FY2023: Massachusetts 21^st Century Community Learning Centers Enhanced Programs for Students on IEPs

Fund Code: 245

Purpose:

In collaboration with the Office of Special Education Policy and Planning the purpose of this federally funded targeted grant program is to enhance the capacity of funded 21^st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) out-of-school time (OST) programs to provide the supports needed to ensure students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) have meaningful access and are fully included in all aspects of programming.

Priorities:

The main priority of this enhancement grant is to meaningfully engage students with IEPs into academically enriching programming that contributes to closing the opportunity and achievement gaps between students with disabilities and their age-appropriate non-disabled peers.

Increase effective and efficient collaboration between general educators, special educators, related service providers, families, and students.

Support teachers to know how to respond to the needs of students with disabilities and use that knowledge to proactively work with students across the school day.

Support families of students with disabilities to understand how their student learns and interacts with the life of the school.

Eligibility:

School districts/organizations that are recipients of a Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Fund Code (FC) 645 / 646 21^st CCLC Grant. Refer to Addendum A for a list of eligible schools/sites. Due to the availability of funds applicants are limited to applying for a maximum of 2 schools/sites.

Funding Type:

Federal CFDA: 84.027

Funding:

A total of approximately $170,000 is available for these grants.

The maximum grant award per site is $10,000 for school year and summer programming combined.

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.

Fund Use:

Funds must be used to support the full inclusion of students with IEPs into currently funded 21^st CCLC OST programs.

Allowable expenses include:

• Stipends for special education certified instructional staff;
• Stipends for health care, mental health, special education instructional assistants and/or other qualified support staff;
• Stipends for additional planning time as it relates to inclusion efforts;
• Professional development, technical assistance and/or consultation services (e.g., proper use of adaptive equipment, language instruction for students on IEPs, creating an inclusive environment, etc.); and
• Program or adaptive materials. These materials must be specific to the efforts to fully include students with IEPs.

Funds for materials and supplies, which are limited to 10% of the total budget, may only be budgeted if you are able to demonstrate they are related to supporting students with IEPs. A justification for the expense must be included.

• These funds cannot be used to transport students with IEPs to or from the 21^st CCLC OST program during the school year. These funds may be used to provide specialized transportation for the purpose of including students with IEPs served by these grant funds on field trips or as part of the summer program.
• Indirect costs are not allowed under this grant.

Project Duration:

Upon Approval* – 8/31/2023

* Grant start date cannot be prior to DESE receiving a substantially approvable Application Submission as directed in this RFP's Submission Instructions. Goods and Services cannot be procured prior to Grants receiving and approving an application submission. Funds cannot exceed the project duration end date.

Continued funding through FC 244, pending budget appropriations, is expected to be available through the individual 21^st CCLC site's final year within their current funding cycle (this would be for a maximum of 3 years).

Eligibility for continued funding in years two and three (FY2024 and FY2025), if applicable, will be based on the following;

• The school/site's current 21^st CCLC grant cycle.
• Evidence that the program has met the priorities of this grant.
• Timely submission of required yearly progress updates and reapplications including data that demonstrates maintenance of attendance levels and program quality.
• Evidence that the grantee is collaborating with the District/School Special Education Director and is working towards sustaining the program beyond the grant period.

Program Unit:

Office of Student and Family Support

Contact:

Karyl Resnick

Phone Number:

(781) 338-3515

Date Due:

Friday, January 20, 2023

Required Forms:

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

• Part II — Budget Detail Pages

• Part III — Required Program Information

Additional Information:

• Addendum A — Eligible Sites

Districts/Schools must designate a special education liaison to the 21^st CCLC program to ensure that students on an IEP have full access to the program.

Recipients will be required to utilize the Survey of Academic and Youth Outcomes (SAYO) for all students served by these funds. Any accommodations or modifications to the SAYO administration for students with IEPs should be described in the written evaluation.

Recipients will be required to complete and submit student data forms for all programs and services funded by this grant.

Staff working with students supported though these grant funds must either be certified special education teachers or special education paraprofessionals that must be directly supervised by a certified special education teacher.

Any specialized materials and/or equipment, including augmentative and alternative communication aids or devices or other assistive technology purchased with these funds are for the sole purpose of use during the 21^st CCLC program and only for the students with IEPs.

Submission Instructions:

Email completed applications and all required documents to cclc@doe.mass.edu

Upon award, recipients will be required to enter the approved budget in EdGrants and upload required documents. Grant recipients will be contacted with further instructions on the process.

Last Updated: November 29, 2022