The purpose of this continuation grant program is to establish and maintain a coordinated system of statewide professional development (PD) entities to provide evidence-based, high quality, and effective PD and technical assistance (TA) to the Commonwealth's adult education (AE) programs funded by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE or the Department) and managed by the Department's Adult and Community Learning Services (ACLS) unit. All grant-funded PD and TA will support AE programs and practitioners in addressing the Department's overarching goal of assisting adult students, particularly those with barriers to employment, to progress along educational and career pathways and gain economic self-sufficiency.
The following are priorities for this grant program:
invest AE PD resources in content expertise using a statewide provider structure whereby PD centers will provide statewide leadership and evidence-based, high quality, and effective PD and TA for DESE-funded AE programs and practitioners including alignment with the Massachusetts AE high quality professional development (HQPD) standards;
provide PD offerings for educators at all levels of expertise (e.g., novice, intermediate, advanced);
provide a range of PD offerings and supports of sufficient quality, intensity, and duration in order to increase educators' professional learning, improve educator practice, and ultimately support student achievement;
strengthen curriculum and instruction at DESE-funded AE programs (a) in full alignment with the CCRSAE, Massachusetts English Language Proficiency Standards for Adult Education (released in February 2019), and Massachusetts Professional Standards for Teachers of Adult Education, and (b) with an emphasis on educators as reflective practitioners and increased academic rigor for all students, including ELLs;
support instructional leadership in the context of mathematics and adult numeracy (Math), English language arts (ELA), and English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) curriculum and instruction;
support and strengthen AE programs in the areas of program management and educational leadership, career pathways, digital literacy, education and career advising, professional licensure support, and ADA training and referral;
maintain a high-quality, up-to-date website with a user-friendly online calendar and registration system;
increase AE practitioner participation in PD system activities and strengthen practitioner access to and use of PD system resources and other relevant PD resources; and
promote and sustain a demonstrable commitment to diversity, inclusion, and the principles of cultural competence throughout the AE PD system's work with programs and practitioners, on behalf of adult learners.
FY2020 is the first continuation year of the funding cycle. The recipients awarded funding in the FY2019 AE PD System open and competitive funding process are eligible to apply.
Fund Code 667 — StateFund Code 343 — Federal CFDA: 84.002
See Table 1 — Funding Allocations for fund codes 667 and 343, using the AE Program Options tab at the bottom of the table. Funding is subject to state and federal appropriation and is contingent upon availability. All dollar amounts listed in Table 1 are estimated/approximate and are subject to change. If additional funding becomes available, it will be distributed in accordance with the RFP.
Funds may be used for personnel and non-personnel expenses relevant to the purpose and priorities of this grant program.
Not less than 95 percent of funds must be spent on establishment or operation of HQPD programs to improve instruction and other AE services; not more than 5 percent may be spent on administrative costs including state approved indirect costs charged to the grant. Programs may negotiate a higher administrative cost percentage by submitting a written request and rationale with the application.
The Adult Education Professional Development System is not considered a sub recipient of the Adult Education Services which is a restricted rate program that is subject to a statutory "supplement not supplant" restriction. Recipients of this AE PD System funding source are required to use a restricted indirect cost rate of 8%, unless your calculated indirect cost rate is more than 8%; then you must negotiate your indirect cost rate for your budget up to 15% by submitting a written request and rationale with the application.
If you have an approved negotiated federal indirect cost rate, it must be submitted to DESE with the application. If you do not have an approved indirect cost rate agreement, you must apply annually to DESE for an approved indirect cost rate. The indirect cost rate is calculated using costs specified in the grantee's indirect cost plan. Those specified costs may not be charged as direct costs to the grant or to any other grant under any circumstances.
Applicants are not permitted to use grant funds for capital expenses.
Fund Code 667 (State) July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020 (State-funded — conditionally renewable for up to an additional two years (FY21-FY22)*.
Fund Code 343 (Federal) September 1, 2019 – August 31, 2020; conditionally renewable for up to an additional two years (FY21-FY22)*.
*Renewals are subject to satisfactory performance, the appropriation of state and federal funds, and the continuance of federal authorizing legislation. Total grant award duration will not exceed four years, through fiscal year 2022 (initial year plus renewals).
Adult and Community Learning Services (ACLS)
Joan LeMarbre, (781) 338-3842
Grant recipients that are state agencies—and use MMARS, the state's accounting system—are encouraged to submit applications as soon as possible in order to expedite ISA processing.
For all other grant recipients, applications for both federally- and state-funded projects are due no later than Monday, June 24, 2019 at 3:00 PM.
Required forms and documents to be submitted through EdGrants:
Required forms and documents to be submitted by email to mailbox AEPDSRFPSUB@doe.mass.edu:
The following information is intended for state entities that require ISAs as part of their grant award process, and not intended for private or community-based organizations.
For all required forms and documents to be submitted through EdGrants.
In EdGrants, applicants are required to create and name the project. Please use the following naming convention for your "Applicant Project Name" in EdGrants:
FY20 FC667 343 (full legal name of program)
All items listed under the Required Forms section of this RFP to be submitted through EdGrants 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 CEO/Superintendent/Executive Director signature. 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 applicant 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.
Last Updated: June 11, 2019
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 135 Santilli Highway, Everett, MA 02149
Voice: (781) 338-3000 TTY: (800) 439-2370
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