FY2024 and FY2025: Growing Literacy Equity Across Massachusetts (GLEAM), PreK–12

Fund Codes: 509/510

Purpose:

Growing Literacy Equity Across Massachusetts (GLEAM) PreK–12 grants will support deep and lasting improvements to schools' multitiered system of support for Literacy, enabling schools to better serve all students, especially historically underserved students; and ensuring that all students can reach their literacy potential. Fund Code 509 is for grades preK–5. Fund code 510 is for grades 6–12.

GLEAM grants will support schools to implement components of a multi-tiered system of support for ELA/Literacy in grades PreK–12, which have been shown to promote equity of access and achievement for diverse students. This grant will focus on supporting:

• Adoption and implementation of high-quality core curricular materials and intervention materials for ELA/Literacy
• Onsite customized support responsive to districts' and schools' strengths, needs, challenges, and opportunities
• Professional development and support for teachers, principals, and literacy coaches to support skillful and culturally responsive tiered instruction and high-quality early childhood educational experiences

Priorities:

DESE seeks to award GLEAM grants to entities that:

• Are committed to prioritizing literacy equity and excellence, and want to collaborate with other districts statewide to make this a reality
• Demonstrate favorable conditions and the resources, including time and commitment, necessary to make and sustain meaningful Literacy program improvements, across multiple schools if applicable
• Bring together a diverse coalition of stakeholders committed to the activities articulated in the grant proposal, including families, diverse staff members, administrators, school committee, and students where appropriate
• Are actively investing in equity, inclusion, and cultural responsiveness in literacy for all learners

Eligibility:

This Continuation grant is intended for FY23 GLEAM Cohort 2 FC509 and FC510 recipients. The eligible districts include:

• Barnstable Public Schools (FC509)
• Everett Public Schools (FC509)
• Fall River Public Schools (FC510)
• Framingham Public Schools (FC509)
• KIPP Academy Boston (FC510)
• KIPP Academy Lynn (FC510)
• Malden Public Schools (FC510)
• Marlborough Public Schools (FC510)
• Milford Public Schools (FC510)
• New Bedford Public Schools (FC510)
• Peabody Public Schools (FC510)
• Revere Public Schools (FC510)
• Salem Public Schools (FC509)

Funding Type:

Federal CFDA 84.371
Federal grant funds must adhere to:

• UGG (2 CFR 200)

• EDGAR As Applicable

• EDGAR General Fiscal Administration 34 CFR Part 76

Funding:

There is approximately $2,000,000 available for FC509 (grades preK–5), depending on the addition of preschool classrooms, and $2,500,000 available for FC510 (grades 6–12) in FY24 and FY25 [July 1, 2024 – September 30, 2024 only]. Recipients will need to provide detailed cost information to DESE to demonstrate compliance with grant priorities and approved fund uses in order to draw down funds over the grant period.

Recipients will be eligible for continuations for up to two additional years in the GLEAM program. Over the course of the program (FY2023 – FY2025), funding will be based upon enrollment, needs, and performance. Up to approximately $7,750,000 total is available for this cohort of recipients. Continuation funding is not guaranteed.

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:

This grant will provide funding as well as hands-on support from Department specialists for up to three years for recipients to accomplish the activities listed under either Track 1 or Track 2. Following the grant period, recipients are expected to continue implementing the materials and practices initiated by this grant and will have access to ongoing customized assistance from DESE specialists as needed.

Track 1: This track strengthens the Tier 1 core Literacy learning experience offered to all students. Applicants focused on the PreK–5 grade band or 6–12 grade band, and without high-quality core curricular materials in place, may apply for this Track and will receive funding to support:	Track 2: This track strengthens Literacy support for students across all three Tiers. Applicants focused on the PreK–5 grade band or 6–12 grade band, and with high-quality core curricular materials in place, may apply for this Track and will receive funding to support:
A process of evaluating and selecting high quality core curricular materials for ELA/literacy; Purchase of the selected curricular materials. This grant will fund 50% (not to exceed $400,000 per district) of procurement of ELA/Literacy curricular materials, with the other half paid by the applicant; Professional development to support skillful and culturally responsive implementation of the new curricular materials	A comprehensive literacy-specific needs assessment Purchase of instructional materials for use in Tier 2/3 interventions. This grant will fund 50% (not to exceed $50,000 per district) of procurement of instructional materials, with the other half paid by the applicant. Professional development for teachers and administrators to support skillful and culturally responsive implementation of interventions, assessments, or materials for any selected tier(s) of focus [Preschool only] Purchase of the selected curricular materials. This grant will fund half the cost of procurement of ELA/Literacy curricular materials, with the other half paid by the applicant
Both Tracks will receive funding to support:
[PreK–5 only] Purchase of screening assessments designed to inform instruction in ELA/literacy and professional development to utilize them; Professional development for Literacy Coaches or similar building-based Literacy Leaders in a collaborative support network; Customized support from an expert Literacy consultant onsite

For full details about the GLEAM program and how funds may be used, please see the Fund Use Details attachment .

For both tracks, the entity will be required to maintain a "GLEAM Leadership Team." This team will work together to coordinate and enact the multi-year work of this initiative, across schools if applicable, and will also attend DESE-run conferences for GLEAM recipients. Stipends are available for GLEAM Leadership Team members.

Project Duration:

FY24 Upon Approval* – June 30, 2024
FY25 Upon Approval* (no earlier than July 1, 2024) – September 30, 2024

* 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.

Continuations for recipients will be available for additional funding in FY25 (October 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025) and FY26 (July 1, 2025 – September 30, 2025) to enact the full multi-year GLEAM program. Continuation funding is not guaranteed.

Note that grant funds will only be approved to fund the specific activities listed in the Fund Use Details attachment. Initial awards will be partial, to cover the costs of initial GLEAM activities, and additional funds will be awarded based upon availability and recipient performance over the multi-year program period.

Program Unit:

Office of Literacy and Humanities
Center for Instructional Support (CIS)

Contact:

Allison Pickens

Date Due:

Tuesday August 15, 2023

Required Forms:

If applying for grades PreK–5, please use fund code 509 forms.
If applying for grades 6–12, please use fund code 510 forms.

Forms for Fund Code 509 (for grades PreK–5 applicants)

• Part I — General — Program Unit Signature Page — (Standard Contract Form and Application for Program Grants).
  • FY24 Upon Approval – June 30, 2024 Part I
  • FY25 Upon Approval – September 30, 2024 Part I
  
  

• Part II — Budget Details. Please use the "CALCULATIONS" tab of the provided template to calculate an estimated budget for FY24 and FY25. Final FY24 budget must be entered directly in EdGrants.

• Part III — Required Program Information

• Part IV — Schools Assurance

• Part V — District Assurance

Forms for Fund Code 510 (for grades 6–12 applicants)

• Part I — General — Program Unit Signature Page — (Standard Contract Form and Application for Program Grants).
  • FY24 Upon Approval – June 30, 2024 Part I
  • FY25 Upon Approval – September 30, 2024 Part I
  
  

• Part II — Budget Details. Please use the "CALCULATIONS" tab of the provided template to calculate an estimated budget for FY24 and FY25. Final FY24 budget must be entered directly in EdGrants.

• Part III — Required Program Information

• Part IV — Schools Assurance

• Part V — District Assurance

Note on Budget Details.
Please use the provided Budget template to calculate each annual budget. This budget will allow us to determine the number of grants that may be awarded. This does not necessarily represent your final award amount. Costs for some items, like materials purchases, cannot be accurately budgeted until the actual product to be purchased is identified. In those cases, the Budget template provides estimates to be used in the application. Recipients will be able to seek budget amendments after award to reflect accurate costs. If your district needs to cover Indirect Costs, please use this FY23 Indirect Cost Calculator to do so.

Additional Information:

Using federal Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) funding, the Department expects to award $19 million in grants to support improvements in ELA/Literacy teaching and learning in preK–12 between FY22–FY25, under the program name GLEAM (Growing Literacy Equity Across Massachusetts).

The Department may seek additional information from applicants through follow-up interviews, as needed.

GLEAM recipients will be required to prepare and provide data requested by the Department in order to evaluate the effectiveness of grant funds and activities. In the first year this data will be primarily focused on inputs, such as number of teachers trained or materials selected. In future years this data will include outcomes, such as student performance on assessments and surveys of participating teachers. In addition, a national evaluation of this federally-funded program is being conducted; recipients will have the option to opt in to this national evaluation and to access additional related funding through the evaluator.

Submission Instructions:

Submit all required grant materials through EdGrants. In EdGrants, districts are required to create and name the project. Please use the following naming convention for your "Applicant Project Name" in EdGrants:

• FY24 FC509 or FC510 Cohort 2 GLEAM Grant Continuation.

All items listed under the required forms sections 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. The final budget the applicant is requesting will be entered directly into EdGrants as part of the application process.

For Guidance Documents regarding EdGrants, visit EdGrants: User Guides, Information and Trainings.

Please note: It is up to the district to determine who they want to add as EdGrants Front Office users in order to submit this 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.

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 the due date.

Last Updated: June 9, 2023