Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs

FY2025: Proficiency-based Outcomes in Languages Other than English

Fund Code: 0189

Purpose:

The purpose of this competitive grant program is to support World Languages programs in schools, districts, and/or partnerships collect data as to how their implementation of the 2021 MA World Languages advances proficiency in students and partners with the Department's World Languages Advisory Team and the Heritage Languages Advisory Team (if applicable) to share and analyze data to improve programs and develop resources and to provide advice for potential upcoming guidance for varied world language programs.

Applicants must have administered Seal of Biliteracy (SOBL) assessments in SY2023-24.
Applicants must commit to attending all 4 World Languages Advisory Team meetings and Heritage Language Advisory Team meetings (if they offer Heritage Language courses — dates of advisory meetings: 12/6/2024, 1/31/2025, 3/28/2025, and 5/30/2025) and OLA Network Meetings (10/9/2024 — virtual, 3/19/2025 — virtual, 6/6/2025 — in-person).
Applicants must commit to engaging and sharing WL student SOBL assessment data with the DESE World Languages Advisory Team for 3 years or the duration of funding.

Priorities:

Competitive priority will be given to:

Districts and schools in chronically underperforming status.
Partnerships which were created/supported through Goal 2 of the FY2024 FC189 grant, and were able to show increased alignment to the Framework as a result.
Schools/Districts/Partnerships with high incidences (350 or more) of English Learners;

Eligibility:

Districts and public charter schools with World Language (WL), Heritage Language (HL), Dual Language (DL) and English Language Learner (ELL) courses and districts that wish to support or improve such programs in pre-K, elementary, and/or secondary schools.

Funding Type:

State 7027-1004

Grant awards are contingent upon the grantee being able to certify that it will comply with the Massachusetts General Laws, including G.L. c. 40A, § 3A, the MBTA Communities Act.

Funding:

Approximately $500,000 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:

Fund use must be consistent with the priorities described above and the requirements associated with DESE's Educational Vision. The focus of this grant is to support the implementation of data-driven, proficiency-based WL, HL, and ELL programs, centered around the new Massachusetts World Languages Curriculum Framework, and in support of the Seal of Biliteracy program.

Project Duration:

FY25 School Year: Upon Approval – 6/30/2025
FY26 Summer: 7/1/2025 – 8/31/2025

Program Unit:

Center for School and District Partnership

Contact:

Diana Gentile

Date Due:

Friday, September 27, 2024

Proposals must be received at the Department by 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.

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 through the LEA Superintendent Approved stage by the due date listed in the RFP.

Additional Information:

Please submit questions to diana.gentile@mass.gov . Questions and answers will be posted to Headlines on the English Learner Education page.

Submission Instructions:

The FY25 FC0189 Proficiency-based Outcomes in Languages Other than English 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$)

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 GEM$ Temp Organization Access Request 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. These form can be accessed without logging in to the system.

Last Updated: August 23, 2024