Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs: FY2010

The purpose of the MMSP program is to improve student achievement in science, technology/engineering, and mathematics (STEM) through intensive, effective professional development activities that focus on deepening teachers' content knowledge.

The Department has established the following goals for the MMSP program.

Priority will be given to partnerships that:

1. offer courses or courses of study for grades 5-8 mathematics and/or science and technology/ engineering teachers;

2. offer courses or courses of study that engage participants in learning science and technology/engineering content through inquiry-based learning experiences;*

3. engage high-need districts in activities that integrate professional development with local STEM improvement initiatives; and/or

4. develop a rigorous summative evaluation using a randomized control design.

Second priority will be given to proposals that focus on other STEM grade levels.

* Please see Additional Materials for Definitions of terms in italics.

Proposed MMSP partnership activities must address the following general requirements (specific requirements are outlined in the Required Program Information:

1. effective, content-specific professional development for science, technology/engineering, and/or mathematics teachers, including special education teachers and teachers of English language learners. (At least 50% of the participating teachers must be from high-need districts.);

2. at least 20 hours of supplemental activities per course to guide the implementation of course content into standards-based instruction and facilitate connections between the course and district/school STEM initiatives; and

3. integration of the local evaluator into the initial program planning, a formalized program evaluation, and compliance with state and federal reporting requirements.

Proposed MMSP partnerships must develop and maintain a web page to communicate and disseminate partnership activities.

Proposed MMSP partnerships are encouraged to include additional activities for the high-need districts that integrate the professional development with local STEM improvement initiatives (e.g., improvement plans, curriculum alignment or instructional documents, instructional leadership training and protocols, and/or Individual Professional Development Plans). Potential MMSP partnership activities may include:

1. creating or updating district/school STEM alignment documents and/or STEM school improvement plans;

2. developing tools to assess teachers' STEM professional development needs (of all teachers in the identified content area(s) and level(s)) to inform their Individual Professional Development Plans (IPDP); and/or

3. providing instructional leadership training to facilitate effective site-based supplemental activities and standards-based instruction.

MMSP Partnerships that were funded in FY2009 are eligible to apply for an FY2010 continuation grant.

Partnerships are required to continue to work with core partners as established in the initial award. Additional high-need school districts may be added. (See the list of High-Need Districts attached.)

A minimum of fifty percent of the teachers participating in a partnership's activities must be employed in a high-need school district.

High-Need School District

Any district classified in FY2009 as high-need remains high-need for this program. New high-need districts can be added using the FY2010 High-Need Districts list.

Funds awarded shall be used to supplement, not supplant, state and/or local funds that would otherwise be used for proposed activities.

1. Funds may be used to support STEM professional development programs, course development, and activities that integrate the professional development with local STEM improvement initiatives in high-need districts.

2. Funds may be used for administrative costs, stipends, substitutes, materials for professional development, program evaluation, program dissemination, travel to state and national Title II-B meetings, etc. Note: Grant funds may not be allocated to pay for both a participant's graduate credit tuition and to provide a stipend.

3. Funds may not be used for equipment, space rental, or food.

4. Funds may not be used for full-time staff positions.

5. Indirect costs, if charged, must be at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's (Department) approved rate and may not exceed a rate of 10% for non-school districts.

6. Administrative costs and indirect costs combined may not exceed 20% of the total budget.

7. Consultant fees may not exceed $100 per hour, up to $750 per day.

All budgets and budget descriptions must be aligned with the program activities and reflect any coordinated uses of resources from other sources.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

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

Forms to be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 15, 2009

(All forms, except the project summary, are included in the MMSP application workbook, Excel file "150_A_Cont_Grant_RFP")

1. Part I - General

   1. Signature Page (Standard Contract Form and Application for Program Grants)
      FY2010 (9/1/2009 - 8/31/2010)

   2. Contact Information

2. Part II - Budget Pages - including:

   1. Project Expenditures

   2. Budget Details

3. Part III - Required Program Information - including:

   1. Reflections and Modifications

   2. Timeline

   3. Plan for Year 2 Courses and Follow-Up

   4. Project Summary for the Department website (attach as a separate word document)

4. Part IV - Forms - including:

   1. Form A - Partner Contributions and Commitments (for new partners only)

   2. Form B - Equitable Participation of Private Schools

1.      Required Information - Summary

2.     FY2010 High-Need Districts List

3. Budget Detail - Description of Line Item Information

4.     Definitions of Terms

The MMSP application package may be downloaded from the OMSTE web site. Two copies of the signed Signature Page and Form A: Partner Contributions and Commitments (if adding new partners) should be mailed to Carol Lach. The application workbook, the updated project summary, and any related documents should be submitted electronically to clach@doe.mass.edu. Write "MMSP Continuation Application" in the subject line.

Mail the Signature page and Form A: Partner Contributions and Commitments (if adding new partners) with original signatures to: