FY2016 UPK Open Competitive Grant Application~1.docx

GRANT APPLICATION (RFR)

FY 2016 Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) Open Competitive Grant - FUND CODE 511 GRANT APPLICATION (RFR) #: UPK Grant 511 Bid #: Blanket Bid BD-15-1037-1CEN0-C0000-00000003584

ISSUE DATE: MARCH 31, 2015

GRANT APPLICATION (RFR)

FY 2016 Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) Open Competitive Grant - FUND CODE 511 GRANT APPLICATION (RFR) #: UPK Grant 511

Description or Purpose of Procurement:

Through this competitive Grant Application, EEC seeks to award grants to those preschool programs which will:

· Promote the Early Learning Guidelines to support school readiness and positive outcomes for children participating in UPK classrooms and homes;

· Support and enhance the quality of services for children in UPK classrooms and family child care homes, especially for high needs children and/or children living in underperforming school districts;

· Maximize parent choice by ensuring participation from all program types within a mixed public and private service delivery system;

· Use evidence-based child formative assessment systems/tools to ensure that programs are effectively measuring children’s progress across all developmental domains and using this information to inform practice through individualized teaching; and

· Serve as models of excellence, engage in communities of practice, and support the process of continuous quality improvement across the Commonwealth.

Applicable Procurement Law:

Executive Branch Goods and Services

Acquisition Method:

Whether Single or Multiple Contractors are Required for Contract:

Check One (“X”):

a. Estimated Number of Awards The target maximum number of Contractors is 200-250; the Purchasing Department may award more or fewer contracts, if it is in the best interests of the Commonwealth to do so.

b. Adding Grantees after Initial Grant Award If, over the life of the grant, the Purchasing Department determines that additional Grantees may be added, these may be drawn from qualified entities which responded to this Solicitation but were not awarded Grants. If necessary to meet the requirements of the Commonwealth, the Solicitation may be reopened to obtain additional Bids.

Eligibility Requirements:

This is a competitive grant open to all vendors that are able to demonstrate through the submission of a successful grant application that they meet the priorities and required services as outlined in this grant application. In order to be eligible for the UPK competitive grant, designated classrooms and/or family child care homes must meet all of the criteria outlined below:

1. All programs' Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) online application(s) must demonstrate one of the following statuses:

a. Level 2 QRIS rating AND final submitted, self-assessed Level 3;

b. Granted Level 3; or

c. Granted Level 4.

· All programs must have submitted their original QRIS online application on or before March 30, 2015 as demonstrated in their submitted QRIS Summary of Application Profile from the QPM.[footnoteRef:1] [1: To view updated information on QRIS, please click on the following link: http://www.mass.gov/eec/qris. For technical assistance regarding EEC's QRIS Program Manager, please contact the EEC's Help Desk at eechelpdesk@massmail.state.ma.us.

2. All programs must have an income-eligible contract and/or voucher agreement in place and be willing to accept EEC-subsidized or low-income children.[footnoteRef:2] [2: EEC subsidized or low-income children are defined as any of the following populations:

Children accessing care through EEC contracts or vouchers;

Children funded with Head Start dollars;

Privately subsidized children from families meeting EEC income eligibility criteria (i.e., total household income at or below 85% of the state median income) with supporting documentation from program; and Children attending preschool programs operated by public schools that:

Have a high proportion of children qualifying for free/reduced lunch;

Are at risk of or have been determined to be under-performing in accordance with sections 1J and 1K of Chapter 69 of the General Laws; and/or Have been placed in the accountability status of identified for improvement, corrective action, or restructuring pursuant to Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) school regulations, or which have been designated Commonwealth priority schools or Commonwealth Pilot Schools pursuant to said regulations.]

3. All programs must provide access to full-day, full-year services for working families.[footnoteRef:3] [3:

The term "full day/full year" is defined as operating for at least 231 days and 2,079 hours per year. Programs that are not "full-day, full-year" must demonstrate how UPK and/or other funds are being used to provide access to full-day, full-year services in the narrative section of the UPK budget.

4. All programs must have current National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) or New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) accreditation for group child care programs or National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) accreditation or a non-expired Child Development Associate (CDA) credential or higher for family child care educators (AA, BA, or Master’s degree).

· Current NAEYC, NEASC, or NAFCC accreditation means that a program is considered by the national accrediting body as of July 1, 2015 to be accredited. If there is a lapse in accreditation, during the grant period, the program must report this change to EEC and come back into accreditation status within 90 days of the first day of the lapse or be subject to loss of UPK funding.

5. All programs must demonstrate that they serve preschool-aged children.[footnoteRef:4] [4: The term "preschool-aged children" is defined as children who are 2 years, 9 months to kindergarten-eligible.]

6. All programs must demonstrate that they serve high needs children.[footnoteRef:5] [5: The term “high needs children” is defined as children who have two or more of the following risk factors shown to be linked to poor outcomes in such areas as school performance, health and mental health:

Low-income households/children eligible for free or reduced priced meals;

Children with special needs/disability (IEP or 504 Plan);

Children and families who previously participated in Early Intervention services (IFSP);

Children who are homeless or move more than once per year, as defined under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Improvements Act of 2001;

Children who are Dual Language Learners whose home language is not English (DLL/ELL/LEP);

Parent(s) with education less than a high school diploma or GED;

Parent(s) with chronic illness or disability affecting care-giving ability;

Children who have experienced multiple traumas or losses;

Young children whose family recently immigrated to U.S. (parent(s) who came to the U.S. within the past 10 years);

Families and children involved with multiple state agencies;

Children with parent(s) who are deployed and are not living on a military base.

7. All programs must demonstrate that formative assessment data is collected and entered for each child in the preschool classroom(s).[footnoteRef:6] [6: Preschool programs must use one of the three EEC-approved formative assessment tools: Teaching Strategies GOLD®, Work Sampling System®, or High Scope Preschool Child Observation Record.]

If a program’s eligibility status changes during the grant period, it must immediately report this change to EEC and come back into compliance within 90 days of the first day that the program was ineligible or be subject to loss or reduction of funding. The lead agency and all subcontracted providers must comply with all applicable statutes, regulations, policies, and procedures, inclusive of any changes made as a result of enacted legislation, duly promulgated regulations, or policies implemented by the Board and the Department of Early Education and Care.

EEC reserves the right to withhold funds to any FY 2016 Grantee that fails to satisfy each of the eligibility requirements articulated above, or to increase or decrease award amounts subject to various factors, including, but not limited to, the following: changes in the enrollment or fulltime equivalent capacity of the UPK classrooms/family child care homes, UPK program priorities as determined by EEC, and/or legislative authorization, appropriation and allotment.

If an applicant proposes subcontracting some of its required services, the applicant must submit the proposed subcontracted services for any subcontractor as part of its grant application response. Please note that all such subcontracts must be in writing and approved by EEC prior to their execution.

Expected Duration of Contract (Initial Duration and any Options to Renew):

Initial Duration

1 Year (12 Months)

(12 Months)

Total Maximum Contract Duration

2 Years (24 Months)

This UPK Open Competitive Grant will have an initial duration of one (1) year, starting on or about July 1, 2015 and ending on June 30, 2016, with a one (1) year option to renew in FY 2017 and will be subject to State and Federal budget allotment and appropriation. As a condition of approving the FY 2017 renewal grants, EEC will require that all Grantees have complied with the FY 2016 UPK Open Competitive Grant Required Services and Reporting Requirements. Please note that EEC may require Grantees to meet additional requirements related to the UPK grant in FY 2016 and FY 2017 so that the grant terms continue to reflect EEC’s priorities and the needs of the communities.

Contract Performance and Business Specifications:

Scope of Services:

The work of the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) is steeped in the notion that brain building is in progress for young children in enriching environments with caring adults and meaningful and engaging interactions. The latest science shows that these early experiences actually build the architecture of the developing brain much like a house is built from the bottom up.

When you understand the sequence and process by which brains are built, it is easy to understand why it is wiser to start every child out strong. Trying to change behavior or build new skills on a weak foundation requires more work and is less effective than providing brain building interactions and environments early in life. Brain building is an investment that yields high returns, an investment in the economic prosperity of everyone in Massachusetts as the next generation will pay that back through a lifetime of productivity and responsible citizenship.

We know that children's earliest experiences are especially important because building the human brain begins even before birth; a strong foundation in early years greatly increases the chance of positive outcomes. Massachusetts estimates that as many as 135,000 children from birth to age five face one or more risk factors each day that could lead to toxic stress, with as many as 20,000 (15%) facing three or more risk factors that without intervention are likely to lead to developmental delays.[footnoteRef:7] [7: National Center for Children in Poverty. Young Child Risk Calculator. Retrieved from the following link: http://www.nccp.org/tools/risk/.]

EEC is focused on strengthening the system of early education and care in Massachusetts as a critical element of the education pipeline from cradle to career. The system EEC is building includes all children, not just those who are subsidized or in formal care. To that end, EEC provides services for children in Massachusetts through a mixed delivery system which includes group and center based programs, out of school time programs, family child care homes, public preschool programs, private preschool programs, kindergarten, and Head Start programs. EEC is also responsible for licensing over 9,556 early education and care and out of school time programs throughout Massachusetts and for providing financial assistance to eligible families seeking early education and care or out of school time programs that serve approximately 56,000 children, birth to fourteen (14) years of age, from low-income families.

EEC strives to bring together a growing community of early education and care providers, educators, academic researchers, business leaders, families and individuals to raise awareness of the critical importance of fostering the cognitive, social, and emotional development of young children. By giving a strong start to our youngest citizens we create a stronger, more prosperous future for all. Massachusetts is dedicated to increasing coordination in our system of early learning and development and aims to prepare children for school success, especially those with the highest needs.

Priorities:

The goals for this competitive grant are to fund quality improvement activities that lead to the following:

· Implementation of a career ladder as evidenced by a competitive compensation package for preschool educators.

· Lower staff/child ratios and/or decreased class/group size.

· Enhancement of a program’s ability to interpret and use formative assessment data to individualize teaching and plan effective developmentally appropriate curriculum.

· Professional development opportunities that support staff in improving skills, knowledge, and abilities; assistance to meet the professional development requirements of EEC's QRIS; and/or support for staff attainment of credentials or degrees.[footnoteRef:8] [8: EEC Policies on professional development may be found at the following link: http://www.eec.state.ma.us/docs1/regs_policies/20120904-policy-professional-development.pdf.

· Incorporating additional comprehensive services into a program to meet the diverse learning needs of children and their social-emotional, behavioral, and/or physical health needs.

· Support for ongoing accreditation or reaccreditation activities.

· Support for increased program quality as evidenced by satisfying the increasing requirements of the upper tiers of EEC's QRIS.

· Enhancement of current or provision of new family engagement opportunities.

· Enhancement of current or provision of new transitional supports to children moving to/from other programs or to kindergarten.

Competitive priority will be provided to those applicants that:

· Currently have a QRIS online application with a Level 3 or Level 4 Granted status;

· Currently are located in Gateway Municipalities[footnoteRef:9]; and/or [9: As of October 2014, the 26 Gateway Municipalities include: Attleboro, Barnstable, Brockton, Chelsea, Chicopee, Everett, Fall River, Fitchburg, Haverhill, Holyoke, Lawrence, Leominster, Lowell, Lynn, Malden, Methuen, New Bedford, Peabody, Pittsfield, Quincy, Revere, Salem, Springfield, Taunton, Westfield, and Worcester.

· Currently are located in rural communities.[footnoteRef:10] [10: For the purposes of this grant, “rural” is defined as a municipality in which there are fewer than 500 people per square mile. There are about 172 rural communities in the Commonwealth. Please see Appendix I for a list of the rural communities by county.

Required Services:

Grantees must provide the following services with the grant funds they are awarded:

I. Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS):

A. Programs must ensure that they are engaged in activities that maintain and/or enhance upward mobility in EEC's QRIS Program Manager (QPM):

1. Programs that have a Level 2 QRIS rating AND a self-assessed, final submitted Level 3 online application (as of March 30, 2015) will be required to be at Granted Level 3 by June 30, 2016.[footnoteRef:11] Additionally, these programs are required to, at a minimum, maintain a Granted Level 3 status for the duration of the grant cycle. [11: A program's failure to attain a Granted Level 3 online application by June 30, 2016 may result in the withholding and/or exclusion from FY 2017 UPK grant funds.

2. Programs that have a Granted Level 3 online application (as of March 30, 2015) will be required to, at a minimum, maintain a Granted Level 3 status throughout the duration of the grant cycle.[footnoteRef:12] [12: A program's failure to maintain a Granted Level 3 online application throughout the duration of the grant cycle may result in the withholding, reduction and/or exclusion from FY 2017 UPK grant funds.

3. Programs that have a Granted Level 4 online application (as of March 30, 2015) will be required to maintain a Granted Level 4 status throughout the duration of the grant cycle.[footnoteRef:13] [13: A program's failure to maintain a Granted Level 4 online application throughout the duration of the grant cycle may result in the withholding, reduction and/or exclusion from FY 2017 UPK grant funds.

B. Programs must ensure that all of the required measurement tools are completed and all of the required documentation is attached to their online applications in EEC's QPM for Level 3 or higher.

C. Programs must agree to allow EEC's Program Quality Specialists to conduct technical assistance site visits to review documentation and to conduct environment rating assessment observations per the requirements of Level 3 in QRIS.

D. Programs must agree to allow an outside reliable rater to conduct an on-site environment rating assessment of the program by use of the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scales, Revised Edition (ECERS-R) or the Family Child Care Environment Rating Scales, Revised Edition (FCCERS-R) per the requirements of Level 4 in QRIS.

II. Developmentally Appropriate Programming:

Programs must ensure that educators are providing developmentally appropriate experiences and practices as evidenced by use of the following:

A. Massachusetts Preschool Early Learning Guidelines;

B. Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks for Preschool and Kindergarten;

C. Early Childhood Program Standards for Three and Four Year Olds;

D. Pre-K Science and Technology/Engineering Standards;

E. WIDA’s Early English Language Development (E-ELD) Standards: Massachusetts Guidelines to Serve Dual Language Learners;

F. Massachusetts Social-Emotional Learning Standards (when available); and G. One of the three EEC-approved formative assessment tools.

III. Communities of Practice:

A. Programs must ensure that they are actively participating on EEC’s QRIS Online Learning Community.[footnoteRef:14] [14: The QRIS Online Learning Community may be found at the following link: http://qriscommunity.org/.

B. Programs must ensure that they are willing to provide best practices advice/support to those early education and care programs that might need guidance which are located within their respective communities.

IV. Professional Qualifications (PQ) Registry:

Programs must ensure that all program staff, along with their respective titles, are registered in EEC's PQ Registry and are linked to their program. Programs must ensure that no staff members are in an "expired" status. All staff members must have "Active" PQ Registry IDs.

V. Student Formative Assessment Reporting:

A. Programs must ensure that preschool teachers have received training on formative assessment and authentic observation and documentation.

B. Programs must ensure that formative assessment data is collected for all of the developmental domains and entered for each child participating in the designated UPK classroom(s) per the deadlines articulated in the Reporting Section of the Grant Application.[footnoteRef:15] [15: Teaching Strategies GOLD® addresses the following developmental domains: (1) Social-Emotional, (2) Physical, (3) Language, (4) Cognition, (5) Literacy, (6) Mathematics, (7) Science and Technology, (8) Social Studies, (9) the Arts, and (10) English Language Acquisition. Work Sampling System® addresses the following developmental domains: (1) Social and Emotional Development (self concept, self control, cooperation, social relationships, and knowledge of families and communities), (2) Approaches to Learning (initiative and curiosity, engagement and persistence, and reasoning and problem-solving), (3) Language Development (listening and understanding and speaking and communicating), (4) Literacy (book knowledge and appreciation, print and alphabet awareness, early writing, patterns, and measurement), (5) Mathematics (problem-solving, number and operations, and Geometry and spatial awareness), (6) Science (scientific skills and methods and scientific knowledge), (7) Creative Arts (music, art, movement, dramatic play, and appreciation), and (8) Physical Health and Development (gross motor skills). High Scope Preschool Child Observation Record addresses the following developmental domains: (1) Initiative; (2) Social Relations; (3) Creative Representation; (4) Movement and Music; (5) Language and Literacy; and (6) Mathematics and Science. ]

C. If programs do not currently have the capacity to enter formative assessment data electronically, FY 2016 funds must be prioritized for this purpose. The electronic component of the assessment systems involves purchasing, receiving training in, and implementing one of the following: Teaching Strategies GOLD®, Work Sampling System®, or High Scope Preschool Child Observation Record.

VI. Student/Classroom Information Reporting:

A. Programs must provide EEC with information as to the total number of high needs children participating in the designated UPK classroom(s) per the requirements articulated in the Reporting Section of this Grant Application.

B. Programs must provide EEC with the demographic information for each student participating in the designated UPK classroom(s) per the requirements articulated in the Reporting Section of this Grant Application.

VII. Competitive Compensation Packages for Preschool Educators:

Programs must ensure that preschool educators receive competitive compensation packages as demonstrated by any five (5) of the following:

A. Written salary scale that reflects education and experience;

B. Annual salary increases;

C. Compensation plan that provides for merit increases in addition to annual salary increases;

D. Health insurance benefits;

E. Paid sick/personal days;

F. Paid vacation days;

G. Contribution to retirement plans;

H. Reimbursement for professional development; and/or I. Tuition reimbursement.

VIII. Brain Building in Progress:

Programs must ensure that they incorporate the approved tagline for the Brain Building in Progress communications initiative on appropriate marketing and communications materials and resources that are funded in whole or part through this grant. These materials and resources may include, but are not limited to, the following: marketing products (e.g., flyers, brochures, pamphlets); professional development products printed by the grantees (e.g., books/booklets, guides, course readers); websites; and other products as determined by EEC.

A. EEC has developed a two-page document that describes the Brain Building in Progress initiative, and launched a campaign website at www.brainbuildinginprogress.org. The Brain Building in Progress website promotes programs, activities, and sites where early education innovation is happening and will offer individuals, families, community organizations, policy makers, and business leaders tangible ways they can get involved and take action. Grantees should refer to the website and two-page document for background information on the Brain Building in Progress initiative. EEC has also developed the following logo for the Brain Building in Progress initiative:

B. Whenever possible and appropriate, grantees should post the Brain Building in Progress website (www.brainbuildinginprogress.org) on their websites and if the grantee belongs to any coalitions, request that the Brain Building in Progress website be posted on the coalition members’ websites. Grantees should also include the Brain Building in Progress logo in their organizations’ newsletters along with a brief description of the initiative. Grantees should also consider creating an enlarged copy of the Brain Building in Progress logo and posting it in their administrative offices/sites for viewing. The Brain Building in Progress logo and background document is available for downloading at http://www.eec.state.ma.us/BBIPmaterials.aspx.

Anticipated Expenditures, Funding or Compensation:

Funding:

EEC estimates that approximately $6,300,000 will be available for funding this open competitive grant in FY 2016. Funding is subject to State and Federal budget allotment and appropriation. Should additional funds become available, EEC reserves the right to make additional awards based on the responses received, the needs of the Commonwealth, identified professional development needs, if applicable, and/or best value to the Commonwealth. EEC reserves the right to reallocate funding to existing grantees in the event one or more grant is terminated or ended prior to the grant term. EEC also reserves the right, in the event additional funding becomes available, to add additional required services and/or extend the existing services.

Funding determinations will be based upon three components:

1. QRIS Level:[footnoteRef:16] [16: As of March 30, 2015.

a. $10,000 per classroom for those programs that have a Level 2 QRIS rating AND a self-assessed, final submitted Level 3 online application;

b. $15,000 per classroom for those programs that have a Granted Level 3 online application; and

c. $20,000 per classroom for those programs that have a Granted Level 4 online application.

2. Number of Preschool Children in the Identified Classroom(s):[footnoteRef:17] [17: As reported in the FY 2016 UPK Site Survey.

a. Programs with five (5) or more preschool children in the identified classroom(s) will be eligible to receive 100% of the per classroom rate.

b. Programs with less than five (5) preschool children in the identified classroom(s) will be eligible to receive 60% of the per classroom rate.

3. Annual Operating Hours:[footnoteRef:18] [18: As reported in the FY 2016 UPK Site Survey.

a. Programs that provide full-day, full-year services will be eligible to receive 100% of the grant award amount.[footnoteRef:19] [19: Full-day, full-year programs are defined as operating for at least 231 days and 2,079 hours per year.

b. Programs that provide less than full-day, full-year services will be eligible to receive award amounts that are proportionate to the number of hours of operation per year. Classrooms/family child care homes operating for:

· Three-quarters time care (1,560 through 2,078 hours per year) will receive 75% of the grant award;

· Part-time care (1,080 through 1,559 hours) per year will receive 60% of the grant award; and

· Less than part-time care (less than 1,080 hours per year) will receive 50% of the grant award.

Please note that UPK grants are awarded to specific family child care educators and classrooms within child care centers and are not transferable to other sites or facilities. Grant recipients are prohibited from transferring funds to a different center or program if, for example, the funded site closes, changes affiliation, or is no longer eligible for funds. If a center or educator moves to a new location and the UPK classroom remains intact, EEC may allow funding to be transferred to the new location. No grant funds shall be transferred without the express written approval of EEC.

Funding Use:

Funds associated with this grant must be used to support the UPK grant objectives, goals and priorities. EEC reserves the right to approve, deny or request modifications on planned fund use.

Please note that programs have the opportunity to submit questions to EEC prior to the submission date of the grant. Programs are encouraged to use this Question and Answer opportunity to ask for clarification if they are uncertain whether expenditures are allowable. Programs that do not submit complete applications or request fund use for non-approvable expenditures may be subject to not having their grant awarded and/or awarded funding reduced.

Please see Appendix D: FY 2016 Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) Grant (Fund Code 511) Budget Guidelines for specifics on allowable and unallowable fund use.

Allowable Fund Use:

· Administrators: A person who supervises or is in charge of an activity, department, or organization. This person may coordinate the activities and functions of a designated project to ensure that goals and objectives specified for the project are accomplished.

· Supervisor/Director

· Project Coordinator

· Stipends

· Other

· Instructional/Professional Staff: Professional staff that are qualified to provide either instructional or direct services, based on education/training and experience.

· Advisor - may be a content expert in a particular field; and be involved with the program in such a way that he/she can mentor or guide. Examples include guidance on:

· Program quality and evaluation measures (QRIS, NAEYC, NEASC, NAFCC, etc.)

· Formative assessment (Teaching Strategies GOLD®, Work Sampling System®, High Scope Child Observation Record)

· Screening (Ages and Stages Questionnaire)

· Curriculum development

· Supporting the diverse learning needs of preschool children

· Family engagement

· Transition to Kindergarten

· Clinician

· Coordinator

· Educator/Instructor

· Home Visitor

· Specialist

· Stipend

· Other

· Support Staff: Paraprofessional, clerical, or non-professional staff that either provide non-instructional services or support services.

· Aide/Paraprofessional

· Secretary/Bookkeeper

· Stipend

· Other

· Fringe Benefits: Fringe benefits are allowances and services by employers to their employees as compensation in addition to regular salaries and wages. Fringe benefits include Federal Tax, State Tax, FICA, Mass Unemployment, Health Insurance, Worker's Compensation, Medicare, SUTA, Other Retirement Systems, Other Fringe costs, as applicable.

· Direct

· Admin

· Contractual Services: Funds to pay to another individual to carry out a single purpose or specific service to meet the objectives of the grant at a specific rate per Hour/Day/Week/Year/Flat. Details regarding the # of Hours/Days/Weeks/Year/Flat should be outlined when requesting these funds.

· Advisor - may be a content expert in a particular field; and be involved with the program in such a way that he/she can mentor or guide. Examples include guidance on:

· Program quality and evaluation measures (QRIS, NAEYC, NEASC, NAFCC, etc.)

· Formative assessment (Teaching Strategies GOLD®, Work Sampling System®, High Scope Child Observation Record)

· Screening (Ages and Stages Questionnaire)

· Curriculum development

· Supporting the diverse learning needs of preschool children

· Family engagement

· Transition to Kindergarten

· Clinician

· Consultant - may provide expert advice professionally to programs. Examples include advice on:

· Program quality and evaluation measures (QRIS, NAEYC, NEASC, NAFCC, etc.)

· Formative assessment (Teaching Strategies GOLD®, Work Sampling System®, High Scope Child Observation Record)

· Screening (Ages and Stages Questionnaire)

· Curriculum development

· Supporting the diverse learning needs of preschool children

· Family engagement

· Transition to Kindergarten

· Educator/Instructor

· Home Visitor

· Specialist

· Speaker

· Substitute

· Speaker

· Stipend

· Other

· Supplies & Materials: Supplies that will be used to carry out the required services of the grant. These supplies and materials are items costing less than $5,000 per unit or having a useful life of less than a year. These include instructional materials to implement parent and/or parent/child educational activities and non-instructional supplies.

· Educational & Instructional Materials

· Curriculum Materials

· High Quality Children's Books

· Child Development Resources

· Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Materials

· Handouts

· Art Supplies

· Play & Learn Group Supplies (e.g., construction paper, glue sticks, craft supplies, etc.)

· Instructional Technology

· Formative Assessment Licenses

· Laptops (price not to exceed $1000.00 per laptop)

· Tablets (price not to exceed $600.00 per tablet)

· Instructional "Apps" for Tablets

· Educational Software

· Non-Instructional Materials

· Accessories for Laptops/Tablets (e.g., desktop printers, protective cases, cables, etc.)

· Office, Printing and Cleaning Supplies

· Travel: Travel expenses for program administrators, program coordinators, and professional staff for in-state travel costs required to implement grant specific activities (e.g., mileage).

· Administrators (Supervisory Staff)

· Instructional Staff

· Other

· Other Costs: This sub-line is used to indicate costs associated with a variety of activities outlined in the application instructions.

· Advertising

· Equipment Rental

· Maintenance/Repairs

· Memberships and Subscriptions

· Costs of membership in civic, business, technical, and professional organizations are reimbursable provided that: (a) the benefit from the membership is related to the project, (b) the expenditure is for agency - and not individual - membership, and (c) the cost of the membership is reasonably related to the value received (e.g., NAEYC, NEASC, NAFCC).

· Printing/Reproduction

· Note that photocopying costs belong under printing/reproduction in this line; while amounts budgeted to purchase paper for the photocopier would be listed under Supplies. The lease of a photocopying machine would be listed under Equipment Rental in this line, while the purchase of such a machine would be listed under Equipment, depending on the cost.

· Staff Training

· Please include staff training under Capacity Building: Professional Development

· Rental of Space

· Telephone/Utilities

· Direct Service Transportation

· Other

· Food: The purchase of food needs to be connected to the UPK Grant priorities that address: (1) enhancing current or providing new family engagement activities or (2) enhancing current or providing new transitional supports to children moving to/from other programs or to kindergarten. Also, the purchase of food should be limited to parents and children and not be used for staff or stakeholder meetings.

· Enrichment Activities: Requests for funds to support enrichment activities need to be connected to the UPK Grant priorities and required grant services.

· Capacity Building: For the purposes of this grant application, capacity building is defined as the acquisition of skills and knowledge for staff development in order to enhance their capacity to implement the requirements of the UPK grant.

· Professional Development[footnoteRef:20] [20: Professional development is for on-site training provided to programs and educators in the context of supporting UPK grant priorities and required services. These professional development sessions cannot be the only consultation service received. Other programs and providers can be considered for inclusion in this professional development opportunity to ensure maximum resources for professional development purposes.

· Application Fees

· College Courses

· CEU Courses

· Other

· Indirect Cost: Indirect Costs are costs incurred for common objectives that benefit multiple programs administered by the grantee organization, or the organization as a whole, and as such are not readily assignable to a particular program funding stream.

· Indirect Costs are part of the expenses allocated to administrative funds.

· Under no circumstances can the use of the indirect cost rate exceed the amount of funds (10% of the total grant) allocated to administrative purposes.

· A grantee can use an indirect cost rate ONLY IF it submits documentation stating the approved rate on letterhead from the approving agency. The Indirect Cost Rate Letter (Federal) is usually from Health and Human Services.

· Public Schools do not need an Indirect Cost Rate approval letter. Their rate is provided by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

· Applicants must write their actual approved Indirect Cost Rate in Indirect Cost Rate box in the Online Application.

· In the absence of having an approval letter, applicants must submit a detailed Admin budget.

· Equipment: Tangible nonexpendable personal property including exempt property charged directly to the award having a useful life of more than one year and an acquisition cost of $5000 or more per unit.[footnoteRef:21] [21: Equipment must be itemized with a brief statement noting the need for the item(s). All indoor and outdoor equipment purchased must be easily moveable. Classroom materials purchased with UPK funds must enhance the educational experience of the children and should not be used to purchase or replace materials used for the basic operation of the classroom/family child care home or outdoor areas (e.g., shelves, nap mats, cubbies, tables, chairs, storage units, copy machines, portable shade coverings, mulch, etc.).]

· Instructional

· Non-Instructional

· Other

· Subcontractors: Funds paid out to another program or agency to carry out an entire part (sub-part) of the grant.

· All subcontractors and partners performing services on behalf of the applicant to meet the required services of this grant proposal must be approved by EEC.

· If an applicant proposes subcontracting some of its required services, the applicant must submit the proposed subcontracted services from each subcontractor and other partners as part of its grant application response.

All Administration Costs for the Lead agency and Subcontractors (if applicable) cannot exceed 10% of the grant requested amount.

· Fiscal administration and oversight costs: For the purposes of this grant application, Grants Administration expenses are defined as the following:

· Supervisor/Director salary/wages

· Secretary/Bookkeeper salary/wages

· Stipends for Supervisor/Director and/or Secretary/Bookkeeper

· Fringe Benefits for Supervisor/Director and/or Secretary/Bookkeeper

· Other Costs

· Equipment Rental

· Printing/Reproduction

· Rental Space (non-direct, office space)

· Telephone/Utilities (non-direct, administrative, Internet, and Wi-Fi)

· Indirect Costs

· Non-Instructional Equipment

Unallowable Fund Use:

· Costs that supplant federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): Early Childhood Programs (Section 619) funding or federal Head Start funding.

· Out-of-State Travel

· Lobbying Expenses: Grant funds shall not be used to cover costs incurred by employees, lobbyists, or consultants to influence any local, state or federal legislation or policy in either the Legislative or Executive branch.

· Capital Items: A capital item is: (a) an asset or group of assets of nonexpendable personal property having a useful life of more than one year and an acquisition cost which equals or exceeds the capitalization level established and certified by the Grantee in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for financial statement purposes or (b) a repair, betterment or improvement or a group of repairs, betterments or improvements of non-movable assets which costs more than $500 in aggregate and which adds to the permanent value of an asset or prolongs its useful life for more than one year.[footnoteRef:22] [22: Examples include the following: the installation of in-wall wiring for computer networks, the installation of security/intercom systems, shade coverings, playground structures, sheds, classroom shelving units, carpeting, remodeling, etc.

· The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) has informed EEC that early education and care programs that receive funds through the FY 2016 UPK Grant may not use those funds toward their federal Head Start match requirements. EEC uses 100% of the UPK state appropriation for Commonwealth federal match requirements, thus precluding other entities from using the same money for federal match and/or maintenance of effort requirements. Please note that this preclusion also includes recipients of funding from any other EEC appropriation other than the Head Start Grant, Line Item 3000-5000.

Additional Stipulations:

· Lead agencies with multiple UPK sites and family child care systems must communicate and consult with individual sites and family child care educators about the plan for UPK funds during the grant application process and throughout the grant period. UPK funds may not be used to benefit other sites within the same lead agency with the exception of certain agency and/or community-wide professional development opportunities when there is minimal or no additional cost to doing so.

· Funding must directly benefit and target the children in the UPK classrooms/family child care homes.

· Funded activities should support the diverse learning needs of all children, including high needs children, children with special needs, challenging behaviors and dual language learners.

· Family child care systems receiving funds for designated UPK family child care grantees must pass through at least 75% of their total UPK grant directly to the participating educators.

· For the purposes of this grant, the term “pass through” means that educators will receive the funds directly through stipends or direct payments and decide how to spend these funds, with support from system staff, to improve the quality of their programs. Individual family child care educator budgets must detail how funds will be spent on quality improvement activities.

Reporting:

Programs must participate in EEC data collection and evaluation activities and must complete all reports by the following deadlines:

· Fall Reporting Deadline: December 31, 2015

· Spring Reporting Deadline: June 30, 2016

UPK Classroom Reporting:

Programs will be required to complete the section of the UPK Site Survey that addresses the following classroom information:

· The total number of children in the classroom;

· The total number of preschool-aged children in the classroom;

· The total number of preschool-aged children who are high needs;

· The total number of preschool-aged children who are dual language learners;

· The total number of preschool-aged children who are of Hispanic or Latino origin;

· The total number of preschool-aged children who are of non-Hispanic or non-Latino origin;

· The total number of preschool-aged children who are American Indian or Alaska Native;

· The total number of preschool-aged children who are Asian;

· The total number of preschool-aged children who are Black or African American;

· The total number of preschool-aged children who are Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander;

· The total number of preschool-aged children who are White;

· The total number of preschool-aged children who are Biracial/Multi-racial;

· The total number of preschool-aged children who are Other Race; and

· The total number of preschool-aged children who are Unspecified Race.

Continuous UPK Classroom Reporting:

Programs will be required to update the UPK Classroom Information page(s) in the UPK Site Survey twice per year as part of the reporting requirements:

· Fall Reporting Deadline: December 31, 2015

· Spring Reporting Deadline: June 30, 2016

Please note that EEC reserves the right to withhold third and fourth quarter grant payments to programs until FY 2016 Fall data reports are submitted to EEC.

Formative Assessment Data Reporting:

Programs will be required to collect and enter the formative assessment data for all of the developmental domains for each child participating in the designated UPK classroom(s). EEC will monitor the formative assessment data collected by programs twice per year via reviews of aggregate classroom reports to ensure that programs are regularly assessing children and entering the data. EEC will not examine individual child data or use this information to assess the strengths or weaknesses of individual programs. Assessment data reporting deadlines for FY 2016 are as follows:

· Fall Reporting Deadline: December 31, 2015 (for data collected between July 1 and December 31, 2015).

· Spring Reporting Deadline: June 30, 2016 (for data collected between January 1 and June 30, 2016).

EEC reserves the right to withhold third and fourth quarter grant payments to programs until FY 2016 Fall data reports are submitted to EEC.

Please note that EEC may require additional data beyond that specified above. EEC reserves the right to add and/or modify the data elements required for reporting, as needed.

Evaluation Criteria:

EEC will score proposals, in part, according to the general evaluation and rating criteria shown below. EEC reserves the right to develop specific evaluation and rating criteria for each grant application to be used by evaluators reviewing grant applications. Scores will be used to assess the strength of proposals received and to determine whether a performance/monitoring plan should be developed and implemented for a grantee. EEC reserves the right to alter the amount of funding, available to or awarded to a grantee based on the grantee’s score.

In determining whether to award a grant, EEC may consider a number of relevant factors including but not limited to: the respondent’s proposal score, the respondent’s experience in providing the relevant services, the respondent’s or proposed subcontractor’s qualifications, the respondent’s proposed outline for completing the required services, if applicable, the cost of services as outlined in the respondent’s proposed budget detail and expenditure description, the respondent’s contracting/grant history with the Commonwealth, the respondent’s compliance with reporting requirements, and/or best value to the Commonwealth.

EEC has included the general evaluation and rating criteria (shown below) to guide the applicant in completing the grant application. This rubric provides the general criteria for all grant questions. EEC reserves the right to develop specific rating criteria for particular grants which will be used by reviewers as part of the evaluation process.

Please note the following:

1. In general, applications received after the deadline will not be reviewed or considered for funding. EEC reserves the right to review and/or fund an application submitted after the deadline where an emergency situation caused or contributed to the late submission.

1. EEC reserves the right to request (1) additional information regarding any responses/applications received or (2) revisions to responses/applications. EEC shall have the right to specify the amount of time for submission of such additional information/revisions. EEC shall have the right to disqualify responses where such information and/or revisions are not submitted within the timeframe specified by EEC.

1. EEC reserves the right to interview respondents as part of the application and evaluation process.

The following scoring rubric is a guide for awarding points for each of the four (4) Narrative Questions. Please note: EEC reserves the right to develop evaluation and rating criteria that is specific to a particular grant. In such cases, EEC will provide reviewers with tailored rating criterion.

The following scoring rubric is a guide for awarding points for the Budget and Budget Narrative. Please note: EEC reserves the right to develop rating criteria that is specific to a particular grant. In such cases, EEC will provide reviewers with tailored rating criterion.