Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs: FY2006

The purpose of this competitive grant program is to assist school districts with the development and establishment of:

1. in-school programs and services to address, within the general education school program, the educational and psycho-social needs of students whose behavior interferes with learning, particularly those who are suffering from the traumatic effects of exposure to violence (Students suffering from the traumatic effects of exposure to violence shall include, but not be limited to, those exposed to abuse, family or community violence, war, homelessness, or any combination thereof.); and/or

2. comprehensive programs to help prevent violence in schools, from whatever causes, and to promote school safety.

Priority will be given to programs that are based on empirically validated interventions (i.e., science/research-based with proven effectiveness), that educate students to the same academic standards and curriculum frameworks as taught to all students, and that support the development of one or both of the following priorities:

1. school-based teams with community ties that:

2. collaborate with broadly recognized experts in the fields of trauma and family and community violence, with battered women shelters, and with local district homeless liaisons;

   • provide ongoing training to inform and train teachers, administrators, and other school personnel to understand and identify the symptoms of trauma; and

   • evaluate school policy and existing school and community programs and services to determine whether and to what extent students identified as suffering from exposure to trauma can receive effective supports and interventions that can help such students to succeed in their public school programs and where necessary, be referred quickly and in confidence to appropriate services; and/or

3. comprehensive programs designed to help prevent violence in schools and to promote school safety and that are designed to meet the following objectives by:

   • creating a school environment where students feel safe and preventing problems from starting;

   • helping students to take the lead in keeping the school safe;

   • ensuring that school personnel have the skills and resources to identify and intervene with at-risk students;

   • equipping students and teachers with the skills needed to avoid conflict and violence;

   • helping schools and individuals to reconnect with the community and share resources; and

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

Public school districts and charter schools that have:

• a significant number of students whose classroom behavior interferes with learning due to their suffering from the traumatic effects of exposure to violence; and/or

• documented high levels of violent incidences.

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 ]

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

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