FY2023: CTE Equitable Access Grant

Fund Code: 112

Purpose:

The goal of this federally funded continuation 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, 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 continuation grant. Eligible recipients are those agencies that were awarded grants in the FY 2022 Fund Code 106 Open and Competitive competition.

• Fund Code 112 Eligibility

Funding Type:

Federal CFDA 84.048

Funding:

FY2023 Fund Code 112 Grant is a continuation grant (continuation from FY2022 Competitive FC106). Eligible districts may apply for up to the amount received in the FY2022 FC106 grant.

Approximately $2,071,103 is available for districts with Chapter 74-approved secondary CVTE programs.

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' requests for funding should be commensurate with the scope of activities proposed.

Funding is contingent upon availability. All dollar amounts listed are estimated/approximate and are subject to change.

Dollars not claimed by the submission deadline will be reallocated to other eligible districts. If more funding becomes available, it will be distributed to districts that indicate in their Part III that they have additional funding needs aligned to the purpose of this grant.

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 7/1/2022) – 8/31/2023

Program Unit:

College, Career and Technical Education

Contact:

Jennifer Appleyard

Date Due:

Thursday, June 23, 2022

Required Forms:

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

• Part II — For planning purposes. Budget Details to be entered directly into EdGrants

• Part III — Proposal Questions

Additional Information:

See Appendix 1 for additional planning considerations.

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 FC 112 CVTE 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: June 3, 2022