Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs: FY2008

The goal of this state-funded grant program is to enhance academic support services needed to meet the Competency Determination required for high school graduation for students in the Classes of 2003-2011 who have performed in the warning/failing (Level 1)* or needs improvement (Level 2)** categories on their most recent English language arts and/or mathematics MCAS or re-tests. Summer programs may serve students in the Class of 2012 transitioning into high school who have scored at Levels 1 and/or 2 on their most recent English language arts and/or mathematics MCAS. These services are to supplement currently funded local, state, and federal programs.

* Level 1 on the MCAS tests (warning/failing category) = score of less than 220

** Level 2 on the MCAS tests (needs improvement category) = score between 220 and 238

The other two MCAS categories are Level 3 (Proficient) with a score between 240-258 and Level 4 (Advanced) with a score between 260-280.

Funding priority is given to districts with high percentages of students who have not yet met the Competency Determination required for high school graduation.

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

1. Programs should give priority to serving students in these two categories:

   1. students from the Classes of 2003-2007 who have scored at the failing level on their 10^th grade MCAS and/or retest(s) in English language arts and mathematics; and

   2. students in the Classes of 2008-2009 who have either scored at the warning/failing level on their most recent MCAS or who are new to the district and have not taken MCAS but whose academic history and assessments would indicate that additional support services are needed in order to gain the skills and knowledge to pass the 10^th grade MCAS tests required for graduation. (This documentation must be available if requested.)

2. Programs may serve students in the Classes of 2010-2011 (and students from the Class of 2012 during Summer programs) who have scored at the warning/failing or needs improvement categories (Levels 1 and 2) on their most recent MCAS in English language arts and mathematics MCAS, as well as students in these classes new to the district who have not taken MCAS but whose academic history and assessments would indicate that additional support services are needed in order to gain the skills and knowledge to pass the 10^th grade MCAS tests required for graduation. (This documentation must be available if requested.)

3. Programs may offer instruction during the school day, before school, after school, weekends, and during school vacations.

4. Programs must use services and strategies that have proven results.

5. Programs must provide 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.

6. Programs must incorporate engaging, hands-on, and relevant curriculum that addresses the aforementioned gaps in students' knowledge and skills.

7. Programs must ensure that services are available to students with disabilities.

8. School districts must provide annual written notice to former students who have not yet earned their Competency Determination (and who have not transferred to another school) of the availability of publicly funded post-high school remediation programs aimed at helping them satisfy the graduation requirement. Districts must encourage these students to participate in such programs. At a minimum, a district is obliged to send annual written notice by first class mail to the last known addresses of students who attended a high school in the district within the past two years. Districts are encouraged strongly to use additional successful recruitment strategies that extend beyond the minimum to ensure participation.

The following entities are eligible to apply for funds: public school districts; charter schools; approved private special education schools; and collaboratives that have students from the Classes of 2003-2011 (and 2012 during the Summer) who have scored at Levels 1 and/or 2 on their most recent English language arts and/or mathematics MCAS tests and subsequent retests.

These entities are eligible to apply for the amount of funds specified in the allocation memorandum to Superintendents, Leaders of Charter Schools, Directors of Approved Private Special Education Schools, and Directors of Collaboratives. The allocation memorandum will be mailed to these leaders along with this Request for Proposals. This amount is to cover both School Year and Summer program costs.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT: By Monday, October 1, 2007, a written intent to apply for School Year and/or Summer funding must be submitted in order to be able to reserve FY2008 Fund Code: 632 and/or Fund Code: 625 allocation amounts.

School Year (Fund Code: 632) applications submitted by October 1, 2007, will be considered as written intent. Submission of an intent to apply reserves the funds but does not obligate the entity to apply for the funding.

We encourage you to use the new on-line form

http://www.doe.mass.edu/conference/?ConferenceID=362 to indicate that you intend to apply for Fund Code: 632 and/or Fund Code: 625. If preferred, though, send an email to achievement@doe.mass.edu with the following statement (or a similar one):

(Insert name of district/school/collaborative) DOES__ DOES NOT ___ (check one) intend to submit an FY2008 application for one or both of the following Academic Support Allocation grants: Fund Code: 632 (School Year) and/or Fund Code: 625 (Summer).

Individual grant awards are based on a formula that incorporates MCAS scores and FY2007 funding allocations. Funds are awarded if applicants meet the requirements of the Request for Proposals and grant program. As noted above, the amount of funds for which a school district/ charter school/approved private special education school/collaborative may apply is included in the memorandum sent to Superintendents, Leaders, and Directors of eligible entities.

TO OPERATE A 2007-2008 (FY2008) SCHOOL YEAR PROGRAM (FUND CODE: 632)

Submit a grant application that includes all of the forms listed in the Required Forms section. Applications will be reviewed and approved in accordance with the tentative start dates checked on the applications. All funds awarded under Fund Code: 632 must be expended by June 30, 2008.

NOTE: Each year, some districts find that after the program begins it is prudent to increase or decrease the total amount they receive for School Year programs (resulting in less or more money for a subsequent Summer program). In these cases, an amendment to increase or decrease School Year (Fund Code: 632) funding amounts must be received by the Department no later than May 1, 2008.

Any amendment to decrease School Year funding amounts may not be for an amount greater than the amount not yet received by the grant recipient. For example, a district approved for a $60,000 grant that has received $45,000 by March may submit an amendment in April to decrease the School Year grant amount by up to $15,000.

The release of funds is contingent upon the submission of all required FY2007 program data and narrative evaluations.

REMINDER: Grant recipients may expend funds as of the date the grant is entered as approved into the Department's Grants Management system. Details may be found at: http://finance1.doe.mass.edu/Grants/grants05/rfp/1_alert.html.

Grants are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Districts should submit grants a minimum of 15 business days prior to the proposed start of the program to allow sufficient time for review, resolution of issues, and processing in order to comply with the state finance regulation 815 CMR 2:00, section 2.05, (4)(b).

TO OPERATE A SUMMER 2008 PROGRAM (FUND CODE: 625)

Submit a grant application that includes all of the forms listed in the Required Forms section.

All funds awarded under Fund Code: 625 must be expended by August 31, 2008 and may not be spent before July 1, 2008. Pre-program professional development/planning or delivery of supplies prior to July 1, 2008 must be budgeted as part of the 632 grant.

The release of funds is contingent upon the submission of all required FY2007 program data and narrative evaluations.

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.

2. These services may be for students from the Classes of 2003-2011 (as well as 2012 during Summer programs) who have scored in Level 1 or Level 2 (with priority given first to those at Level 1 in Classes 2003-2009) on the MCAS and subsequent re-tests; and students in these classes who have not taken MCAS but whose Individual Student Success Plans (ISSPs) recommend additional support services in order to pass the 10^th grade MCAS. (This documentation must be available if requested.)

3. Funds must be used solely for the academic portions of programs and focus on the acquisition of skills in English and mathematics needed to pass the MCAS.

4. Funds must be used for activities that may include, but are not limited to:

   1. integrated tutoring and mentoring programs;

   2. supplemental web-based tutorial programs that are diagnostic and prescriptive;

   3. weekend and school vacation programs focused on English and mathematics remediation;

   4. the English and mathematics components of comprehensive after school programs;

   5. the remediation component of summer programs;

   6. incentives for students that remove barriers to participation; and

   7. counseling programs and services to educate parents and high school students on post-twelfth grade remediation options.

5. Not more than 15% of the total amount of funding available to the district may be budgeted for supplies*.

   *NOTE ADDED 9/11/07: Any expenses on licenses related to computer software do not count toward this 15% on supplies limit. See #7 below for more details.

6. Not more than 15% of the total amount of funding available to the district may be used for program coordination costs (stipends for a program coordinator, bookkeeper, secretary, evaluator, etc.).

7. Not 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**.

   **NOTE ADDED 9/11/07: Please note this change - any amount on the Budget for computer software licenses must now be placed under Line 6 Supplies & Materials and NOT under Line 5 Contractual Services. The limit for this type of expense (licenses related to computer software) is still 20% of the total amount of funding available to the district. See #5 above for more details.

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

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

10. If funds are used to provide services to students who do not meet the eligibility requirements of this grant program, or to 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 632 (School Year Program) Upon Approval - 6/30/2008

Fund Code 625 (Summer Program) 7/1/2008 - 8/31/2008

All proposals must be postmarked by 5:00 p.m. on the date due.

Districts must submit separate applications for Fund Code: 632 (School/Academic Year program) and Fund Code: 625 (Summer programs).

For School Year Programs (Fund Code: 632)

Districts should submit grants at least 15 business days prior to the proposed start of the program to allow sufficient time for review, resolution of issues, and processing in order to comply with the state finance regulation 815 CMR 2:00, section 2.05, (4)(b).

• At the latest: Friday, March 7, 2008 for a School Year program.

For Summer Programs (Fund Code: 625)

• At the latest: Friday, April 11, 2008 for a Summer program (July-August 2008).

Academic Support Liaisons

NOTE: Districts must submit separate applications, signature pages, budget pages, and budget narratives for Fund Code: 632 (School/Academic Year program) and Fund Code: 625 (Summer programs).

		Application for FY2008 Program Funds
		School Year Program (Fund Code: 632) Part I - General: Program Unit Signature Page (Standard Contract Form and Application for Program Grants)
		Summer Program (Fund Code: 625) Part I - General: Program Unit Signature Page (Standard Contract Form and Application for Program Grants)
		Part II Budget Detail Pages (Include both pages) - Instructions
		Budget Narrative
		Assurances Document (for programs proposing to serve students at Level 1 or 2 in the Classes of 2010-2012)

• To Reserve Funds - Submit a Written Intent to Apply

  As noted above, a written intent to apply for School Year and/or Summer funding may be submitted via the on-line form: (http://www.doe.mass.edu/conference/?ConferenceID=362) by October 1, 2007 in order to be able to receive Fund Code: 632 and/or Fund Code: 625 funds during FY2008. If preferred, a written intent to apply may instead be sent via email to achievement@doe.mass.edu. Applications submitted for Fund Code: 632 prior to October 1, 2008 will be considered as written intent.

• Narrative Evaluations

  Funded programs are required to submit a narrative report on the overall effectiveness of the program, using the Department's Narrative Evaluation Guidelines, which will be posted in the fall of 2007 to the Fund Code: 632/625 web pages: http://www.doe.mass.edu/as/grants/?fc=632. Reports are due July 31, 2008 for School Year programs and September 30, 2008 for Summer programs.

•   General Guidelines- for Academic Support Allocation Grant Programs

•   District/Vendor Guidelines - for use of Academic Support Funds

• Required Student Data Submissions

  Individual Student Data Information is required to be submitted through the Department's Security Portal. Dates due are July 31, 2008 for School Year programs and September 30, 2008 for Summer programs. Details and instructions will be provided by the Department to all grant recipients and will be posted to the Academic Support Data Collection web pages - (http://www.doe.mass.edu/as/data/).

• Professional Development/Technical Assistance 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 on the Department's Academic Support web pages http://www.doe.mass.edu/as/pd. The fall session is scheduled for Friday, October 12, 2007 in Sturbridge.

• Annual Written Notice to Former Students

  All school districts must provide annual written notice to their former students who have not yet earned their Competency Determination (and who have not transferred to another school) in order to:

  1. inform those students of the availability of publicly funded post-high school remediation programs aimed at helping them satisfy the graduation requirement; and

  2. encourage them to participate in those programs.

• The written notice shall be sent annually by first class mail to the last known addresses of those students. A district's obligation to send that annual written notice to a student's last known address shall last for a period of two years from the date the student left high school in the district.

Submit two (2) sets for each fund code, each with an original signature of the Superintendent/ Executive Director. Mail to:

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