Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs: FY2010

The priorities for this grant program are to:

1. provide the resources to enable all teachers in Massachusetts Adult Basic Education (ABE) and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) programs to have the content knowledge required to teach effectively the subject matter needed by their students, e.g., reading, writing, mathematics, and ESOL;

2. provide the resources to enable all Massachusetts ABE/ESOL teachers to meet the state's Professional Standards for Adult Basic Education Teachers;

3. increase the number of programs, teachers, and other ABE/ESOL professionals who participate in high quality, results-driven professional development;

4. provide the needed supports to facilitate, in every program, the development and implementation of curriculum that is aligned with the content standards in the Massachusetts ABE Curriculum Frameworks and that is contextualized around student goals, interests, and life circumstances;

5. increase ABE/ESOL program directors' ability to support teaching and learning, including the ability to support adult learners to move beyond the GED to further study and/or better employment;

6. provide the needed supports to facilitate, in every program, the implementation of a data-driven, cyclic, continuous improvement process of self-assessment, goal-setting, planning, and evaluation that will enable the program to achieve its continuous improvement goals;

7. promote diversity in the pool of training consultants; and

8. support a system of Regional Support Centers prepared to work with and under the guidance and direction of Department staff, as well as with staff from other Regional Centers, a Central Resource Center, educational institutions, and Massachusetts adult education programs.

The funding available for the Program and Staff Development Regional Support Centers for ABE programs is up to $1.8 million in state (Fund Code: 667) and federal (Fund Code: 343) grants, subject to budget appropriation. Applicants are advised to submit a state budget of $328,400 and a federal budget of $21,600, for a total combined budget of $350,000 per region for FY2010. The amount of funds awarded to each center may vary according to activities negotiated in an annual work plan.

Applicants proposing to operate a Program and Staff Development Regional Support Center are eligible to apply for up to an additional $130,000 to provide a Statewide Research and Resource Collection for Adult Basic Education programs and practitioners.

1. Personnel

   Each Regional Support Center (RSC) will be required to hire qualified individuals to perform the following functions at a minimum.

   1. Regional Support Center Director.

   2. Curriculum and Assessment. Responsibilities include: curriculum, instruction, and assessment-related training; technical assistance; and other support.

   3. Regional Field Technology. The role entails assisting practitioners with the integration of technology into classroom instruction and providing technical assistance with program hardware and software, including the SMARTT (System for Managing Accountability and Results Through Technology) database and its complementary Cognos report system.

   4. Integration of Services/Collaboration with Workforce and Community Partners. The function is to assist the field with developing skills and knowledge needed to a) integrate effectively ABE services with job training and b) collaborate with workforce development and community partners, such as career centers, local Workforce Investment Boards, local employers, schools, and family support services.

   Each staff member should be prepared to help field practitioners use professional standards and subject matter knowledge areas for ABE teachers. Each of the functions listed above may be combined with others to create a full-time position.

   Support staff and other positions needed to fulfill the purposes of the grant program are allowable.

2. Flexible Consulting Funds

   The Massachusetts professional development system for Adult Basic Education is intended to build upon state-of-the-art expertise, both that of researchers and content experts and that of practitioners working currently in the field. It is designed to balance two aims: to provide subject matter expertise by using researchers and content specialists; and to develop practitioner leadership by using practitioners as trainers when they have mastery of the content. Accordingly, each Regional Support Center will be required to reserve a minimum of 11% of its total core RSC award in a consulting line item to be used to support such trainers, coaches, and facilitators. The specific allocation of the consulting budget will be negotiated in the annual work plan development and approval process. Costs for consultants who perform an identifiable function in the Regional Support Center (e.g., curriculum and assessment, technology, or workforce development) are excluded from the 11%. Costs related to the ABE Statewide Research and Resource Collection are not considered in the total award for calculating the 11% flexible consulting requirement.

3. Other Non-Personnel Items

   Allowed are other non-personnel items necessary to implement the annual work plan and to document outcomes: e.g., supplies for training and office operations, including postage; hardware and software; staff in-state and out-of-state travel; printing; telephone and Internet access; memberships and subscriptions; advertising; equipment maintenance; etc. Grant funds may not be used to cover costs of office, classroom, or other space.

   Applicants with a current approved federal indirect cost rate will be required to submit a copy of the current approval letter. Please note that the maximum allowable indirect cost rate that may be charged to this grant is 8% of the subtotal of direct costs. Any entity that does not have a current federal rate may apply to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for a maximum 5% indirect cost rate using the Department's current Indirect Cost Rate Application available at the following link:

   http://finance1.doe.mass.edu/grants/other/indirect_app09.html

Note that final indirect costs for FY2010 will not be approved before July, 2009.

All budgets and staffing of the Program and Staff Development Regional Support Centers are subject to negotiation and appropriation of funding for the budget.

Applicants for Program and Staff Development Regional Support Centers for ABE are required to provide, at no cost to the grant, quality, fully accessible space for trainings, office space for Regional Center staff, and other in-kind institutional support, such as administrative and technology support.

Applicants that have received previously videoconferencing hardware from the Department, if selected for funding in FY2010, will be required to maintain at no cost to the grant adequate ISDN or IP connectivity to enable videoconferencing (minimum 384 KB; 768KB is preferable if connection is IP).

The program and staff development system for Adult Basic Education in Massachusetts is based on a set of clearly defined parameters. Demonstrated knowledge of its structure is crucial to successful proposals. The following information is offered to provide important details about the context and requirements of the system.

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education requires that Adult Learning Centers (ALCs) compensate staff for their participation in certain minimum levels of engagement in program and staff development. All Massachusetts grants to ALCs include funding to support these requirements. A minimum of 2.5% of each salaried staff person's annual paid hours (or 12 hours/year, whichever is greater) must be allocated to professional development activities. Fifteen (15) additional paid hours are required for new direct service staff to complete a New Staff Orientation. Further, Department-funded ALCs must assign and compensate staff to conduct program development activities for at least 3.5% of total paid staff hours and they must use a process that integrates program and staff development.

Every Department-funded ALC grant includes dedicated funding to pay for the required release time for staff and program development, as well as additional funds to hire substitute teachers. Every ALC grant includes funding to support a Program and Staff Development Facilitator (approximately 6 hours/month) who works to ensure that the program uses a planning process that links program development and staff development activities.

These requirements and the funding that supports them are explained further in the first document listed below. The additional documents provide helpful information for developing and implementing proposals.

• Massachusetts Guidelines for Effective Adult Basic Education (FY2009)

   http://www.doe.mass.edu/acls/abeguide.doc

   http://www.doe.mass.edu/acls/abeguide.pdf

• Massachusetts Professional Standards for Adult Basic Education Teachers

   http://www.doe.mass.edu/lawsregs/603cmr47.html?section=08&flag=abe

• Massachusetts Subject Matter Knowledge Requirements for ABE Teachers

   http://www.doe.mass.edu/lawsregs/603cmr47.html?section=07&flag=abe

• Massachusetts Indicators of Adult Basic Education Program Quality

   http://www.doe.mass.edu/acls/abeprogram/ipq.pdf

• Massachusetts Performance Standards for Community Adult Learning Centers

   http://www.doe.mass.edu/acls/pawg/

• Massachusetts State Plan Extension of Title II: The Workforce Investment Act

   http://www.doe.mass.edu/acls/wiatitleii/05plan_ext.doc

• Definition of Massachusetts ABE Regions

   http://www.doe.mass.edu/acls/pd/regions.html

• Massachusetts Guidelines for Professional Development Providers

   http://www.doe.mass.edu/pd/providers.pdf

• Massachusetts ABE Curriculum Frameworks

   http://www.doe.mass.edu/acls/frameworks/

• Massachusetts System for Managing Accountability and Results Through Technology (SMARTT):

   http://www.doe.mass.edu/acls/smartt/

   http://www.doe.mass.edu/acls/smartt/planning/user_guide.doc

• Grants for Schools: Getting Them and Using Them - A Procedural Manual

   http://finance1.doe.mass.edu/Grants/procedure/manual.html

• The Adult and Community Learning Services web site

   http://www.doe.mass.edu/acls

7/1/2009 - 06/30/2010; renewable for 7/1/2010 - 6/30/2011 (State Funds - Fund Code: 667)

9/1/2009 - 08/31/2010; renewable for 9/1/2010 - 8/31/2011 (Federal Funds - Fund Code: 343)

Thursday, February 26, 2009

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

Prospective applicants are invited to a Bidders' Conference on Monday, January 26, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the

Central Massachusetts Regional Employment Board
44 Front Street, Suite 300
Worcester, MA 01680

Note: In case of inclement weather, please call 781-338-3823 after 7:30 a.m. to learn whether the Bidders' Conference will be held or rescheduled for Friday, January 30^th in Malden.

The Letter of Intent to Apply Form must be received at the Department by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, February 6, 2009.

The Letter of Intent should be should be sent by Certified, Registered, or Return Receipt Requested mail to this address.

1.      Letter of Intent to Apply Form

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

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

4. A Budget Narrative for FY 2010 for the total amount requested in federal and state funds combined. Narrative is to be developed by applicant; see Part III, Section V.

5.     Part III - Required Program Information

6.     Statement of Assurances for Program and Staff Development Regional Support Centers for Adult Basic Education

7. Applicants that intend to apply for indirect cost coverage must submit an Indirect Cost Rate Application, available at the following links.

    http://finance1.doe.mass.edu/grants/other/indirect_app09.doc [WORD]

    http://finance1.doe.mass.edu/grants/other/indirect_app09.pdf [PDF]

8.     Federal Debarment Form

Submit five (5) sets, with an original signature in BLUE ink of the Superintendent/ Executive Director/President on ONE set.

Proposals are due Thursday, February 26, 2009 by 5:00 p.m.

Mail proposal to:

All submissions must be in hard copy. Please do not submit them by email. Applicants that deliver proposals in person or by courier should request a receipt. Mailed proposals should be sent by Certified, Registered, or Return Receipt Requested mail.

Applicants proposing to operate a Program and Staff Development Regional Support Center are eligible to apply for additional funding to provide a Statewide Research and Resource Collection (SRRC) (up to $130,000).

The option requires submission of additional information. The description of the proposed SRRC will be scored separately and have a separate page limit. (See Section VI of Part III - Required Program Information for further details.)

All applicants requesting funding to operate a Program and Staff Development Regional Support Center must limit their response to no more than twenty (20) pages, single-spaced with 11-point font.

Applicants requesting funding to provide an ABE Statewide Research and Resource Collection must limit their description of this service to no more than five (5) additional pages.

Budget narratives and appendices do not count toward the page limit.