Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs: FY2008

The purpose of this state-funded competitive grant program is the development of Collaborative Partnerships for Student Success to supplement existing district resources.

Each community's Collaborative Partnership for Student Success (CPSS) is created and implemented by the school(s)/district(s) and community partners with student/family involvement. Elements of a CPSS include:

1. serving as a part of a comprehensive intervention process to help students meet and exceed the Competency Determination standards on their initial try in the spring of their 10^th grade year;

2. increasing student (and family) awareness on the purposefulness of their high school experience in relation to future opportunities through the development of preliminary career/college plans (and other means);

3. increasing school district and community partners' ability to provide School Year and Summer academic support in English language arts (ELA) and/or mathematics for students in the Classes of 2010-2012 who scored in the warning or needs improvement categories (levels 1 or 2) on their most recent English language arts and/or mathematics MCAS tests; and

4. developing a CPSS product to increase college and career readiness, which may or may not include enhancement of a previous year's Collaborative Success Plan (CSP).

Funding priority will be given to districts and community partnerships that have supporting data showing high percentages of students who have not yet met the Competency Determination required for high school graduation and who can demonstrate that their program will help to close achievement gaps where they exist currently.

Program parameters include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. providing identified students with small group instruction that addresses identified gaps in their acquisition of knowledge and skills in English language arts and/or mathematics as described in the students' Individual Student Success Plans (ISSP);

2. serving students in the Classes of 2010-2012 who have scored at the warning or needs improvement categories (levels 1 or 2) on their most recent English language arts and/or mathematics MCAS tests or whose ISSPs recommend additional support services in order to pass the 10th grade MCAS. (This ISSP documentation must be available upon request.);

3. piloting relevant components of the CSP in both School Year and Summer Academic Support programs;

4. partnering with other schools and community-based organizations that are invested in student success;

5. serving districts and communities whose students (or whose families) have challenging needs, including but not limited to economic hardship, language literacy issues, and disabilities, and/or are from families whose educational and professional backgrounds may be less familiar with and/or have limited understanding of the impact educational decisions have on future economic, career, and educational opportunities;

6. offering engaging, innovative, and creative activities and strategies that help prepare students to succeed throughout high school so that they are ready for higher education and careers. Activities may include Community Service Learning (CSL) projects, theme-based multidisciplinary work that engages students in their learning and educational and career goals, etc.;

7. if proposing to serve eighth graders during the school year and/or summer, a partnership is required for this grant that includes at least one of the feeder middle schools and at least one of the recipient high schools.

Subject to appropriation, final grant recipients and award amounts will be based on the quality of the proposed programs and the amount of funds available. Applicants are expected to estimate a reasonable per pupil cost.

All grant recipients will receive a joint Fund Code: 619/592 grant that will cover the planning of the Collaborative Partnerships for Student Success, as well as academic support programs. School year planning, recruitment, and instructional services will be funded through Fund Code: 619 and Summer services and activities will be funded through Fund Code: 592.

Eligible applicants may submit a 619/592 proposal for up to $50,000 (for Category A applicants*) or up to $30,000 (for Category B** applicants) to cover school year and summer costs combined. The specific amount applied for should reflect the scope of services proposed (not necessarily the maximum allowable).

• The School Year budget (Fund Code: 619) must be submitted for planning, recruitment activities, and School Year services that will take place upon approval - June 30, 2008.

• The Summer budget (Fund Code: 592) must be for services and activities that will take place July 1, 2008 - August 31, 2008.

The total of the two budgets 619/592 must not exceed the maximum amount noted above.

*CATEGORY A Districts (may apply for up to $50,000): Districts may apply (as the lead applicant) for this category if less than 80% of their students earned a Competency Determination on the 2006 10th Grade MCAS AND the district enrolls at least 400 students in high school (grades 9-12).
Total available funds: $450,000

**CATEGORY B Districts (may apply for up to $30,000): Districts with at least 80% of their students earning a Competency Determination on the 2006 10th Grade MCAS AND/OR districts with fewer than 400 students enrolled in high school (grades 9-12).
Total available funds: $300,000

1. Funds must be used to extend student learning time in English language arts and/or mathematics by expanding successful programs or initiating new direct services for students in the Classes of 2010-2012 who scored at the warning or needs improvement categories (levels 1 or 2) on their most recent ELA and/or mathematics MCAS tests or whose Individual Student Success Plans (ISSPs) recommend additional support services in order to pass the 10th grade MCAS.

2. No more than 15% of the total amount of funding may be budgeted for supplies. This 15% is a percentage of the total amount received through the School Year (619) plus the Summer (592) budgets; it does not apply to the School Year budget or the Summer budget independently.

3. No more than 15% of the total amount of funding may be used for program coordination costs (stipends for program coordinator, bookkeeper, secretary, evaluator, etc.). This 15% is a percentage of the total amount received through the School Year (619) plus the Summer (592) budgets; it does not apply to the School Year budget or the Summer budget independently.

4. No more than 20% of the total amount of funding available to the district may be used in contractual services for licenses related to computer software.

5. Programs must supplement currently funded local, state, and federal programs at the school or district.

6. Under no circumstances may students be charged a fee to enroll or attend the Academic Support Programs. This includes refundable registration fees.

7. If funds are used to provide services to students who do not meet the eligibility requirements of this grant program or to serve significantly fewer students than proposed, the Department may request the of return such funds or withhold an appropriate amount of funds not yet paid.

Fund Code: 619 Upon Approval - 6/30/2008
(School Year Planning, Recruitment Activities, and Program Services)

Fund Code: 592 7/1/2008 - 8/31/2008
(Summer Program Services)

All proposals must be received by Tuesday, November 20, 2007.

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

• In cases when applications are scored similarly, some consideration will be given to funding high-quality proposals that will serve a range of geographic areas and school types.

•    Category A Districts

• Narrative Evaluations

  The Evaluation Guidelines must be used in preparing narrative reports addressing the overall effectiveness of the program (due by September 30, 2008). These guidelineswill be provided by the Department to all grant recipients and posted to the Fund Code: 619/592 web pages http://www.doe.mass.edu/as/grants/?fc=619.

• Individual Student Data Information

  Student Data Information is required to be submitted through the Department's Security Portal. Data regarding the School Year time period (619) is due by July 31, 2008 and data regarding the Summer time period (592) is due by September 30, 2008. Details will be provided by the Department upon grant approval and will be posted to the Academic Support data web pages: http://www.doe.mass.edu/as/data/.

• Professional Development Sessions

  Grantees are expected to have personnel (coordinators, data entry staff, instructors, etc.) attend appropriate Academic Support professional development workshop and data training sessions. We welcome your input and feedback on the workshops. A schedule of sessions will be sent to grantees and posted to http://www.doe.mass.edu/as/pd/.

• Scoring Rubric

  NOTE ADDED 9/20/07: Available upon request. (See Contact information above.)

• General guidance on Academic Support programs (that apply to this 619/592 grant except where obviously not applicable) can be found in the Academic Support Allocation Grant General Guidelines    and Vendor Guidelines    documents.

Submit 4 sets, at least one of which is marked clearly as "ORIGINAL" with original signatures of the lead applicant's District Superintendent/Executive Director on the Part I and Assurances documents. Hand-deliver (to the third floor receptionist and call x3322 to notify) or mail to:

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