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The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's (Department's/DESE's) purpose for this targeted competitive grant is to assist districts/schools to increase equitable practices and student engagement in the realm of school climate and culture, including rethinking discipline practices and supporting effective alternatives to exclusionary practice. In addition, it will support entities identified in Cohort I and Cohort II of Phase II for the Rethinking Discipline Initiative to develop and implement their action plans to create safer and more supportive and equitable learning environments for students. The action plans are focused on reducing inappropriate or excessive use of long-term suspension and expulsion, including disparate rates of suspension and expulsion for students with disabilities and/or students by race/ethnicity.
The main priorities for this grant are to support districts and schools:
Moreover, the funds will support entities identified for the first and second cohort in Phase II of the Department's Rethinking Discipline Initiative with resources to help develop and implement their action plans for the 2025-2026 school year. Additionally, funding includes a priority of supporting grantees to collaborate with one another in a cohort-based model to share promising practices and be able to share successes, challenges, and implications of their action plan implementation.
Competitive priority will be given to districts in the Rethinking Discipline Initiative Professional Learning Network and to eligible districts and schools in the strategic transformation region.
Massachusetts public school districts (including charter schools) identified (at the school or district level) in the Phase II Cohort I and II Rethinking Discipline Initiative are eligible to apply for funding. A list of the Cohort I and Cohort II can be found on DESE's Rethinking Discipline webpage.
Additionally, Massachusetts public school districts (including charter schools) are eligible to apply if they meet both of the following criteria:
Massachusetts public school districts and charter public schools with a Local Education Agency (LEA) Need Index* of 80 or higher, districts with eligible emergency expansion shelter sites, districts with at least 100 homeless students reported in school year 2023-2024 (SY 2024), and/or districts with at least 100 newcomer students reported in October 2024. *For the purposes of this grant program, a district's LEA Need Index equals the sum of the district's 2024 percent of high needs students, out-of-school suspension rate, and chronic absenteeism rate [missing 20 percent of days] for 2024.
And
Note: District suspension rate information can be found on the SSDR Discipline Report - All Offenses and then select the non-drug, non-violent, non-criminal related offenses in the drop down menu
See this list of all Eligible Districts .
Collaboratives are eligible to apply on behalf of one or more eligible school district.
Federal CFDA 84.424
Federal grant funds must adhere to:
The receipt of grant funds is contingent upon the grantee being able to certify that it will comply with the Massachusetts General Laws, including G.L. c. 40A, § 3A, the MBTA Communities Act. Compliance with the MBTA Communities Act is determined by the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities.
Approximately $800,000 is available for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026.
This RFP is the governing document for these grant funds.
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.
Applicants can apply for up to $75,000.
Applicants should propose a budget that includes (where needed) expenses related to:
Since details about professional development and supplies and materials may be determined after grants are awarded, applicants should propose estimated budget expenditures. Awarded applicants can adjust their budgets through an amendment as needed.
Funds may be used to work with one of DESE's identified vendors from the Office of Student and Family Support's master agreement list or with a locally selected external (non-school/district staff) vendor(s) and/or consultants to support the development and implementation of the Rethinking Discipline action planning. District selected vendors and/or consultants could assist districts in identifying concerns/challenges in the realm of discipline, implementing solutions through in depth training and coaching, tracking measures of success, and sharing results with DESE and other communities. Specifically, vendors and/or consultants can support awarded districts to implement practices and models that reduce exclusionary discipline and enhance a positive climate and culture through the use of relationship building, enhancing student voice, and integrating family engagement. Practices can include but are not limited to conducting document reviews with the goal of updating codes of conduct, elevating student and family voice, implementing programs and initiatives including collaborative problem solving, mediation, restorative practices, and conflict resolution.
Funds may be used to support participation of team members in professional development, including but not limited to asynchronous/virtual professional development, in person professional development opportunities, including regional site visits and statewide conferences, as well as coaching.
Fund use can include coordinator time, travel to in-person professional development, stipends, substitutes, supplies and materials.
Funds cannot be used for: electronics (such as iPads, computers, tablets, etc.), building/construction projects or curricular programs, and for travel outside of Massachusetts.
Upon Approval (anticipated on or around September 2025) – 6/30/2026
Student and Family Support
Stacy Cabral
Friday, August 22, 2025
Proposals must be received at the Department by 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on the date due.
Competitive grant applications are considered submitted when the grant application is submitted by the Superintendent or their designee through the "LEA Superintendent / Chief Executive Approved" step in GEM$. In order to be considered for competitive funding, applicants must submit a grant application through the LEA Superintendent Approved stage by the due date and time listed in the RFP.
All responses must be submitted through the proper steps and received by the due date/time 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.
All required program information and forms will be submitted in DESE's new Grants for Education Management System (GEM$). See Submission Instructions for details.
Questions and Answers — Applicants can find all the questions asked regarding this funding opportunity and DESE's responses posted here: FY2026 FC 0122 - Rethinking Discipline Initiative Grant (competitive) Questions and Answers , in the DESE Resources section of GEM$. Please send questions to achievement@mass.gov with the Subject Line: FY26 FC 0122 Question by Monday, August 18.
Districts in the Rethinking Discipline Initiative Phase II Cohort I must include their draft action plan for the 2025-26 school year and include a budget that aligns with implementation of strategies outlined in the plan. Changes made in the action plan after grant submission that result in changes to the budget can be addressed through the budget amendment process for awarded grantees.
The FY26 FC 0122 Rethinking Discipline Initiative Grant must be submitted in GEM$. GEM$ is a cloud-based fiscal and program management grant system that DESE utilizes to administer grant funds.
Grants for Education Management System (GEM$)
New organizations that do not have an established LEA with DESE skip to Step 3.
Step 1: Establish and assign proper roles before the grant due date/time. Grant Submission at the LEA level requires roles to be established for Grant writer for the specific fund code, LEA fiscal for financial review/approval, and Superintendent/Chief Executive sign off.
All roles should be established prior to the grant due date and all appropriate forms should be either uploaded to GEM$, maintained at the LEA level or sent in to the DESE RFP contact as described on the individual forms. The user guidance documents and forms are found on the GEM$ homepage under DESE Resources. These forms can be accessed without logging in to the system.
Step 2: Submit the grant through all LEA steps in GEM$. There are three LEA steps a competitive grant must be submitted through by the due date and time to be considered for funding:
Competitive grant applications are considered submitted once the grant application is submitted by the Superintendent or their designee through the "LEA Superintendent / Chief Executive Approved" step in GEM$. In order to be considered for competitive funding, applicants must submit a grant application through the LEA Superintendent Approved stage by the due date and time listed in the RFP. Please plan accordingly.
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.
Step 3: (If applicable) New organizations request temporary organization access. New organizations are entities that have not been established as an LEA 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.
Temporary Access will need to be created by DESE before you can then assign the proper roles and submit the grant as outlined in Steps 1 and 2.
Failure to provide DESE with GEM$ Temp Organization Access Request 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: July 10, 2025