FY2025: Interpreter in the Education Setting Training

Fund Code: 0199

Purpose:

DESE has defined an educational vision where all students are known and valued for who they are and what they bring to the school community, including their unique identities, languages, and backgrounds. Data from the 2022-23 school year indicates that 25 percent of Massachusetts students speak a language other than English as their first language; suggesting that a significant proportion of families may benefit from interpretation and translation services in schools. This need is growing each year. DESE seeks to support districts to more fully and equitably communicate with families that speak a language other than English and support parents/guardians in participating in critical choices impacting their children.

In 2019, the School Interpreters Task Force released a set of recommendations to improve interpretation in school settings. Since then, DESE has made significant strides in meeting those recommendations, including establishing coursework to train three levels of interpreters in education and providing support to districts in training their bilingual employees and interpreters for the education setting as well as creating language access plans to improve systems district-wide.

The Interpreter in the Education Setting Training grant is meant to support districts in developing their capacity to provide high-quality interpretation services by training bilingual individuals in their school system to become trained as interpreters in the education setting. See additional information on DESE's Language Access webpage.

Priorities:

Competitive priority will be given to districts in the Strategic Transformation Region and districts with over 40% of the enrollment population classified as First Language Not English.

Eligibility:

Any Local Education Agency (district, charter school, or collaborative).

Funding Type:

Trust (7010-0013 ARPA TRUST INTERPRETER ACCT)

Funding:

Each LEA may apply for up to $35,000.

Approximately $500,000 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 the following activities:

• Pay the approved rate for bilingual district employees who many serve as school or district interpreters to attend courses from vendors approved on the Interpreter in Education Course Delivery Approved Provider list- 24MAOSTBH1.

• Provide stipends to bilingual employees who successfully complete either the Tier 2 or Tier 3 DESE-approved interpreter training course. Each individual may receive up to $1,000 per successful course completion.

• Stipend bilingual employees to apply for the Approved Provider list (24MAOSTBH1) to become a trained instructor and deliver DESE-approved interpreter training courses. Each individual who successfully applies on behalf of a school/district for the Approved Provider list and who completes the instructor training course may receive a stipend of up to $2,000. Newly trained instructors who run the Tier 2 or Tier 3 course training are also eligible for a stiped of up to 2,000.

Project Duration:

Upon Approval – 06/30/2025

Program Unit:

Office of Strategic Transformation

Contact:

Breanna Higgins

Phone Number:

(781) 338-3568

Date Due:

Round One: Wednesday, May 1, 2024*

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

Round Two: This grant will re-open for Round Two applications on or around October 1.

*All responses must be received by the due date listed above. Failure to do so will result in disqualification. Responses not submitted 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.

Submission Instructions:

The FY25 199 Interpreter in the Education Setting Training 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$)

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.

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.

Please Note: Grant Submission requires applicants to have their organization

EdGrants Submission Instructions: established in GEM$. Entities that do not have an organization in GEM$ 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.

Last Updated: March 29, 2024