Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs: FY2009

The purpose of this state-funded continuation grant program is to help school districts continue or expand middle school and high school level district and inter-district Alternative Education programs that service students who are:

1. suspended or expelled from school; and/or

2. at-risk of educational failure due to truancy or dropping out of school.

Grants will be awarded to districts that propose programs with designs based upon empirically validated interventions (science/research-based strategies with proven effectiveness) that:

1. educate students using the same academic standards and curriculum frameworks as used with all students;

2. provide an opportunity for students to earn a high school diploma (for high school programs);

3. use small class sizes that use engaging instruction, address individual learning styles, and provide a supportive environment;

4. use flexible scheduling;

5. use existing resources in school districts, educational collaboratives, community colleges, other agencies, service providers, and community-based organizations;

6. use family-based approaches and self-improvement, behavior management, and life skills training to help provide students with tools to better manage their lives and attitudes;

7. assist students and teachers during students' transition back to general education classrooms;

8. provide a comprehensive array of social services to support students with issues that can cause school failure, excessive absenteeism, truancy, and dropping out of school; and

9. use pre- and post-evaluative data in program development and assessment of program outcomes.

Subject to FY2009 state budget appropriation, meeting the grant requirements, and submission of required documents, the Department will award Fund Code: 790 continuation grants for up to three years (the original competitive award year plus two continuations). Continuation grant applicants are eligible for up to 80 percent of the original grant award in year two and up to 60 percent of the original grant award in year three.

Subject to future budget appropriation, meeting grant requirements, submission of required documents, and the applicant's demonstration of a significant commitment to the long-term sustainability of a successful project, the Department will award Fund Code: 790 grants for up to two additional years. Continuation grant applicants are eligible for up to 40 percent of the original grant award in year four and up to 20 percent of the original grant award in year five.

Note: See Attachment A for a list of list of eligible continuation grant applicants and the maximum grant amount that may be applied for in FY2009.

The number of grants awarded in FY2009 will be subject to final appropriation for this program activity. The Department reserves the right to alter the award to each funded school district.

Grant funds may be used for salaries for staff to coordinate the program, curriculum development, teacher stipends, consultants, substitutes, a range of approaches to address behavior issues, technology, travel, conferences, purchase of materials and supplies, printing, and reproduction of materials.

These funds may not be used for programs serving exclusively students with disabilities or to supplant existing alternative education programs (not previously funded through Fund Code: 790).

Friday, July 25, 2008

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

		Part I - General - Program Unit Signature Page - (Standard Contract Form and Application for Program Grants)
		Part II Workbook - Budget (II-A) and Budget Narrative (II-B)* (Print and mail with the application all four budget and budget narrative pages. See important opening instructions below.)
		Part III - Required Program Information
		Part IV - Student Support Collaboration and Coordination
		Grant Assurances
		Schedule C (To be completed by any partnering agencies that are external to the district. Note: Different partnering agencies can be listed on separate Schedule C forms if that is helpful.)

*NOTE: The Budget and Budget Narrative Workbook is a Microsoft Excel file which includes macros that enable the workbook to compute totals and summary tables.

1. For Microsoft Office 2000/2003, you may need to change the security setting in Excel before opening the file. In Excel, click 'Tools', 'Macro', and then 'Security'. When the dialog box appears, change the security setting to 'Medium' and then click 'OK'. You can now open the budget file.

2. For Microsoft Office 2007, you must save the workbook as an earlier version of Excel (.xls not .xlsx).

1.     Attachment A - List of eligible continuation grant applicants and the maximum grant amount for which they may apply in FY2009.

2. Budget Detail - Description of Line Item Information

3. Grant evaluation rubrics are available by request. Please contact Jenny Curtin at jcurtin@doe.mass.edu to request a copy.

4. The grant evaluation tool, which is required to be completed by all grant recipients at the end of the grant period, is available upon request. Please contact Jenny at jcurtin@doe.mass.edu to request a copy.

Submit two (2) sets of the completed application, each with an original signature of the Superintendent/Executive Director. Mail to:

Jenny Caldwell Curtin
Student and Secondary Support
Massachusetts Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street
Malden, MA 02148-4906