The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's (Department's/DESE's) purpose for this targeted competitive grant is to assist districts/schools to increase equitable practices and student engagement in the realm of school climate and culture, including rethinking discipline practices and supporting effective alternatives to exclusionary practice. In addition, it will specifically support entities identified in Cohort I of Phase II for the Rethinking Discipline Initiative (January 2024 - December 2025) to implement their action plans to create safer and more supportive and equitable learning environments for students. The action plans are focused on reducing inappropriate or excessive use of long-term suspension and expulsion, including disparate rates of suspension and expulsion for students with disabilities and/or for students of color.
The main priorities for this grant are to support districts and schools:
Moreover, the funds will support entities identified for the first cohort in Phase II of the Department's Rethinking Discipline Initiative with resources to help implement their action plans for the 2024-25 school year. Additionally, funding includes a priority of supporting grantees to collaborate with one another in a cohort-based model to share promising practices and be able to share successes, challenges, and implications of their action plan implementation.
Competitive priority will be given to districts in the Rethinking Discipline Initiative Professional Learning Network and schools in chronically underperforming status.
Massachusetts public school districts (including charter schools) identified (at the school or district level) in the Phase II Cohort I Rethinking Discipline Initiative are eligible to apply for funding. A list of the current cohort can be found on DESE's Rethinking Discipline webpage.
Additionally, Massachusetts public school districts (including charter schools) are eligible to apply if they meet both of the following criteria:
Massachusetts public school districts and charter public schools with a Local Education Agency (LEA) Need Index* of 80 or higher, districts with eligible emergency expansion shelter sites, districts with at least 100 homeless students reported in school year 2022-2023 (SY 2023), and/or districts with at least 100 newcomer students reported in October 2023.
*For the purposes of this grant program, a district's LEA Need Index equals the sum of the district's SY 2022 percent of high needs students, out-of-school suspension rate, and chronic absenteeism rate [missing 20 percent of days] for SY 2022.
and
See this list of all Eligible Districts .
Collaboratives are eligible to apply on behalf of one or more eligible school districts.
Federal CFDA 84.424
Federal grant funds must adhere to:
Approximately $1,500,000 is available for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025.
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.
To cover expenses during FY2025, districts in the Rethinking Discipline Phase II Cohort 1 can apply for a total of:
All other eligible districts can apply for up to $40,000 to support efforts in one or more schools in the district.
Applicants should propose a budget that includes (where needed) expenses related to:
Since details about professional development and supplies and materials may be determined after grants are awarded, applicants should propose estimated budget expenditures. Awarded applicants can adjust their budgets through an amendment as needed.
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.
Funds may be used to select external (non-school/district staff) vendors and/or consultants to support Rethinking Discipline action planning. Specifically, vendors and/or consultants can support identified schools and districts to implement practices and models that reduce exclusionary discipline and enhance a positive climate and culture through the use of relationship building, enhancing student voice, and integrating family engagement.
The vendors/consultants can be from one of (but not limited to) DESE's pre-approved Master Agreement Lists. District selected vendors and/or consultants could assist districts in identifying concerns/challenges in the realm of discipline, implementing solutions through in depth training and coaching, tracking measures of success, and sharing results with DESE and other communities.
Funds may be used to support participation of team members in professional development, including but not limited to asynchronous/virtual professional development, in person professional development opportunities, including regional site visits and statewide conferences, as well as coaching.
Fund use can include coordinator time, travel to in-person professional development, stipends, substitutes, supplies and materials.
Funds cannot be used for: electronics (such as iPads, computers, tablets, etc.). building/construction projects or curricular programs.
Upon Approval (anticipated on or around 9/1/2024) – 6/30/2025
Student and Family Support
Stacy Cabral
Friday, August 30, 2024*
Proposals must be received at the Department by 5:00 p.m. Eastern time 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.
Competitive grant applications are considered submitted when the Superintendent / Chief Executive approves the grant application in GEM$. To be considered for competitive funding, applicants must submit a grant application through the LEA Superintendent Approved stage by the due date listed in the RFP.
All required program information and forms will be submitted in DESE's new Grants for Education Management System (GEM$). See Submission Instructions for details.
Questions and Answers — Applicants can find all the questions asked regarding this funding opportunity and DESE's responses posted here: FY2025 FC 0122 – Rethinking Discipline Initiative Grant (competitive), Questions and Answers in the DESE Resources section of GEM$. Please send questions to achievement@mass.gov with the Subject Line: FY25 FC 0122 Question.
Priority points will be given to districts/schools in the Rethinking Discipline Initiative Phase II Cohort I that actively participated in the 4-part professional development series with the Equity Imperative (February 2024 through May 2024, note the final session is May 30) designed to support identified districts/schools to create action plans in response to their discipline data.
Districts in the Rethinking Discipline Initiative Phase II Cohort I must include their draft action plan for the 2024-25 school year and include a budget that aligns with implementation of strategies outlined in the plan. Changes made in the action plan after grant submission that result in changes to the budget can be addressed through the budget amendment process for awarded grantees.
The FY25 FC0122 Rethinking Discipline Initiative Grant will be submitted in our new GEM$ system. GEM$ is a cloud-based fiscal and program management grant system that will eventually phase out the use of EdGrants.
Grants for Education Management System (GEM$)
Competitive grant applications are considered submitted when the Superintendent / Chief Executive approves the grant application in GEM$. In order to be considered for competitive funding, applicants must submit a grant application by the due date listed in the RFP.
The Superintendent / Chief Executive Approved Step allows for the organization lead to review and approve the grant application. Removing the requirement for the Part I Standard Contract Form, this step signifies Superintendent /Chief Executive sign off. Any grant budget changes requiring signature will re-execute this step when amended signifying the organization lead is approving these changes.
New Organizations: Grant Submission requires applicants to have their organization established in GEM$. Entities that do not have an organization established in GEM$ must contact the DESE Program Unit issuing this grant at a minimum 5 business days prior to the grant due date for temporary organization access.
Failure to provide DESE with GEMS Request Form at least 5 business days prior to the due date may result in not meeting the submission due date listed above. DESE cannot accept or review applications after the due date.
Please Note: Grant Submission at the LEA level requires roles to be established for Grant writer for the specific fund code, LEA fiscal for financial review/approval, and Superintendent/Chief Executive sign off. All these roles should be established prior to the grant due date and all appropriate forms should be either uploaded to GEM$, maintained at the LEA level or sent in to the DESE RFP contact as described on the individual forms. The user guidance documents and forms are found on the GEM$ homepage under DESE Resources. This form can be accessed without logging in to the system.
Last Updated: August 19, 2024
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 135 Santilli Highway, Everett, MA 02149
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