Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs: FY2009

Priority will be given to partnerships between a professional development provider and a collaborative of school districts led by at least one high need district for professional development in the use of the Data Warehouse Tool for student academic improvement. Participating districts must demonstrate their:

1. technical and data system readiness to participate in the state's Data Warehouse Project;

2. selection criteria and procedure to procure the appropriate providers to use the Department's Data Warehouse professional development materials and strategies to provide professional development to their districts' participants;

3. recruitment strategies to include appropriate participants to learn to use the Data Warehouse Tool to make decisions for improving student achievement; and

4. commitment of at least three qualified professional staff from each participating district to take part in the professional development.

Special priority will be given to the largest and highest poverty districts (Boston, Brockton, Fall River, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, New Bedford, Springfield and Worcester) where over 80% of the Commonwealth's schools currently designated as Commonwealth Priority Schools (Commissioner's Districts) and to districts that the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education has designated as underperforming.

(See a detailed definition and description of technical readiness and the Department's Data Warehouse professional development materials and strategies in Part III Program Narrative.)

1. Grant funds will be distributed to eligible high need school districts or collaborating districts with at least one high need district.

2. To be eligible for funding, participating school districts must have received a letter from the Department approving their technology plan through June 30, 2009.

3. School districts must have certified that they have complied with the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) requirements. (If applicants have not done so, please contact Baiba Ozols at bozols@doe.mass.edu for more information.)

Pending appropriation, approximately $1,200,000 will be awarded for this one-year grant program. Grant awards will not exceed the following amounts, which are based on student enrollment of participating districts for each project.

If applicable, additional funding for private school participation will be awarded to the recipients to support private schools' technology enhancement projects.

1. Funds received shall be used to supplement, not supplant, state and/or local funds that would otherwise be used for the proposed activities.

2. Funds are to be used for ongoing technology professional development. This may include payment for consultants, teacher substitutes, stipends, and materials for professional development. Other acceptable expenditures may include project coordination, program evaluation, dissemination, etc.

3. Each grant recipient is to set aside 10% of grant funds to procure the services of an external evaluator. The Department will coordinate the selection of an external evaluator for a consolidated evaluation of the entire program (all of the funded projects).

All budgets and budget descriptions must be aligned with the activities described in the proposal narrative and reflect any coordinated use of funds from other funding sources.

Upon Approval - 8/31/2009

(Subject to appropriation of adequate federal funds.)

Monday, June 30, 2008

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

1. Prior to developing proposals for this program, districts should refer to the following items.

   1.     FY2009 High Need Districts

   2. Technical Assistance Workshops:
      http://www.doe.mass.edu/conference/?ConferenceID=500

      1. Tuesday, June 3, 2008 10 a.m. to noon

         Malden - Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

      2. Thursday, June 5, 2008 10 a.m. to noon

         Springfield - Meline Kasparian Professional Development Center

      3. Monday, June 9, 2008 10 a.m. to noon

         Duxbury - Duxbury High School

2. When developing proposals for this program, districts should refer to the following resources.

   1.     Scoring Rubric

   2.      Local Technology Plan Guidelines (School Year 2007-2008 through 2010-2011)

   3. Technology Self-Assessment Tool

3.     Professional Development for Data-Driven Decision-Making Using the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE) Data Warehouse

Submit four (4) sets, each with an original signature of the Superintendent/ Executive Director. Mail to:

Nicole Fazio Cirino
Office of Instructional Technology
Massachusetts Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street
Malden, MA 02148-4906