FY2021: Safe and Supportive Schools Continuation Grant

Fund Code: 337

Purpose:

The goals of this state funded safe and supportive schools continuation grant program are to:

• Help support implementation of school-wide action plans created by Fiscal Year 2019-2020 (FY2020) Fund Code 335 (FC 335) Option 1 grantees in the prior year, and

• Continue, expand, or extend the implementation and mentor/support efforts by FY2020 FC 335 Option 2 grantees.

These districts* (and their selected schools) have worked towards organizing, integrating, and sustaining school and district-wide efforts to create safe and supportive school environments. As part of this work, Option 1 grantees created action plans in FY2020 (2019-2020) based on their insights gained from completing the Safe and Supportive Schools (SaSS) Self-Reflection Tool (Tool). Schools supported through these continuation grants are also expected to incorporate these action plans into their school improvement plans developed under MGL, c. 69, s. 1I. Grantees are also strongly encouraged to consider how to align their SaSS action plans with their school reopening plans described in the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's (Department) Initial Fall School Reopening Guidance. Option 2 grantees created action plans in FY2019 or earlier and were awarded competitive funds in FY2020 to implement or extend these action plans. Option 2 grantees also served as mentors and/or provided support to other Tool users, the Department, the Safe and Supportive Schools Commission, or others during the 2019-2020 school year.

*Please note that in this grant program, "district" may refer to school district, regional school district, collaborative, charter school, or vocational school.

Priorities:

The priorities for this grant program are to ensure that each school creates a safe, positive, healthy, culturally responsive, equitable, and inclusive whole-school learning environment, and makes effective use of a system for integrating services and aligning initiatives that promote students' behavioral health and wellness. These efforts are supported through school-based implementation of action plans that were created after completing the Tool. An additional priority for Option 2 grantees is to provide mentoring and support in a variety of ways related to using the Tool, developing and implementing action plans, and other areas as appropriate.

Eligibility:

Massachusetts school districts that received FY2020 Fund Code (FC) 335 Safe and Supportive Schools are eligible to apply for this continuation funding opportunity to support implementation of action plans created by school and school district teams, based on all six elements of the Framework/Tool (all grantees), and mentor/support activities (former Option 2 grantees only).

Applicants must propose to focus this work in one or more schools where the FY2020 FC 335 grant supported a team of school and district stakeholders to create school and district action plans (FY2020 Option 1 grantees), or where the grant supported implementation activities and mentor/support activities (FY2020 Option 2 grantees).

Eligible Districts and Maximum Funding Amounts (Option 2 grantees are indicated with an asterisk):

Arlington Public Schools*	$7,500
Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public School*	7,500
Carver Public Schools*	6,500
Chelsea Public Schools*	7,500
Concord Carlisle Regional High School	8,000
Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School	8,000
Gill-Montague Regional School District*	7,500
Libertas Academy Charter School	8,000
Milton Public Schools*	6,500
Monomoy Regional School District*	6,500
Monson Public Schools	8,000
North River Collaborative	8,000
Quabbin Regional School District	8,000
Quaboag Regional School District*	7,500
Southbridge Public Schools*	6,500
Swampscott Public Schools	8,000
Wilmington Public Schools*	6,500

Funding Type:

State

Funding:

Approximately $126,000 is available to support these grants.

Applicants are eligible for up to the amounts listed in the Eligibility section above

Notes about funding:

• Districts are eligible for up to the amount they received for FY20 FC335.
• Should additional funds become available as a result of unclaimed or returned grant awards, the Department may redistribute those funds in an equitable manner among other awarded grantees.

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:

Funds may be used for school and district-based implementation coordinator(s), consultants, substitutes, evidence-based programs/initiatives, and materials to be used in the implementation of district action plans and school action plans for proposed schools.

Funds cannot be used for electronics (such as iPads, computers, tablets, etc.) or construction.

These funds must be used to implement action plans that incorporate all six elements of the Framework, as submitted with the FY2021 application (or as part of the FY2020 FC 335 grant).

All applicants may consider partnering with Educational Collaboratives or other consultants to help facilitate the implementation process.

FY2020 Option 2 grantees may also use funds for mentor/support activities.

Project Duration:

Upon Approval – 6/30/2021 and
Summer FY22 — 7/1/2021 – 8/30/2021

The start date on each grant project is based on having a complete substantially approvable grant in EdGrants. No grants can have a start date prior EdGrants submission.

Program Unit:

Student and Family Support

Contact:

Emily Taylor

Phone Number:

(781) 338-6313

Date Due:

Friday, August 21, 2020

Proposals will be reviewed on a rolling basis and may be submitted prior to the due date. Extensions if needed, may also be requested by the due date. Note: The start date will be based on when it is entered in EdGrants.

Required Forms:

Part I — General — Program Unit Signature Page — (Standard Contract Form and Application for Program Grants) and if applicable,

Part I — General — Program Unit Signature Page — (Standard Contract Form and Application for Program Grants) FY2022 (Summer 2021), scanned and uploaded as one PDF.

Part II — Budget Template (FY21 budget must also be directly entered into the Budget Entry formlet in EdGrants); and if applicable, please enter the FY22 Summer Budget on the appropriate tab of the workbook. This is for planning purposes only and a more accurate budget can be entered once the FY22 Summer funding opportunity is released.

Part III — Required Program Information

Grant Assurances

Additional Information:

School and District Action Plans
Action plans must be received by the Department for all schools included for funding under FY2021 FC 337. Option 1 grantee action plans should have been submitted during the FY2020 FC335 grant cycle and do not need to be resubmitted. Option 2 grantees are required to submit an action plan with this application with any changes or updates since the action plan was originally submitted. If action plans have not been submitted, or you would like to submit updated versions, please submit along with this grant application in EdGrants.

Program Evaluation and Professional Development
Grantees shall participate in professional development (e.g., conferences, webinars, and/or regional events, etc. likely all to be held virtually for the 2020-2021 school year) to be held by the Department, as well as in an evaluation of this grant program. In addition, the Department and Safe and Supportive Schools Commission will use feedback from grantees to inform continuous updates and improvements to the Framework and Tool. Details will be provided to all grantees once information is confirmed.

Submission Instructions:

Submit all required grant materials through EdGrants, using the following naming convention for your Safe and supportive Schools Continuation Grant:

FY2021 FC337 Safe and Supportive [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 in order to make informed decisions regarding assigning your district level users.

Last Updated: July 28, 2020