Att K - Scope of Work-RTP.docx

Att K: Scope of Work Indiana Special Education Assisted Licensure

(I-SEAL) 2027-2030 RFP 26-87473

Summary The respondent will manage a funded licensing assistance program for post-baccalaureate programs of study, enabling teachers to become fully licensed to teach special education in a public school in Indiana. The primary focus will be to target 400 educators adding an “Exceptional Needs: Mild Intervention” certification to an existing license while remaining employed in the existing school district. However, based on needs across districts, other special education licensing provisions will be supported alongside the primary focus.

1.0 Description of Work

Currently, numerous barriers to licensure exist, and the State’s needs are significant. The program that is the focus of this scope, the Indiana Special Education Assisted Licensure (I-SEAL) program, is designed to reduce these barriers. I-SEAL will identify and collaborate with 42 Indiana-approved institutions of higher education (IHEs) or non-higher education entities [hereinafter referred to as educator preparation providers (EPPs)] that are currently administering Indiana-approved special education programs.

Any Indiana-approved post-baccalaureate program, including transition-to-teaching and non-transition-to-teaching, that eliminates excess requirements allowing rapid and streamlined completion of licensing requirements, is eligible to participate in the program.

EPPs that agree to partner with the respondent on this project will agree to expand and, if needed, streamline existing program requirements to ensure teachers are able to complete the program(s) without any unnecessary barriers. The respondent is responsible for providing IDOE with a copy of all proposed and approved agreements and, forthwith, any newly approved agreements within 60 days after the agreements are completed.

EPP participation in this partnership is voluntary; however, the goal is to increase the pool of licensed special education teachers in Indiana.

2.0 Primary Partner Programs

EPPs with approved special education transition to teaching or post-baccalaureate (non-transition to teaching) programs resulting in a special education license will be able to enroll educators in the program. Priority will be placed on the identification of educators with the fewest credits required to secure the license addition, but the program will be open to any qualified applicant.

Participating partners will agree to offer an 18-credit-hour, online (synchronous or asynchronous) course of study leading to Exceptional Needs licensure in the state of Indiana. Programs should also be positioned to allow initial licensure for individuals who do not hold a teaching license.

The program will fund up to 18 credit hours of coursework to the selected EPPs and textbook(s) associated with each course and based upon successful course completion. Participating candidates must self-pay to retake a course before funding for the next course is administered.

3.0 Eligibility

To be eligible, a teacher would need to:

1. hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution recognized by the United States Department of Education;

2. be currently employed in an Indiana school, and have a letter of support from the school’s administrator affirming the school’s intent to assign the teacher as a special education teacher of record in the school or district after completion of the program;

3. sign a letter of intention to remain employed in an Indiana school as a special education teacher for at least two years past completion of the program.

Participating educators will hold any valid Indiana teaching license that allows for an additional special education license area to be added.

4.0 Scholarship Assistance Program

To be eligible, the applicant would need to show that they are currently teaching special education in a public school while holding an alternative special education license as an underqualified special education teacher in a public school, and:

1. Have a record of successful course completion and have demonstrated the academic aptitude necessary to complete the necessary coursework;

2. Provide a letter of support from the school administrator, indicating an intent to assign the applicant to a special education classroom or caseload in the future academic year;

3. Submit a letter of intent to enter into, or continue, an employment agreement as a special education teacher in future academic years.

Scholarship funds could be assigned to Transition to Teaching programs that include special education credits leading to a new special education license or an additional area to an existing Indiana license.

5.0 Technology

The proposed budget should include financial support for the cost associated with this project in year one, including website development, and clearly define digital communication solutions and website maintenance across optional additional years.

6.0 Completion Testing Support Workshops

A prospective special education teacher who has completed all necessary coursework for licensure but has failed to pass the licensing test can apply for an EPP workshop designed to aid the special education candidate in understanding test-taking strategies and content necessary to pass the test. A candidate who completes the workshop and then passes the exam is eligible to submit for reimbursement of the exam cost.

7.0 Project Timeline

The timeline below is for the first year. Ongoing deliverables will follow a similar timeline in years 2 and 3.

June 30, 2028

8.0 Project Responsibilities/Deliverables of the respondent

Task 1: Management

· Staff the program and manage the entire program;

· Notify all state-approved licensure programs and their content area (Special Education) representatives in the EPPs of the opportunity for participation in the program;

· IDOE has the right to overrule any EPP partnership;

· Deliverable: Develop an applicant portal that allows for tracking of teachers' progress from the entry point into the program through completion.

· Deliverable: Provide weekly status updates that include

· The number of participating entities,

· Enrollment numbers for each program,

· The number of dropouts, and

· The number of program completers Task 2: Communication

· Secure IDOE approval for all mass communications (email or written) intended for all EPPs before sending.

· Share an electronic copy of all final program agreements with IDOE.

· Offer continued communication to EPPs that are part of the program, offering support and guidance specific to the EPP’s involvement to navigate the process and assist as needed.

· Deliverables: Marketing collateral, participant lists (Word/Google Doc, Excel/Google Sheet), completed agreements Task 3: Engagement

· Provide limited marketing support to announce and communicate the opportunity for teachers via social media channels and news outlets.

· Develop an engagement plan to help keep program participants on track for licensure.

· Work with EPPs licensing advisors to help ensure clear and accurate communication with program participants regarding progress and eligibility for continued participation in the program.

· Provide weekly updates to IDOE on the number of participants, dropouts, and completers.

· Inform the supporting district and IDOE when a teacher drops from the program.

· Ensure all processes adhere to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

· Deliverables: Engagement plan (Word/Google Doc, PDF), weekly updates (Word/Google Doc) Task 4: Project Meetings A. Project Kickoff

· A Project Kickoff Meeting is required for project initiation. The purpose of this meeting is to introduce Key stakeholders, points of contact for the project, address vendor or IDOE questions/concerns, provide an update on the contract status, and discuss next steps for project implementation.

· The respondent shall schedule and facilitate one project kickoff meeting.

· The kickoff meeting will be virtual (Microsoft Teams is preferred, but not required; if the vendor opts for another platform, it must be available via web browser at no additional cost and with no additional software or plugins required). If IDOE and the vendor agree to an in-person kickoff meeting, the vendor will provide the number of staff attending the kickoff, and the vendor must follow the State of Indiana travel guidelines for allowable expenses and reimbursement.

· Deliverables: Agenda, minutes (Word, Google Doc)

B. Project Status Meetings: Project status meetings are critical for monitoring progress on project deliverables and ensuring the project remains on time and on track to completion.

· The respondent will establish and facilitate weekly project status meetings

· Meetings must be virtual (unless otherwise agreed to between IDOE and Respondent) and should be hosted by the vendor using virtual conferencing software (Microsoft Teams is preferred but not required; if the vendor opts for another platform, it must be available via web browser at no additional cost and with no additional software or plugins required).

· Weekly status update email to include the number of participants, the number of dropouts, and the number of completers

· Deliverables: Agenda, minutes (Word, Google Doc) Task 5: Fiscal

· Manage the fiscal transactions associated with the program.

· Vendor will track candidate progress, lack of progress, number enrolled, number completed via their technological system or tool. Must be able to provide updated data when requested.

· Submit monthly invoices to IDOE based on the previous month's expenditures.

· Deliverables: Reports of fiscal transactions (Excel/Google Sheet) Task 6: Technology

· Establish a program website to attract and inform prospective applicants and districts interested in the program.

· Ensure all processes adhere to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

· Deliverables: Applicant portal, weekly status updates (Excel/Google Sheet, Google Doc/Word Doc, or PDF form)

9.0 State Requirements

Transfer of Secure Information The State has robust and comprehensive data transmission standards that operate enterprise wide. The IOT established and maintains these standards, which support IOT’s data exchange and API-led strategies for the State. The Contractor’s solution must support the State’s standard API and file transfer methods to facilitate secure data transmission. The State’s standardized data transmission technologies are the MuleSoft API Management and GoAnywhere Managed File Transfer (MFT) services. See https://www.in.gov/iot/policies-procedures-and-standards/applications-standards/.

The Contractor specifically agrees that all hardware, software and services provided to or purchased by the State shall be compatible with the principles and goals contained in the Assistive Technology Standard, within the State’s Information Security Framework (https://www.in.gov/iot/iot-vendor-engagement/), State Assistive Technology (https://www.in.gov/core/accessibility.html), and the State’s architectural standards. Any deviation from these requirements must be approved in writing by IOT in advance.

Compliance & State Standards The Contractor agrees that all hardware, software, services, and digital content provided under this engagement will conform to the State’s Information Security Framework, Assistive Technology requirements (WCAG 2.1 AA / Section 508), and State architectural standards. Any deviation requires prior written approval from IOT. Respondent will sign an NDA to access the Information Security Framework and ensure the proposed solution meets all applicable standards.

Security Incident Response The Contractor shall provide incident response process documentation covering ticketing, escalation, timelines for State notification, and reporting of resolved incidents including root cause analysis and lessons learned for major incidents.

Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery (BC/DR) The Contractor shall maintain and share with the State a Disaster Recovery Plan, and shall make available to the State all amendments, changes, or modifications to its Disaster Recovery Plan. The Contractor’s Disaster Recovery Plan is deemed a trade secret and is deemed information that would jeopardize a record keeping or security system and shall be exempt from disclosure under Indiana’s Access to Public Records Act, Ind. Code § 5‑14‑3‑4(a) and (b)(10), (11) and (19). Please refer to section [X] of the main RFP document for further information about identifying aspects of a proposal to remain confidential.

The Contractor shall, in coordination with the State, maintain a specific Business Continuity Plan dedicated to operating State systems for which it is responsible in the event of a disaster, as well as a specific Continuity of Operations Plan dedicated to the Contractor’s organization itself.

Over the course of the contract, the Contractor shall make updates to their Business Continuity‑Disaster Recovery Plan on an annual basis to ensure that staffing and procedures are up to date. All said updates shall be shared with the State in a timely manner.

Independent Verification & Validation Engagement If the State decides to add Independent Verification & Validation (IV&V) services as part of this engagement, the contractor will copy the Indiana Department of Administration (IDOA) – Independent Verification & Validation (IV&V) team member(s) on all project related communications (emails, meeting invites, collaboration tools, etc.) and will grant access to all documents and deliverables throughout the term of the contract.

Independent Verification & Validation Payment Approval If IDOA elects to deploy Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) services in connection with this engagement, the IV&V Team shall review and assess all Deliverables to determine compliance with the State’s requirements as set forth in the Contract and/or applicable Statement(s) of Work. For contracts entered into, renewed, or amended after June 30, 2026, IV&V shall serve as an approving authority, and no payment shall be issued to the Vendor unless and until IV&V has provided such approval.

Equipment Requirements If equipment is needed to access the State’s network, the Vendor will be required to reimburse the State for all equipment and access related costs, as outlined in the FY26 Indiana Office of Technology Services Catalog.

Computer Equipment: Costs vary by type and specification, based on IDOC stated purpose and requirements.

Seat (Maintenance) Charge: $80.75 per computer, per rate period.

Security Support Fee: $47.77 per computer, per rate period.

User Account Access Fee: Variable, based on the level of access needed.

All rates are subject to annual adjustment and reissuance on July 1 of each fiscal year.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy The State of Indiana has adopted an enterprise‑level policy governing the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within state government. The State of Indiana AI Policy is issued and monitored by the Office of the Chief Data Officer (OCDO), in cooperation with the Chief Privacy Officer (CPO) and the Management Performance Hub (MPH). In complement the AI Policy, the State Agency Artificial Intelligence Systems Standard outlines the rationale behind the AI Readiness Assessment process required for the implementation or any use of AI by a state agency. The standard outlines the requirement for the submission of a Readiness Assessment Questionnaire prior to implementation or use of an AI tool or system. Any proposed solution meeting these requirements must support the State’s AI Policy and follow the AI Readiness Assessment Process. See https://www.in.gov/mph/AI/ for more detailed information.

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