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The purpose of this competitive grant is to support the schools and districts that have recently adopted a Middle School Pathway Exploration Policy to more extensively integrate the policy activities into the school's My Career and Academic Plan (MyCAP). This integration helps to embed middle school awareness of all learning options available to them in high school so to make an authentic choice for their high school experience and beyond. This grant can also support CTE Schools in convening middle school partners to expand upon opportunities for learning experiences to integrate into middle grades MyCAP and expand upon the Middle School Pathway Exploration Policies.
The Middle School Pathway Exploration Policy documents how middle school students are made aware of and gain exposure to career technical education (CTE) schools and programs available to them within their district, in regional schools, agricultural schools, as well as other public high schools.
The MyCAP process ensures students have opportunities to discover their individual interests, strengths and skills, explore multiple career fields to identify those related to their personal attributes, and engage in meaningful activities that build relevance and understanding of their middle school learning. Within the individual MyCAP will be documentation of the activities students engaged in (as outlined in the Middle School Pathway Exploration Policy) to make authentic choices for their secondary education aligned to their personal, academic, and social goals.
This grant will be used to support the integration of the Middle School Pathway Exploration Policy with a district's planning and development of MyCAP.
MyCAP is a planning process aligned with the DESE Educational Vision and Vision of a Graduate. Districts implementing or planning to implement MyCAP must align with the state's Middle School Scope and Sequence for the MyCAP process inclusive of the Commonwealth's Career Development Model. This process ensures students in the middle school are prepared for the rigors of high school and choose a secondary school that offers experiences that match an individual's interests, strengths, and skills and engages them in learning that will prepare them for success after high school.
The activities and experiences outlined in the Middle School Pathway Exploration Policy should be reflected in a school's MyCAP Scope and Sequence along with the learning opportunities that support self-identification of interests, strengths and skills, career awareness activities, and completion of grade-level academic requirements.
Each school should have a MyCAP planning team with members from a variety of school and district roles with a lead who understands both the Middle School Pathway Exploration Policy and the MyCAP design.
Schools may be new to MyCAP or have an existing MyCAP program.
Priority for funding will be given for schools and districts in chronically underperforming status
Districts/Schools required to have a new Middle School Pathway Policy
CTE Schools applying with partner middle schools to support expanding learning opportunities to be integrated into MyCAP scope and sequence at middle grade
State 7035-0001
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.
Applicants may apply for up to $25,000. Approximately $500,000 is available
This RFP is the governing document for these grant funds.
Funding is contingent upon availability. All dollar amounts listed are estimated/approximate and are subject to change. If more funding becomes available it will be distributed under the same guidelines that appear in this RFP document.
Allowable uses include but are not limited to:
Funds May Not Be Used For:
Upon Approval – 6/30/2026
College, Career, and Technical Education
Lisa.M.Harney@mass.gov
(781) 338-3903
Thursday February 5, 2026 by 5PM
Proposals must be received at the Department by 5:00 p.m. on the date due.
Competitive grant applications are considered submitted when the grant application is submitted by the Superintendent or their designee through the "Local Educational Agency LEA Superintendent / Chief Executive Approved" step in Grants for Education Management System GEM$. In order to be considered for competitive funding, applicants must submit a grant application through the Local Educational Agency LEA Superintendent Approved stage by the due date and time listed in the Request for Proposal RFP. Review the Competitive Grant Policy for more detailed information.
All responses must be submitted through 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.
Questions and Answers — Applicants may submit questions to lisa.m.harney@mass.gov by January 23. Questions will not be responded to directly. Instead, all received questions and answers will be posted in the "Questions and Answers" section of the Grant Application in GEM$.
The FY26 0424 Middle School Exploration Policy and MyCAP must be submitted in GEM$. GEM$ is a cloud-based fiscal and program management grant system that DESE utilizes to administer grant funds.
Grants for Education Management System (GEM$)
COMP grants not submitted through these 3 LEA steps cannot be considered or reviewed.
New organizations that do not have an established LEA with DESE skip to Step 3.
Step 1: Establish and assign proper roles before the grant due date/time. Grant Submission at the LEA level requires roles to be established for Grant writer for the specific fund code, LEA fiscal for financial review/approval, and Superintendent/Chief Executive sign off.
All roles should be established prior to the grant due date and all appropriate forms should be either uploaded to GEM$, 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: January 22, 2026