Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs

FY2023: Expanding High-Quality Instructional Mathematics Materials

Fund Code: 164

Purpose:

The purpose of this competitive grant is to provide funding for districts to purchase high quality core mathematics instructional materials that are unavailable through the Accelerating Mathematic for Students in 2022-23 program.

This grant will support districts to purchase new adoption of core instructional materials for mathematics, as well as initial professional development for educators to implement those materials. High-quality core curricular materials for any grade, Kindergarten through grade 12, are eligible, excluding those available through the Accelerating Mathematic for Students in 2022-23 program.

See Section 1b under "Fund Use" below for a definition of "high-quality."

Priorities:

Priority will be given to:

Competitive priority will be given to districts and schools in chronically underperforming status.

Entities participating in the Evaluating and Selecting High-Quality Instructional Materials Network during the 21-22 school year for Mathematics.
Entities that are currently implementing mathematics instructional materials that do not meet expectations for high-quality based on a third-party review and are planning to replace those with high-quality instructional materials. (See Additional Information below for more details.)
Entities that will be implementing the new core curricular materials in multiple grade levels.
Districts with at least one school; or schools that are identified:
- as requiring assistance in the state accountability system based upon 2019 data and/or
- with an overall accountability percentile of 20 or below based upon 2019 data.
Districts whose total student population is comprised of 10% or more students identified as English Learners.
Districts that serve a population of students of which over 50% are identified as Low-Income.

Eligibility:

All Massachusetts public school districts, charter schools, collaboratives, and approved special education programs are eligible to apply.

However, DESE will only award grants to entities (e.g., districts, charter schools, collaboratives, approved special education programs) that:

Demonstrate a pre-existing priority on mathematics, which the new curricular materials directly support, and evidence that implementation of the new resources will be sustainable;
Have conducted an intentional and inclusive process to select the new curricular materials that meet local needs and priorities;
Articulate a plan to provide robust, ongoing and embedded support for educators who are expected to use new curricular materials;
Will advance culturally responsive practice as part of implementing new curricular materials.

All schools and teachers in the district serving the designated grade band must participate in the purchase and implementation of curricular materials under this grant. For instance, if the district is funded to purchase curricular materials for grades 6–8, all schools in the district that serve grades 6–8 must participate.

LEAs cannot apply for this grant and for funds through the Accelerating Mathematic for Students in 2022-23 program for the same grade span(s).

Funding Type:

Federal CFDA 84.425 ESSER — Federal Coronavirus Relief Programs - Federal Grant Programs

Funding:

Approximately $500,000 is available for school and districts. The maximum award for any LEA is $150,000.

Funding is contingent upon availability. All dollar amounts listed are estimated/approximate and are subject to change. If more funding becomes available it will be distributed under the same guidelines that appear in this RFP document.

Recipients will need to provide detailed, itemized, cost information (from the publisher) and confirmation of delivery of materials to DESE to demonstrate compliance with grant priorities and approved fund uses in order to draw down funds over the grant period.

Fund Use:

This grant will fund up to 90% of the cost for the purchase of high-quality core curricular materials for mathematics in any grade or grade span for the 22-23 school year and the associated foundational professional development, up to a total of $150,000.

The applicant is responsible for the remaining 10% and all other purchasing costs, including any and all costs to continue using the materials beyond the 22-23 school year.

Funds may be used towards:

Purchase of a new high-quality core curricular materials for mathematics in any grade or grade span.
1. Core curricular materials are used as the primary instructional material for core, or Tier 1, instruction.
2. "High quality core curricular materials" is defined as: the instructional materials must be rated as high-quality based on the following definition: The product has been reviewed by DESE's CURATE panels and found to meet or partially meet overall expectations. Or, if a product has not been reviewed by CURATE, evidence of "high-quality" will be assessed using Ed Reports, in which case the curricula must meet expectations for EdReports' first gateway, and partially meet or meet expectations for its second gateway at the majority of grade levels for which the curriculum exists.
3. The purchase of the core curricular materials must be made by September 1, 2022. Professional development can continue into the 22-23 school year.
4. Districts cannot apply for this funding if the selected materials are available through the Accelerating Mathematics for Students program 2022-23.
Applicants are required to include funding for foundational professional development to prepare all educators for implementation of the materials at all participating schools.
1. The foundational professional development must be provided by the curriculum publisher or a publisher approved curriculum provider.
2. The foundational professional development must support the district to effectively launch and effectively sustain the use of the curricular materials. Training should include initial preparation to launch the curricular materials. Note: This grant funding must be spent by June 30, 2023.

Funds may not be used towards technology (e.g., iPads, headphones, smart boards), substitute costs, consultants, or staffing.

Project Duration:

Upon Approval – 6/30/2023

Program Unit:

Center for Instructional Support

Contact:

Ian Stith

Date Due:

Friday June 10th, 2022

All applicants must submit a statement of intent, see below

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

Required Forms:

Note on Budget Details.
Please attach an itemized quote from your selected vendor to the submission along with the provided Budget template, see Fund Use section above for details of what are acceptable budget items. The quote must include details about student level materials, teacher materials, licenses, professional development, etc.

Additional Information:

Any grant related questions must be emailed to Ian.T.Stith@mass.gov . Responses will be posted to the DESE STEM page in the STEM Grant Opportunities Section. Please use the subject line:
Expanding High-Quality Instructional Mathematics Materials Question

Submission Instructions:

Entities that intend to apply for this grants must complete this brief statement of intent by June 3rd, 2022.

Applicants that do not complete a statement of intent will not be considered for the grant.

Please email the required forms as listed above, attached to a single email, to AcceleratingMath@mass.gov . Please use the subject line:
Expanding High-Quality Instructional Mathematics Materials Fund Code:164 - "District Name"

Please use the provided filetypes (word and excel). Please do not send jpgs or other filetypes. Signature pages may be sent as pdf documents.

Applicants will receive a confirmation when the materials are received. Early submission is strongly encouraged to ensure the complete application is received and confirmed by 5pm on the due date. Late and/or incomplete applications cannot be accepted.

Awarded Recipients: Upon award, recipients will be required to enter the approved budget and upload Part I — Program Unit Signature Page and Part III — Required Program Information into EdGrants. Once selected, recipients will be contacted with further instructions on the process.

Last Updated: July 21, 2022