleidoscope Cohort — (School Name)

All required forms should be uploaded / attached in the Attachments List of the Application Submission. This includes a signed / scanned PDF of Part I / Coversheet with school leader's signature.

For Guidance Documents regarding EdGrants, visit EdGrants: User Guides and Information.

Please note: It is up to the grantee 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 document to make informed decisions regarding assigning your district level users.

Last Updated: March 3, 2020