Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs: FY2010

This program will support proposals that create robust, technology-infused environments (e.g., high speed broadband connections, up-to-date computers) that sustain the following four (4) priority areas.

1. Projects that work collaboratively with the Department to create, implement, and evaluate online courses/modules for underserved high school students in alternative education, credit recovery, or credit acceleration programs. Grant recipients may adapt an online course/module or partner with an organization to design and develop the online courses/modules that align with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks or the Massachusetts High School Program of Studies (MassCore). Products created must be in a format that can be shared with the Department and successful models will be disseminated and used by other districts.

2. Projects that create effective technology-rich environments that support existing tiered-instruction in English language arts and mathematics. The tiered-instruction may include all three levels: core instruction; supplemental instruction; and intensive intervention or any one level.

3. Projects in which the grant recipients will work collaboratively with the Department's partners (e.g., WGBH Teachers' Domain, Verizon Thinkfinity, etc.) or other research-based successful models, to:

   1. design, develop, and implement online professional development;

   2. mentor participating teachers who are teaching in technology rich classrooms;

   3. support participating teachers to reflect and refine their teaching; and

   4. select promising practices that integrate technology into curriculum and instruction.

4. Projects that use appropriate technology effectively to implement formative, benchmark, and summative (MEPA) assessments, particularly in schools that have high number of English language learners (ELL) students.

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 its technology plan through June 30, 2010. The proposed project activities should align with the district's technology plan.

3. Each participating school district must have certified that it has 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.)

Approximately $8.5 million will be awarded for this two-year grant program. Up to $400,000 will be available for each project under Priority 1. Grant awards will not exceed the following amounts for each project under Priorities 2, 3, and 4. The grant sizes are based on total student enrollment of the participating districts for each project.

If applicable, additional funding for private school participation will be awarded to the funded applicants 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 grant funds are to be used for ongoing quality technology professional development. This may include payment for consultants, teacher substitutes, stipends, and materials for professional development. Other acceptable expenditures may include project coordination, dissemination, etc.

3. Each grant recipient is to set aside 10% of grant funds to receive the services of an external evaluator. The Department will coordinate the selection of the external evaluator(s). Evaluations may be consolidated by priority or for the entire program (all of the funded projects).

Upon Approval - 8/31/2010*

*(All Department grants are awarded for one fiscal year at a time. The ARRA grants have been awarded to the state as part of the FY2010 budget appropriation. As with other federal entitlement grants, they are subject to the Federal Tydings Amendment, which allows any funds not expended in the year of appropriation to be carried over. This makes the effective end date for use of these funds August 30, 2011. The Department is working currently on specific carryover procedures for these funds and this information will be provided as soon as it is available.)

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

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

1.     Excel Workbook for forms, detailed narrative, and budget

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

1.     Directions for Completing the Workbook

2.     ARRA High-Need Districts

3. Scoring Rubrics:

   1.     Priority 1: Online Course/Modules

   2.     Priority 2: Tiered Instruction

   3.     Priority 3: Technology Integration and Promising Practice

   4.     Priority 4: Formative, Benchmark, Summative Assessment

4.      Priority 4: Attachment

5. Budget Detail - Description of Line Item Information

6. Technical Assistance Workshops:

   1. Tuesday, September 1, 2009 - 10:00 a.m. to noon

      Malden - Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

   2. Wednesday, September 2 , 2009 - 10:00 a.m. to noon

      Westport - Westport High School

   3. Wednesday, September 9, 2009 - 10:00 a.m. to noon

      Northampton - JFK Middle School

   To participate, please register online at

   http://www.doe.mass.edu/conference/?ConferenceID=707

Submit two (2) copies of the Part I - General - Program Unit Signature Page - (Standard Contract Form and Application for Program Grants) each with an original signature of the Superintendent/Executive Director.

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