FY2025: Civics Teaching and Learning

Fund Code: 0589

Purpose:

The purpose of this competitive grant program is to support civics teaching and learning, as required by Chapter 296 of the Acts of 2018 and emphasized in the 2018 History and Social Science Framework. In addition, this grant aims to strengthen voter education and voter registration in the school setting, given the upcoming 2024 elections and persistent gaps in voting rates between youth and older adults.

This grant supports curriculum, professional development, and/or collaborative planning designed to further students' civic knowledge, skills and dispositions. This year, DESE is particularly interested in supporting work to provide meaningful civic learning experiences to students in grades K–5, but will consider proposals focused on strengthening civics teaching and learning at any grade level.

In addition, the grant supports implementation of grade 8 and high school civics projects, the hosting of local civics project showcases, participation in Massachusetts Regional Civics Project Showcases, and instruction and activities associated with the 2024 elections, including voter registration activities.

Priorities:

For details about the civics projects and other civics instructional information, please visit Civics.

DESE seeks to fund civics teaching and learning initiatives that exemplify:

• Equity. Grant-funded projects should increase all students' access to high-quality civic learning experiences and work to address historical inequities where they exist. In addition, projects should provide students with culturally and linguistically sustaining learning experiences that value and affirm their identities and linguistic resources, center student and community agency, and develop students' critical perspectives.
• Civic deeper learning. Grant-funded projects should help students master civic knowledge, skills and dispositions, appropriate to grade-level standards, through creative agency and opportunities to actively "do civics." Civic action should be student-led and meaningful to students as individuals, with relevance to their identities and lived experiences. Civic learning should be an integrated part of the larger curriculum, not isolated experiences, lessons, or units.
• Sustainability. Grant-funded projects should take steps towards long-term enhancements to civics teaching and learning. Investments such as professional development for educators or acquisition of needed instructional materials can provide benefits long past the period of this grant, as opposed to "one-off" activities.

Competitive Priorities:

• Competitive priority in the scoring process will be given to LEAs with at least one school identified as requiring assistance according to the state accountability system.
• Additional competitive priority will be given to LEAs with a student population in which greater than 40% are designated as low-income.
• Additional competitive priority will be given to LEAs with projects that include grant activities in grades K–5.
• Additional competitive priority will be given to LEAs with a clear data plan regarding the student-led civics project that is likely to lead to successful and complete data collection.

Additional competitive priority will be given to LEAs with projects that include an interdisciplinary focus.

Eligibility:

All Massachusetts Local Education Agencies (districts, charter schools, and Collaboratives) are eligible to apply.

Curriculum Data Collection: In order to be eligible for this grant, districts must have completed their LEAs Curriculum Data Collection. The data should be viewable and up to date here: Curriculum Data. Directions about the expectations and how to provide the data can be found here: Curriculum Data Collection.

Note for districts implementing the Democratic Knowledge Project's Civic Engagement in Our Democracy curriculum: districts may apply for both this grant and funding through the One8 Foundation. However, in an effort to support as many districts as possible, districts that are awarded the One8 grant will not receive curriculum or professional learning funds related to the Democratic Knowledge Project curriculum through this grant.

Funding Type:

Trust

Funding:

Approximately $1,000,000 is available through this grant. Total amount of awards will be determined based on quality of proposals received.

Maximum award is determined by the total student enrollment of the applying LEA (or group of LEAs applying as a partnership).

Size Tier 1: LEAs or LEA groups enrolling up to 1,000 students (total)
May apply for up to $20,000

Size Tier 2: LEAs or LEA groups enrolling 1,001-6,000 students (total)
May apply for up to $40,000

Size Tier 3: LEAs or LEA groups enrolling 6,001 or more students (total)
May apply for up to $70,000

Funding is contingent upon availability. All dollar amounts listed are estimated/approximate and are subject to change. Funds will be awarded based upon the number of high-quality proposals received.

Fund Use:

This grant may fund projects within one or more of the following categories.

1. Purchase of curricular materials intended to further students' civic knowledge, skills, and dispositions at any grade level. All curricular materials should be thoughtfully integrated if supplementing pre-existing curriculum. Note that curricular materials must be among those listed in the K-12 History/Social Science Curricular Materials Review Guide. Clarification statement: Funds may also be used to support curriculum materials and implementation for after-school programming intended to further students' civic knowledge, skills and dispositions. Materials for after-school programming do not need to be listed in the Review Guide.
2. Professional development and/or collaborative planning for teachers and/or administrators focused on curriculum implementation and/or instruction of civic knowledge, skills, and dispositions in any grade level.
3. Support for student-led civics projects, as required by Chapter 296 of the Acts of 2018 and described in the Civics Project Guidebook, in grade 8 and/or high school. This may include experiential learning activities undertaken in connection with the projects, such as field trips to the State House or local city government offices or opportunities to participate in community events.
4. Hosting of local civics project showcases and/or participation in a Massachusetts Regional Civics Project Showcase.
5. Support for instruction and experiential learning activities regarding voting and elections undertaken in conjunction with the 2024 election cycle, as well as voter education and voter registration activities for high school students.

Note that projects may support instruction across subjects (including in classes outside of history/social studies) and/or interdisciplinary collaboration in support of the student-led civics project.

Fund use may include, but is not limited to:

• Stipends for teachers and administrators to participate in professional development or planning, including but not limited to DESE's Civics Pathways.
• Purchasing curriculum/instructional materials listed in the K-12 History Social Science Curricular Materials Review Guide. Note: If curriculum is being purchased, districts should also have a plan to provide associated professional development to support implementation.
• Contracting with external partners, including institutions of higher education, professional development providers, and/or organizations that specialize in voter registration.
• Student transportation costs associated with hosting or participating in a local civics project showcase, student participation in a Massachusetts Regional Civics Project Showcase, and/or experiential learning activities connected to the student-led civics projects.
• Supplies associated with implementing the student-led civics projects
• Supplies, venue rental, and/or other costs associated with hosting a local civics project showcase.
• Costs associated with hosting a voter registration drive or other event or activity focused on the 2024 elections.
• Stipends for teachers who will manage voter education and registration events for the school, including coordination of events with the city or town clerk
• Costs associated with running a student civic leadership group focused on student voter registration and education

Funding restrictions:

• No funds may be dedicated toward salaries
• No funds may be used to purchase technology (e.g., Smart Boards, iPads)
• No greater than 5% of funds may be dedicated toward administrative costs associated with the grant
• If funds are being used to support curriculum implementation, curricular materials must be among those listed as highlighted materials in the K-12 History/Social Science Curricular Materials Review Guide.

Project Duration:

Upon Approval (no earlier than July 1, 2024) – June 30, 2025*

*The trust funded awardees (FC: 0589) will have the option to extend their fund use in FY2026 (July 1, 2025 — June 30, 2026). Once selected, grant recipients will be contacted with further information on the multi-year option.

Program Unit:

Office of Literacy and Humanities
Center for Instructional Support

Contact:

Rebekah Judson

Date Due:

Monday, April 1, 2024

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.

Submission Instructions:

Please refer to resources provided by the Mass Civics Learning Coalition for information about the civics law, civics teaching and learning materials, and partners.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will be evaluating the impact of this grant. Grant recipients may be required to share a description of the outcomes of the grant and/or to submit grant-funded products; recipients may also be required to provide an external evaluator access to observe or attend grant activities. Educators in recipient districts may be asked to complete surveys or respond to questions regarding their work with the grant funds.

Additional Information:

The FY25 FC 0589 Civics Teaching and Learning Grant will be submitted in our new GEM$ system. GEM$ is a cloud-based fiscal and program management grant system that will eventually phase out the use of EdGrants.

Grants for Education Management System (GEM$)

Competitive grant applications are considered submitted when the Superintendent / Chief Executive approves the grant application in GEM$. In order to be considered for competitive funding, applicants must submit a grant application by the due date listed in the RFP.

The Superintendent / Chief Executive Approved Step allows for the organization lead to review and approve the grant application. Removing the requirement for the Part I Standard Contract Form, this step signifies Superintendent /Chief Executive sign off. Any grant budget changes requiring signature, will re-execute this step when amended signifying the organization lead is approving these changes.

Please Note: Grant Submission requires applicants to have their organization established in GEM$. Entities that do not have an organization in GEM$ must contact the DESE Program Unit issuing this grant at a minimum 5 business days prior to the grant due date for temporary organization access.

Failure to provide DESE with GEM$ Request Form at least 5 business days prior to the due date may result in not meeting the submission due date listed above. DESE cannot accept or review applications after the due date.

Last Updated: March 4, 2024