FY2024: METCO Supplemental Special Education Grant

Fund Code: 318

Purpose:

The purpose of this competitive grant program is to provide supplemental support to METCO districts serving Boston or Springfield resident students with more intensive special education needs. The METCO program expands educational opportunities, increases diversity, and reduces racial isolation by permitting students in Boston and Springfield to attend public schools in other communities that have agreed to participate. Please note that this is a pilot program, and the Department will be seeking feedback about if/how to continue this program in future years.

Priorities:

The priority of this fund source is to provide supplemental support to METCO districts serving Boston or Springfield resident students with more intensive special education needs, which will typically include specialized transportation and/or one-on-one support in the student's IEP.

Eligibility:

School districts currently participating in the METCO program who can provide individualized special education cost data for Boston or Springfield resident students with more intensive special education needs served in FY2023 are eligible to apply for supplemental special education support in FY2024 through this grant program. If you have questions about whether or not your district is eligible to apply, please contact the Department for clarification prior to submitting an application.

Participating METCO districts are Arlington, Bedford, Belmont, Braintree, Brookline, Cohasset, Concord, Concord-Carlisle, Dover, Dover-Sherborn, East Longmeadow, Foxborough, Hampden-Wilbraham, Hingham, Lexington, Lincoln, Lincoln-Sudbury, Longmeadow, Lynnfield, Marblehead, Melrose, Natick, Needham, Newton, Reading, Scituate, Sharon, Sherborn, Southwick-Tolland-Granville, Springfield, Sudbury, Swampscott, Wakefield, Walpole, Wayland, Wellesley, Weston, and Westwood.

Funding Type:

State: 7010-0012

Funding:

Approximately $325,375 is available.

This RFP is the governing document for these grant funds.

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 may be used for special education costs for Boston and Springfield resident students participating in the METCO program that are not otherwise covered or reimbursed by other federal or state restricted sources. Funds do not have to be attributed to specific individual students with intensive needs.

Project Duration:

Upon Approval – 6/30/2024

Program Unit:

Center for Strategic Initiatives

Contact:

Sylvia Lam

Date Due:

Wednesday, February 7^th, 2024*

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

*All responses must be received by the due date listed above. Failure to do so will result in disqualification. Responses not received on time will not be reviewed. Applicants applying after the due date may be notified their application was received late and will not be reviewed. Applications must be submitted as directed in the Submissions Instructions below. Failure to do so may result in disqualification. If you need assistance with submitting your application, please reach out to the contact person listed on this funding opportunity.

Required Forms:

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

• Part II — Budget Details

• Part III — Required Program Information

• Part IV — Special Education Services Cost Calculator—this document will be emailed to you with instructions to upload it to the ESE Security Portal.

Additional Information:

Questions and Answers — Applicants can find all the questions asked regarding this funding opportunity and DESE's response.

Submission Instructions:

Please email Parts I, II, and III to CSI@mass.gov by the due date noted above. Email all required forms in their original Word or Excel formats (e.g., not converted to a PDF; with the exception of the signed Part I documents which should be converted to PDF). Note: Electronic signatures are required on the emailed versions.

Do not submit the Part VI Special Education Cost Calculator via email. Due to the student level information that will be included in the completed special education cost calculator, please follow the instructions that will be emailed to you to upload the cost calculator to the SPED File Exchange in the ESE Security Portal.

Awarded Recipients: Upon award, recipients will be required to enter the approved budget and Part I in EdGrants. Once selected, recipients will be contacted with further instructions on the process.

Last Updated: January 26, 2024