Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs: FY2010

The partners will continue to implement model inclusive education practices and programs in IHEs for students with disabilities, ages 18-22, who are considered to have severe disabilities and have been unable to achieve the Competency Determination necessary for high school graduation (by passing the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) exam).

These practices and programs must:

1. be designed to promote and enhance academic, social, functional, and employment skills and outcomes;

2. provide opportunities for the inclusion of students with severe disabilities in credit and non-credit courses with their non-disabled peers;

3. promote linkages to adult agencies and organizations; and

4. promote participation in the student life of the college community.

Students will participate in inclusive learning opportunities in IHEs that will promote the development of:

1. self-determination and self-advocacy skills;

2. career planning and employment skills; and

3. improved academic, social, and functional skills.

In addition to the inclusive coursework, partnerships are encouraged strongly to design their programs to include community-based integrated employment opportunities for participating students that relate directly to course selection and career goals.

The partnerships will participate in required technical assistance and mentoring opportunities on promising inclusive practices to further develop the skills of faculty and staff in IHEs and in public school districts.

Technical assistance will be provided to the partnerships as they develop and implement program improvement plans. Outreach and technical assistance will be provided to family members and students in each of the partnerships.

Providers for the required technical assistance activities will be selected by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (Department) and the Department of Higher Education (DHE).

1. A total of $696,000 is available for FY2010, subject to state appropriation.

2. This is the fourth year of a five-year grant program. Awards for FY2011-2012 are contingent upon appropriation of funds and successful completion of grant activities.

3. Applications will be reviewed and funded based upon the types of services and the number of students participating in the program. The maximum proposal amount for all semesters can total no more than $116,000. Summer programming for at least three student participants is required in order to be considered for summer funding.

The following chart is to be used to determine proposal amounts. Base proposal amounts on the projected number of participating students for the fall and spring semesters and add up to $18,000 if the partnership will serve at least three students during the summer semester.

Programs planning to serve students in three semesters (fall, spring, and summer) may include up to 1.0 FTE project personnel salary in their budget. Programs planning to serve students in two semesters (fall and spring) may include up to 0.8 FTE project personnel salary in their budget.

Priority will be given to proposals that have: a) an in-kind contribution; b) demonstrated the capacity to increase the number of participating students; and c) demonstrated the ability to sustain the increased numbers of participating students and partnering public school districts.

Funds may be used for:

1. student transportation costs (over and above pre-existing transportation fees);

2. textbooks and materials to support the student coursework and participation on the college campus;

3. tuition/fees for students;

4. consultants (e.g., parent consultants and youth leaders);

5. stipends/salaries and fringe benefits for project personnel (up to 1.0 FTE for programs planning to serve students all year; up to 0.8 FTE for programs planning to serve students in two semesters);

6. mentoring and technical assistance to support the development and implementation of the proposed model;

7. training supplies;

8. indirect costs for school districts at the Department rate; and

9. indirect costs for the IHEs at the approved Department rate, not to exceed a maximum of 11%.

Funds may not be used for:

1. assistive technology

2. travel costs;

3. pre-existing student transportation costs; and

4. equipment.

FY2010: Approval Date - 6/30/2010

FY2011: 7/1/2010 - 8/31/2010

A rolling submission process has been established for the FY2010 ICE proposals.

In order to be reasonably assured that funds will be available by September 1, 2009, the Department requests that proposals be submitted no later than:

Friday, August 7, 2009 by 5:00 p.m.

1.      FY2010 Part I - General - Program Unit Signature Page - (Standard Contract Form and Application for Program Grants)

2.      FY2011 Part I - General - Program Unit Signature Page - (Standard Contract Form and Application for Program Grants)

3.      FY2010 Part II Budget Detail Pages (Include both pages.) - Instructions

4.      FY2011 Part II Budget Detail Pages (Include both pages.) - Instructions

5.     Part III - Required Program Information (FY2010-2011 Application)

1.      Appendix A - Eligible Applicants

2.     Evaluation Criteria Scorecard

Participating agencies must agree to work with the identified organization on required training and technical assistance activities. Training and technical assistance activities will include, but are not limited to:

1. at least two face-to-face meetings of all participants;

2. assistance with establishing and/or enhancing each partnership's structures for collaboration, resource mapping, and planning for sustainability;

3. online modules (e.g., career planning, development and employment, youth development, universal course design) and threaded discussions;

4. onsite, online, and telephone technical assistance;

5. development and implementation of program improvement plans; and

6. participation in the development and dissemination activities of a technical assistance video.

Applicant agencies will be required to submit to the Department the following reports:

1. a report at the beginning of each semester providing the following: the names and State Assigned Student Identifiers (SASID) of students participating in the program; the title, number, and credit status of the courses in which each student is enrolled; and information regarding individual student's involvement in community-based, integrated employment; and

2. a report at the end of each semester providing the following: course outcomes for each student participating in the program; a brief description of the inclusive post-secondary and employment opportunities provided to participating students; and a summary of expenditures to date.

This grant program crosses two state fiscal years (FY2010 and FY2011) and requires that each partnership submit two Standard Contract Forms and two Budget Detail Pages. The first set will be for grant activities implemented between the award of funds and June 30, 2010. The second set should reflect dates and costs associated with grant activities implemented between July 1, 2010 and August 31, 2010.

Submit five (5) hard-copy sets, each with an original signature of the Superintendent/Executive Director/IHE President. Mail to: