Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs: FY2010

Priority will be given to partnerships of high-need districts with other districts and education collaboratives. Participating districts must demonstrate:

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

2. inclusion of appropriate participants for training and using the EDW to make decisions for improving student achievement; and

3. commitment of personnel with experience in gathering, extracting, and loading of data into a data warehouse or other collection system.

(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, 2010.

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. At least 25% of 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.

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

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

1.      Part I - General - Program Unit Signature Page - (Standard Contract Form and Application for Program Grants)

2.      Part II Budget Detail Pages (Include both pages.) - Instructions

3.     Part III - Required Program Information

4.     Statement of Assurances

5.     Schedule C - Statement of Participation and Support (if appropriate)

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

   1.     FY2010 High-Need Districts

   2. Technical Assistance Workshops:
      http://www.doe.mass.edu/conference/?ConferenceID=666

      1. Tuesday, June 9, 2009 - 9:30 a.m. to noon
         Springfield - Meline Kasparian Professional Development Center

      2. Wednesday, June 10, 2009 - 9:30 a.m. to noon
         Malden - Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

      3. Thursday, June 11, 2009 - 9:30 a.m. to noon
         Duxbury - Alden School (Performing Arts Center)

      To participate, please register online at
      http://www.doe.mass.edu/conference/?ConferenceID=666.

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)
        http://www.doe.mass.edu/edtech/techplan/07-10guidelines.doc

   3. Technology Self-Assessment Tool
      http://www.doe.mass.edu/edtech/standards/sa_tool.html

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