Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs: FY2011

This program supports projects 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 of Elementary and Secondary Education (the Department) to create, implement, and evaluateonline courses/modules for underserved high school studentsin 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 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 existingtiered instructionin 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 thatintegrate technology into curriculum and instruction.

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

1. Only FY2010 grant recipients of ARRA Title IID Technology Competitive Grant Program (Fund Code: 776) may apply for the FY2011 carryover fund.

2. To be eligible for funding, participating school districts must have received a letter from the Department approving its technology plan through June 30, 2011. 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.edufor more information.)

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 support 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).

Friday, July 30, 2010

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

   •     Required Program Information - Priority 1

   •     Required Program Information - Priority 2

   •     Required Program Information - Priority 3

   •     Required Program Information - Priority 4

    Directions on Security Portal Access and Uploading of Files

1. Submission of Part I:

   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.

   Mail to:

   Ebonique Burden
   Instructional Technology
   Massachusetts Department of
   Elementary and Secondary Education
   75 Pleasant Street
   Malden, MA 02148-4906

   Part I must be received at the Department by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, July 30, 2010.

2. Submission of Part II and Part III

   Part II - Budget Detail Pages; Part III - Required Program Information; and Attachments must be submitted by uploading the files to the Department's Security Portal, Drop-box Central, and Title IID Drop Box. (For directions on Security Portal access and uploading of files, see the link in Additional Information above.) All files must be uploaded by 5:00 p.m. on July 30, 2010.