Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs: FY2006

The purpose of this competitive grant program is to assist school

• develop and establish middle and high school level alternative education programs and services for students suspended or expelled from school or to provide alternative education programs for students who are at risk of educational failure due to truancy or dropping out of school; and/or

• develop in-school general education programs that include self-improvement, behavior management, and life skills training to help provide students with tools to manage better their lives and attitudes, that use family-based approaches, and that assist students and teachers during the transition of students back to general education classrooms.

Priority will be given to programs developed and based upon empirically validated interventions (science/research-based strategies with proven effectiveness) that:

• educate students to the same academic standards and curriculum frameworks as taught to all students;

• provide an opportunity for students to meet the competency determination required for high school graduation and provide an opportunity for students to earn a high school diploma;

• use small class size to provide engaging instruction, address individual learning styles, provide a supportive environment, and where appropriate, use flexible scheduling;

• use existing resources in school districts, educational collaboratives, community colleges, other agencies, service providers, and community-based organizations;

• use family-based approaches and self-improvement, behavior management, and life skills training to help provide students with tools to better manage their lives and attitudes;

• assist students and teachers during the transition of students back to general education classrooms;

• provide a comprehensive array of social services to support students' remediation of issues that cause school failure, excessive absenteeism, truancy, and dropping out of school; and

• use pre- and post-evaluative data in program development and assessment of program outcomes.

Grant funds may be used to:

• use technology in alternative education programs;

• provide a range of approaches to address behavior issues, such as behavior specialists, in-school suspension rooms, and crisis centers, in addition to out-of-school alternative settings; and/or

• start new programs or expand existing programs.These funds may not be used for special education programs or to supplant existing alternative education programs.

Wednesday, June 29, 2005

Competitive proposals must be received at the Department by 5:00 p.m. on the date due.

• Part I - General - Program Unit Signature Page - (Standard Contract Form and Application for Program Grants): [ WORD | PDF ]

• Part II Budget Detail Pages (Include both pages): [ WORD | PDF | EXCEL | Instructions ]

• Part III - Required Program Information: [ WORD | PDF ]

• Grant Assurances: [ WORD | PDF ]

• Schedule C - Statement of Participation and Support: [ WORD | PDF ]

  (To be completed if the applicant agency proposes to operate a grant project that will be a collaborative effort among a number of agencies.)

Submit three (3) sets of the completed application, each with an original signature of the Superintendent/Executive Director. Mail to:

Donna Pisaturo
Student Support and Secondary Education Services
Massachusetts Department of Education
75 Pleasant Street
Malden, MA 02148-5023