Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs: FY2018
District and School Assistance Grant
Fund Code: 323-B, 220-E
| Purpose: | The purpose of this grant program is to support improvement in DSAC-Served districts and their eligible schools through participation in regionally-based professional development and assistance initiatives associated with the District and School Assistance Centers (DSACs). DSAC regional assistance is designed to enhance district and regional capacity to plan, implement and sustain research-based practices to improve student performance and is aligned with the Massachusetts District Accountability and Assistance Framework. |
| Priorities: | District grant allocations will provide support to districts for expenses for staff to participate in initiatives and activities that support implementation of the DESE Turnaround Practices, including professional development meeting DESE Professional Development Standards and/or to access other school and district improvement assistance offered through or agreed upon by the District and School Assistance Center's Regional Assistance Director. The Turnaround Practices (TP) are:
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| Eligibility: | DSAC-served districts with schools designated as Level 3 in 2016-17 based on student performance. (See FY18 District and School Assistance Grant Allotment List in Appendix A.) Districts in Level 3 status SOLELY because of low MCAS participation rates or graduation rates are not eligible to receive funds through this grant. |
| Funding Type: | 323-B: Federal Title I CFDA # 84.010 220-E: State Targeted Assistance |
| Funding: | Up to $1,572,000 is available through Federal Title I School Improvement funds (323-B), and $490,718 through State Targeted Assistance funds (220-E) to be distributed among the eligible districts in the six DSAC regions. (See attached FY18 District and School Assistance Grant Allotment List in Appendix A.) Basic district grant allotments:
ESEA requires states and districts to implement "evidence-based" practices, activities, strategies and interventions with demonstrated evidence of effectiveness. Evidence-based practices refer to interventions for which there is evidence of significant positive impact that can be found in published research papers, literature reviews, or the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education research briefs. Alternately, evidence-based practices can be those local practices that a district or state has previously instituted, measured, and found to be effective. Additional guidance from the U.S. Department of Education regarding evidence can be found at Non-Regulatory Guidance: Using Evidence to Strengthen Education Investments. Funding is contingent upon availability. All dollar amounts listed are estimated/approximate and are subject to change. If more funding is to become available it will be distributed under the same guideline as listed in the initial RFP document. |
| Fund Use: | Fund use must be consistent with applicable state and/or federal requirements. Districts are allowed to budget funds at both the district level and school level. All expenditures will be closely reviewed as they relate to the priorities of this grant opportunity. Fund use must be consistent with the priorities described above and requirements associated with the following funding sources: Title I School Improvement Funds (Fund Code 323-B) must be used to support:
State Targeted Assistance Funds (Fund Code 220-E) may be used to support:
Funds may be used for the following:
Partial proposals Partial proposals to fund school year activities will be accepted and amendments for additionally allotted funds accepted. |
| Project Duration: | Approval date to - 6/30/2018 (state) and 8/31/18 (federal) |
| Program Unit: | Regional System of Support, Center for District Support |
| Contacts: | Abigail T. Slayton |
| Phone Number: | (781) 338-3517 |
| Date Due: | March 16, 2018 Proposals must be received at the Department by 5:00 p.m. on the date due. Districts may submit proposals at any time before the grant deadline. Proposals will be processed as they are received. Districts proposing to fund school-year activities must submit a proposal to DESE that has been approved by its DSAC Regional Assistance Director at least four weeks before planned expenditures. See Funding above for contact information. |
| Required Forms: |  Fund Code 220-E Workbook: Part I - Standard Contract and Application for Program (signed and scanned PDF) and Part II - Required Program Information for 220-E funding: Applicants will use this workbook to indicate the amount of funding under this grant attributable to eligible schools Fund Code 323-B Workbook: Part I - Standard Contract and Application for Program Grants (signed and scanned PDF) and Part II - Required Program Information for 323-B funding: Applicants will use this workbook to indicate the amount of funding under this grant attributable to Title I eligible schools  Part III Required Narrative Program Information. Districts will use this form to provide a narrative describing how grant funds will be used to support school turnaround for schools in percentiles 1 -10 and to support improved outcomes for identified student subgroups in schools in percentiles 11-20. |
| Additional Information: |
Each grant recipient must complete a DSAC Grant Programmatic Final Report to be submitted no later than Wednesday, September 30, 2018 prior to 5:00 p.m. (See Appendix I for Final Report form.) Appendix A: DSAC Grant Allotment List: Provides a list of allotted amounts available to eligible districts.
Appendix B: Level 3 Turnaround Supports Eligibility and Allotment List: Provides an eligibility and allotment list by school for the Level 3 Turnaround Supports.
Appendix C: Budget Worksheet Template Tool: Provides a template/worksheet to complete, along with Part III Narrative, and email to respective Regional Assistance Director for approval prior to EdGrants submission. Appendix D: Focus Groups by School List. Provides a listing by school of focus groups identified for achievement gaps. Appendix E: Level 3 Turnaround Supports Description: Provides a description of the Level 3 Turnaround Supports initiative. Appendix F: Instructions for DSAC Grant Fund Use: Provides information for completing the DSAC Grant application. Appendix G: PD Self Assessment Guide: Explains how to complete the PD self-assessment. Appendix H: PD Self Assessment Worksheet: Provides evidence of alignment of professional development to the MA Standards for Professional Development. Appendix I: DSAC Grant Programmatic Final Report Form: Provides a template for completing the Final Report due September 30, 2018. |
| Submission Instructions: | All grant application must be submitted through our new Grants Management system, EdGrants. Prior to submitting in EdGrants: Applicants must submit the completed Workbook Parts I and II, Part III Required Narrative Program Information form and Appendix C: Budget Worksheet Template Tool to the appropriate DSAC Regional Assistance Director and receive email pre-approval from that individual prior to submitting an application in the EdGrants system. The pre-approval must be copied to Abigail Slayton, aslayton@doe.mass.edu, prior to submission of the application in EdGrants. (See Appendices C, D & E for more detailed information.) Regional Assistance Directors:
In EdGrants, applicants are required to create and name the project. Please use the following naming convention for your "Applicant Project Name" in EdGrants: FY18 (Insert Fund Code Number and Program Unit) Applicant Name All items listed under the required forms section of this RFP should be uploaded / attached in the Attachments List formlet of the Application Submission in EdGrants. This includes a signed / scanned PDF of Part I / Coversheet with Superintendent's signature as well as Schedule A form, if applicable to your district. The final budget the applicant is requesting will be entered directly into EdGrants as part of the application submission process. For Guidance Documents regarding EdGrants, visit EdGrants: User Guides and Information. Please note: It is up to the district to determine who they want to add as EdGrants Front Office users in order to submit grant application as well as payment request information. Please review the EdGrants: User Security Controls to make informed decisions regarding assigning your district level users. |