oppHE1254-18-R-9999-cfda12.556-instructions.pdf

Grants to Military-Connected Local Educational Agencies for Academic and Support Programs (Short Title: MCASP)

Broad Agency Announcement and

Application Guidelines

CFDA: 12.556

Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA)

Education Partnership and Resource Branch

Deadline for Receipt of Proposals:

Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Promoting K-12 Student Achievement at Military-Connected Schools Discretionary Grant Program, Notice Inviting Applications for Fiscal Year (FY) 2018

DoDEA FY2018 MCASP Grants Broad Agency Announcement Page 2 of 34

BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT (BAA)

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 12.556

Dates:

March 14, 2018 Applications Available (Grants.gov)

March 28, 2018 General Technical Assistance Webinar (live)

April 11, 2018 Goal and Strategy Technical Assistance Webinar (pre-recorded)

May 2, 2018 Deadline for Transmittal of Applications

By Sept 30, 2018 Grants Awarded

Executive Summary The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) is accepting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2018 Grants to Military-Connected Local Educational Agencies for Academic and Support Programs (MCASP) as detailed in Figure 1. The DoDEA Education Partnership and Resource Branch, which executes grants to MCASP, provide resources to military-connected school districts to fund innovative solutions to meet the academic needs of the highly mobile military-connected students in their community. The FY 2018 grants to MCASP are approximately 54-month grants that aim to equip local educational agencies (LEAs) with resources necessary to successfully build and/or expand STEM programming (as defined in section VII).

Figure 1. Overview of DoDEA FY18 Grants to MCASP Funding Opportunity Title Grants to MCASP

Due Date for Applications Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Anticipated Total Available Funding $30 Million

Estimated Number of Awards 30

Award Amount Per LEA $250,000 - $1,250,000 (See Funding Formula)

Project Period 54 months (4.5 years)

Eligible Applicants 15 percent or greater military-connected student enrollment in all participating schools.

Technical Assistance Webinars March 28, 2018 and April 11, 2018

Contact Information DoDEA Grant Program Office grants@hq.DoDEA.edu 571-372-6026 mailto:grants@hq.dodea.edu

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Table of Contents

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

a. Program Objective (4)

b. Program Priorities (4)

c. Program Authority (4)

II. AWARD INFORMATION

a. Funding Availability (4)

b. Project/ Award period of performance (5)

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

a. Eligible Applicants (5)

b. Costing Sharing or Matching Requirements (6)

c. Other Criteria that Affects Eligibility (6)

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

a. Applications Packages submission (6)

b. Content and Form of Application (8)

c. Unique Entity Identifier/ System for Award Management (SAM) (10)

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

a. Evaluation Criteria Project Narrative Sections Section I: Overview Materials (10) Section II: Needs Assessment (11) Section III: Project goal (12) Section IV: Project planning (13) Section V: Project implementation years (15) Section VI: Project Leadership (17) Section VII: Project evaluation (18) Section VIII: Budget narrative and sustainability (19)

b. Review and Selection Process (20)

VI. AWARD ADMINSTRATION INFORMATION

a. Technical Assistance (23)

b. Award Notification (23)

c. Administrative and National Policy Requirements (23)

d. Reporting (23)

VII. AGENCY CONTACTS

VIII. OTHER INFORMATION

a. Definitions (24)

b. Appendices (25)

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FULL ANNOUNCEMENT TEXT

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Program Objective: To advance to new levels of excellence, DoDEA’s top priority for all military-connected students is to be College and Career Ready (CCR). DoDEA is committed to ensuring that all military-connected students have access to successfully meet the high demands of today’s colleges, careers, and citizenship responsibilities. Through MCASP, DoDEA collaborates with military-connected LEAs to ensure that students receive the level of preparation required to successfully transition to a (1) postsecondary institution offering a degree or certification program, or (2) sustaining career. According to the Committee on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Education of the National Science and Technology Council, it is critical to our national security that our students spark interest in critical and fast-growing careers in STEM and our PreK-12 education system is poised to increase and sustain student engagement in STEM1. Therefore, FY 2018 MCASP grants are approximately 54-month awards aimed to equip LEAs with CCR resources necessary to successfully build and/or expand their STEM programming (as defined in section VII).

B. Program Priorities: Beginning in Pre-K and continuing through grade 12, CCR-STEM prepare students with the knowledge, skills and dispositions necessary for successful postsecondary engagement leading to STEM career fields. CCR-STEM student-centered goals focus on achievement results aligned with college and work expectations and are benchmarked nationally and/or internationally with the broader goal of producing an advanced national workforce to stabilize our Nation's economy.

Implementing rigorous STEM standards across LEAs is an important part of preparing more students for STEM college courses and careers.

C. Program Authority: Authority for MCASP is provided by the following: Section 574 (d) of P.L.

109-364; Title 10 U.S.C. Section 2192(b) and Title 10 U.S.C. Section 2193a.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. Funding Availability: DoDEA anticipates that approximately $30,000,000 will be available in FY 2018 for this announcement. Proposed projects will be 54 months in duration and the total federal amount requested from DoDEA for each project must be no less than $250,000 and no more than $1,250,000 for all years of the project, including direct and indirect costs. Please note that applicants are required to use the first year of their award as a planning year. During this year, such activities as refining project and evaluation plans, providing professional learning, securing necessary resources, and hiring or revising staff positions should occur. Any project requesting total federal support from DoDEA of less than $250,000 or more than $1,250,000 total for all years will not be considered for funding. It is anticipated that awards funded under this announcement and selected this fiscal year will be made by September 30, 2018.

The amount of funding available through this announcement will be dependent upon final FY 2018 budgetary decisions. Publication of this notice does not obligate DoDEA to award any specific project or

1 https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/ostp/Federal_STEM_Strategic_Plan.pdf https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/ostp/Federal_STEM_Strategic_Plan.pdf

DoDEA FY2018 MCASP Grants Broad Agency Announcement Page 5 of 34 to obligate any available funds. If an applicant incurs any costs prior to receiving an award agreement from the authorized DoDEA Grants Officer or DoDEA Grant Program Manager, the applicant does so solely at his/her own risk of such costs not being included under the award. Pre-award costs are not allowed under the award unless approved by the DoDEA Grants Officer in accordance with 2 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) §200.308(d) and §200.407.

All participating schools must have 15 percent or greater military-connected student enrollment for school year (SY) 2017-18. The enrollment numbers should be verifiable from the districts U.S.

Department of Education Impact Aid totals and/or the State Military Student Identifier data. Figure 2 outlines the funding formula for this opportunity which is based ONLY on the total number of military-connected students at eligible school(s).

Figure 2. DoDEA FY18 MCASP Grant Funding Formula

Number of Military-Connected Students at Target School(s)

Award Amount (Total for 5 years)

300 or fewer $250,000.00 301 - 750 $500,000.00

751 – 1,000 $750,000.00 1,001 – 1,250 $1,000,000.00 1,251 or greater $1,250,000.00

B. Project/Award Period: Applications must cover a project period of 54 months to be eligible for merit review. Start dates may vary depending on the date of the official award letter is signed. Applicants selected to receive funding may be asked to modify the project start date.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants for this funding opportunity are limited to PK-12 public LEAs in the United States. For-profit organizations, foreign institutions, and individuals are not eligible to apply. Likewise, federal agencies or current federal employees are not eligible to receive federal assistance under this announcement but may be project partners. Current DoDEA grant recipients are eligible to apply. Awards will be made to LEAs on behalf of their eligible school(s).

Although funding is contingent upon military-connected student enrollment, it is expected that the proposed projects may serve all students at the target schools. LEAs may submit only one application on behalf of its eligible school(s). The following three caveats should be noted:

• Projects must focus primarily on military-connected students and include impacts that are demonstrable and measurable.

• If subgroups are targeted (e.g. females in STEM, and/or students with disabilities), program impact on military-connected student subgroups must be demonstrable and measurable.

• Districts must be able to disaggregate military-connected student data.

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Competitive Preference Priorities (10 additional points possible): This competition includes up to two

(2) priorities areas for applicants to earn additional points.

• New applicants: Applicants may receive 6 additional points if the LEA has never previously received a DoDEA grant award.

• High military-connected student enrollment: Applicants who include at least one participating school with 80 percent or more military-connected student enrollment may receive 4 additional points.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching Information: There is no cost share requirement; however, cost sharing is encouraged.

C. Other Criteria that Affect Eligibility: Applications that are lacking any of the required elements or do not complete the forms as prescribed in Section IV(B)(1)(2)(3) of this BAA will not be considered.

All applications must be submitted through Grants.gov. Emailed, faxed, or mailed application will NOT be accepted.

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Application Package Submission: Applications can only be submitted through Grants.gov. Below is an overview of applying on Grants.gov. For access to complete instructions on how to apply for opportunities, refer to: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html

To Register to Apply through Grants.gov, applicants should read the registration instructions carefully and prepare the information requested before beginning the registration process. Reviewing and assembling the required information before beginning the registration process will alleviate last-minute searches for required information. The registration process can take up to four weeks to complete. Therefore, registration should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact your ability to meet required application submission deadlines. Organization applicants can find complete instructions here: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html

Obtain a DUNS Number: All entities applying for funding, including renewal funding, must have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number from Dun & Bradstreet (D&B). Applicants must enter the DUNS number in the data entry field labeled "Organizational DUNS" on the SF-424 form.

For more detailed instructions for obtaining a DUNS number, refer to: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html

Register with SAM: In addition to having a DUNS number, organizations applying online through Grants.gov must register with the System for Award Management (SAM). All organizations must register with SAM in order to apply online. For more detailed instructions for registering with SAM, refer to: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html

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How to Submit an Application to DoDEA via Grants.gov Grants.gov applicants can apply online using Workspace. Workspace is a shared, online environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different webforms within an application. For each funding opportunity announcement, you can create individual instances of a workspace.

a. Create a Workspace: Creating a workspace allows you to complete it online and route it through your organization for review before submitting.

b. Complete a Workspace: Add participants to the workspace, complete all the required forms, and check for errors before submission.

c. Submit a Workspace: An application may be submitted through workspace by clicking the Sign and Submit button on the Manage Workspace page, under the Forms tab. Grants.gov recommends submitting your application package at least 48-72 hours prior to the close date to provide you with time to correct any potential technical issues that may disrupt the application submission.

d. Track a Workspace: After successfully submitting a workspace package, a Grants.gov Tracking Number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) is automatically assigned to the package. The number will be listed on the Confirmation page that is generated after submission.

For additional training resources, including video tutorials, refer to: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html

Applicant Support: Grants.gov provides applicants 24/7 support via the toll-free number 1-800-518-4726 and email at support@grants.gov. If you are experiencing difficulties with your submission, it is best to call the Grants.gov Support Center and get a ticket number. (DoDEA grant staff is unable to provide Grants.gov technical support.) It is encouraged for LEAs to sign up for email notifications to receive alert regarding any changes to this announcement.

All applications must be received by 11:59 PM Eastern time on Wednesday, May 2, 2018. Proof of timely submission is automatically recorded by Grants.gov. An electronic date/time stamp is generated within the system when the application is successfully received by Grants.gov. The applicant Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) will receive an acknowledgement of receipt and a tracking number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) from Grants.gov with the successful transmission of their application. Applicant AORs will also receive the official date/time stamp and Grants.gov Tracking number in an email serving as proof of their timely submission. When DoDEA successfully retrieves the application from Grants.gov, and acknowledges the download of submissions, Grants.gov will provide an electronic acknowledgment of receipt of the application to the email address of the applicant with the AOR role. Again, proof of timely submission shall be the official date and time that Grants.gov receives your application. Applicants using slow internet, such as dial-up connections, should be aware that transmission can take some time before Grants.gov receives your application. Do not wait until the deadline to apply – please apply early as late submissions will not be accepted! Again, Grants.gov will provide either an error or a successfully https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html mailto:support@grants.gov

DoDEA FY2018 MCASP Grants Broad Agency Announcement Page 8 of 34 received transmission in the form of an email sent to the applicant with the AOR role. The Grants.gov Support Center reports that some applicants end the transmission because they think that nothing is occurring during the transmission process. Please be patient and give the system time to process the application.

After the application is submitted through Grants.gov, the AOR will receive two e-mails. It is extremely important that the AOR watch for and save each of the e-mails. The two e-mails are:

First Email – The applicant will receive a confirmation page upon completing the submission to Grants.gov. This confirmation page is a record of the time and date stamp that is used to determine whether the proposal was submitted.

Second Email – The applicant will receive an e-mail indicating that the proposal has been validated by Grants.gov within two days of submission (This means that all of the required fields have been completed). After an institution submits an application, Grants.gov generates a submission receipt via email and also sets the application status to “Received.” This receipt verifies the Application has been successfully delivered to the Grants.gov system. Next, Grants.gov verifies the submission is valid by ensuring it does not contain viruses, the opportunity is still open, and the applicant login and applicant DUNS number match. If the submission is valid, Grants.gov generates a submission validation receipt via email and sets the application status to “Validated.” If the application is not validated, the application status is set to "Rejected." The system sends a rejection email notification to the institution, and the institution must resubmit the application package. Applicants can track the status of their application by logging in to Grants.gov.

B. Content and Form of Application: An application must include all elements (1) through (3) below;

elements (4) through (6) are optional but recommended. Failure to provide this information in the required format and within prescribed page limits may result in the application being excluded from further review.

Any non-requested elements submitted as part of a full application package will be removed from the application prior to merit review.

(1) Required Federal Forms. At the time of application submission, applicants must complete and submit the following forms with signatures of the Authorized Representative of the submitting LEA.

(Note: submission through Grants.gov results in automatic electronic signatures on these forms; however, physical signature is required. Please ensure to upload signed documents to application package. Only the forms that are attached to this specific announcement in Grants.gov are acceptable):

(i) SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance

(ii) SF-424-A, Budget Information, Non-Construction Programs

(iii) SF-424-B, Assurances, Non-Construction Programs

(iv) CD-511, Certifications Regarding Lobbying

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(2) Project Narrative. Applicant’s narrative must include all subsections listed in Section V of this BAA and follow the standards set forth below:

A page is 8.5'' x 11'', one side only, with 1'' margins at the top, bottom, and sides.

Single space all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs.

Use a 12-point font; titles may be larger; charts may use a 10-point font.

Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New, or Arial. Applications submitted in any other font will not be considered.

No longer than 30 pages.

(3) Detail Budget. Provide a detailed budget table that clearly identifies and justifies the cost of separable elements of the proposed work and correlates with the budget narrative and sustainability section written in the project narrative. The detailed budget table must include a detailed year-by-year breakdown by category of cost separated into federal and non-federal categories (if applicable). The detail budget should be sufficiently detailed to enable a clear understanding of the cost breakdown and calculations used to derive the line item subtotals in each object class of the SF-424A budget. The budget should be written with enough detail to allow DoDEA staff and the review panel the ability to evaluate the level of effort proposed by the project. The budget must include all anticipated expenses in order to realistically describe for reviewers what resources will be necessary to carry out the project. DoDEA staff will review budget information in recommended applications to determine if costs are allowable, allocable, and reasonable. (See Section VIII (B) Appendix B for sample Detail Budget Table).

(4) Supporting documents. Supporting documents should include needs assessment data, résumés of key personnel, and a bibliography. Memorandums of understanding/agreements that LEAs have with local partners may be included.

(5) References Cited. If literature references are cited in the project narrative, then a References Cited section should be included. Each reference should include the names of all authors in the same sequence in which they appear in the publication, the article title, publication or publication title, volume number, page numbers, and year of publication. While there is no established page limit, this section must include bibliographic citations only and must not be used to provide substantive information outside the 30-page project narrative.

(6) Letters of Commitment. If substantive partnerships are described in the project narrative, letters of commitment should be provided. Letters of commitment are important for demonstrating the concrete involvement of project partners (including DoD partners) and are reviewed as part of the application. Project partners are strongly encouraged to submit letters of commitment indicating their interest in the topic and format of the proposed project, their willingness to participate in the project, and how the project complements their strategic priorities.

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C. Unique Entity Identifier (DUNS number) and System for Award Management (SAM): To enable the use of a universal identifier and to enhance the quality of information available to the public as required by the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act, 31 USC 6101 Note, any applicant receiving award in response to this announcement will be required to use SAM, which may be accessed online at https://www.sam.gov/. Each applicant is required to: (i) Be registered in SAM before submitting its application; (ii) provide a valid unique entity identifier in its application; and (iii) continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a Federal awarding agency. DoDEA may not make a Federal award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable unique entity identifier and SAM requirements. If an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time the DoDEA is ready to make a Federal award, DoDEA may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a Federal award.

Applicants are also required to use the DUNS, as identified in OMB guidance, 2 CFR Part 25. If your organization does not yet have a DUNS number, or no one knows it, visit the D&B website at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do or call 1-866-705-5711 to register or search for a DUNS number.

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. Evaluation Criteria: Applications are due Wednesday, May 2, 2018 by 11:59 PM (ET). All applications must be submitted electronically via www.grants.gov. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

The Project Narrative, to include all sections, may not exceed 30 pages in length. The Project Narrative must describe, in sufficient detail, how the project will be implemented and address the Evaluation Criteria below.

The Project Narrative will be reviewed and scored according to the quality of the responses to the requirements in the below Sections I-VII. Applicants who have received a previous DoDEA grant will also be reviewed based on their performance history, including compliance with applicable reporting requirements, conformance to the terms and conditions of previous Federal awards, and if applicable, the extent to which any previously awarded amounts will be expended prior to future awards.

Section I: Overview Materials (Materials in this section are required but are not scored) The purpose of this section is to provide needed information on your district, eligible schools, and military-connected students.

Cover page:

The cover page must include all contact information (including mailing address), names of military installations served, focus areas (with subgroups if applicable), enrollment data for eligible schools and the district, and an authorized signature (see Section VIII (B) Appendix A for a template).

Abstract:

An abstract no longer than 150 words is required. The abstract should be a concise overview of the objectives of the project, project activities, location of the project, expected outcome(s), and the https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/ http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do http://www.grants.gov/

DoDEA FY2018 MCASP Grants Broad Agency Announcement Page 11 of 34 proposed rationale/impact for the work. Please note: project abstracts of applications that receive funding may be posted on program-related websites and/or included in notices that DoDEA may send to members of Congress.

Table of Contents:

The project narrative should include an accurate table of contents.

Section II: Needs Assessment (10 points total) A needs assessment determines and presents the needs or “gaps” between the current condition and the desired outcome. A strong needs assessment will provide detailed information, including supporting data, on the current needs of military-connected students as it relates to the proposed STEM project. Data presented must be disaggregated for military-connected students and provide a comparison to the general student population. The needs assessment must also include information on current and past efforts (funded by DoDEA and otherwise) to address any achievement gaps in the proposed STEM focus area.

Finally, this section will present past and current professional learning efforts for staff in the proposed STEM focus area and present staff challenges and needs to be met in order to improve student outcomes in the focus area.

Applicants must demonstrate that they have the capacity to identify, track, and disaggregate data for the (1) military-connected student population, (2) professional learning efforts, and (3) technology, if the project includes a technology component (e.g. adding a Chromebook or iPad initiative, including software licensing).

Reviewers will use the rubric included below to score applications.

• Presents disaggregated data for military-connected students as related to the need (5 points):

o Includes all populations impacted by project (e.g. military-connected students and any relevant subgroups).

o Provides academic achievement data comparison between military-connected students and the general student population (e.g. formative and summative assessments in state, LEA and/or project schools).

o Provides data that support the needs of military-connected students (e.g. data showing military-connected students performing below general student population in grade level, school, LEA, and/or state).

o Provides data directly supporting project goals. (e.g. if project focuses on improving math scores of military-connected students in grades 6-8, data show an achievement need for that student population in math).

o Presents data on technology needs, if applicable Identifies technology needs (e.g. devices, educational software, memberships, subscriptions) relative to the focus area(s).

Explains how technology will address student achievement needs in the focus area(s).

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• Presents information on current and past efforts in direct student services to address the need (2 points):

o Explains how successes or lessons learned from past efforts are incorporated in the new project.

o If applicant has previously received a DoDEA grant, needs assessment includes specific successes and/or challenges from previous grants and lessons learned. (e.g. Did needs change?

Did gap close? What will be repeated? What will be changed?)

o If relevant, explains efforts to increase parental/community involvement (e.g. increase communication, family nights, college fairs, financial aid sessions, apprenticeship programs, internships, collaboration).

• Presents information on district’s past and current staff professional learning efforts (3 points):

o Includes relevant information on past and current professional learning in project focus area(s) and proposed instructional strategies.

o Explains areas of need in professional learning (e.g. additional substitutes, teacher training in

CCR-STEM standards curriculum and instruction, content specialists, coaches, PLCs).

o Includes current challenges in offering professional learning (e.g. administration/teacher buy-in, available planning time, contract hours).

Section III: Project Goals (10 points total) Applicants are permitted to include up to two STEM focused goals. Strategies to support the goals must be direct services to students and selected from the below list. Each goal may not have more than three strategies and should be written as a SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound) goal (see example below). These should be the same goals used in Section VII: Evaluation.

Strategies: (Choose up to three (3) strategies from this list):

• Extracurricular activities (e.g. after school STEM clubs, student STEM-related competitions)

• In-class curriculum and instruction support (e.g. project-based learning, sustaining AP courses, dual enrollment courses)

• In-class technology supports (e.g. electronic white boards, tablets, laptops, educational software, subscriptions)

• Tutoring (e.g. before-/after-school tutoring, during advisory, or Tier III)

• Virtual classes (e.g. completely online virtual classrooms, blended classrooms, flipped classrooms)

SMART Goal Example:

• Increase the percentage of military-connected middle level students in grades 6-8 scoring proficient or above in the SBAC science assessment during the grant cycle.

Reviewers will use the rubric included below to score applications.

• Goals are aligned with the needs identified and focus on military-connected student academic outcomes. (7 points) o Project has no more than two (2) SMART goals that are student-centered.

DoDEA FY2018 MCASP Grants Broad Agency Announcement Page 13 of 34 o Goals clearly align from the needs assessment.

o Each goal focuses on either one grade or school (elementary, middle, secondary) level.

o Each goal focuses on growth over time and should not maintain the status quo.

o Goals reference STEM academic achievement of military-connected students (e.g. state assessments, graduation rate, advanced placement (AP) exams, and college entrance exam scores).

o Outcomes are reasonable based on past performance and information provided in the needs assessment.

o Baseline data is used (or will be used) to determine outcomes.

• Strategies align with the goal and the needs identified. (3 points) o Strategies come from the approved DoDEA list.

o There are no more than three (3) strategies per SMART goal.

o Strategies are aligned to need and relevant to meeting the SMART goal.

Section IV: Project Planning Year (15 points total) In this section, applicants provide information in their narrative (5 points) about how the project director will (1) use the planning year (Year 1) to (1) build strong communication systems so all stakeholders understand the purpose of the project and know how to get involved; (2) involve project school staff in planning; (3) identify key activities to prepare for each strategy’s implementation; (4) provide professional learning to support staff practice in applying strategies with fidelity, and (5) collaborate with the evaluator to plan for an evaluation approach with appropriate tools and measures.

In addition, applicants will fill out the provided template (10 points) to detail planning year activities and timelines. Applicants may add as many rows to the template as they need to address their expected activities. However, applicants may not include more than 2 goals and no more than 3 strategies per goal.

An example of a filled-in Planning Year template is provided in Section VIII (B) Appendix D.

Reviewer Rubric (from the narrative): Overall approach for the planning year, including establishing planning year activity milestones, namely, how the project director will, (5 points):

• Establish a system for regular communication with all stakeholders so they understand the purpose of the project and know how to get involved. This includes the point of contact at each target school and other leadership as necessary.

• Involve staff at each target school in planning STEM instructional strategy implementation in their schools and identifying military- connected students to involve in the project.

• Provide, or arrange for, appropriate professional learning opportunities to prepare staff to implement strategies with fidelity.

• Collaborate with the evaluator to determine a plan for appropriate data collection methods and tools necessary to monitoring and revising implementation as needed.

Reviewer Rubric (from the template): Overall approach for Planning Year strategy preparation and professional learning to prepare staff to implement strategies (10 points):

• Establish a communication plan with materials and timeline.

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• Establish key strategy implementation activities, data collection tools to ensure the activity occurred, and a timeline.

• Establish key professional learning activities that support strategy implementation, data collection tools to ensure the activity occurred with impact, and a timeline.

2018 MCASP DoDEA PLANNING YEAR TEMPLATE District:

Project Name:

Number of Elementary Schools: Number of Military-connected Students:

Number of Middle Schools: Number of Military-connected Students:

Number of High Schools: Number of Military-connected Students:

Number of Other Schools (e.g. K-8, Virtual): Number of Military-connected Students:

Communication Plan (Communicating about the project purpose to and seeking input from such groups as school board, district staff, staff and parents at target schools, military installation, and community stakeholders. Advertising the project to such groups as school board, district staff, staff and parents at target schools, military installation, and community stakeholders at the beginning of the project: e.g. build project website; add project page to district/school website; create Twitter handle and feed;

create district and/or school newsletter; email to parents at involved schools; report to school board; report to business community or chamber of commerce; create announcement flyer in military installation and local libraries.)

Target Audience Type of

Communication First Month of Communication

Frequency of Communication

Role of Responsible Person

Directions for filling in cells (REMOVE DIRECTIONS IN YOUR APPLICATION) Must be from BAA List:

• Extra-curricular

• In-class Support

• Technology

• Tutoring

• Virtual Learning

What activities are needed during the planning year to ensure strategies are implemented with fidelity?

Name a month or range of months when these activities will occur

What type of professional learning is needed during the planning year to ensure staff are ready to implement strategies with fidelity?

Name a month or range of months when these activities will occur

Tool: What tool is needed to ensure strategy is in place?

TBD with Evaluator

Tool: What tool is needed to capture attendance and/or satisfaction? TBD with Evaluator

Goal 1: Improve XXX achievement of YYY level military-connected students as measured by ZZZ during the grant cycle ETAC Strategy Category:

• Extra-curricular

• In-class

Curriculum and Instruction Support

• In-class Technology Support

• Tutoring

• Virtual Learning

Strategy Preparation Activities

Month Professional Learning that Prepares for Strategy Implementation

Month

Tool: TBD with Evaluator

Tool: TBD with Evaluator

Strategy 1 Preparation Activity Professional Learning

Tool: TBD with Evaluator

Tool: TBD with Evaluator

Strategy 2 Preparation Activity Professional Learning Tool: TBD with Evaluator

Tool: TBD with Evaluator

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Strategy 3 Preparation Activity

Professional Learning

Tool: TBD with

Tool: TBD with Evaluator

Goal 2: Improve XXX achievement of YYY level military-connected students as measured by ZZZ during the grant cycle Strategy 1 Preparation Activity Professional Learning

Tool: TBD with Evaluator

Tool: TBD with Evaluator

Strategy 2 Preparation Activity Professional Learning

Tool: TBD with Evaluator

Strategy 3 Preparation Activity

Section V: Project Implementation Years (20 points) Applicants should include a narrative (5 points) explaining how the project director will manage the project during Year 2 (the first year of implementation) through Year 5 (final year of implementation and close out) to ensure that: (1) project school staff continue to be supported when implementing strategies;

(2) strategies are implemented, monitored, and redirected as data dictates, (3) the evaluator receives necessary data to analyze project implementation and outcomes, (4) the barriers to implementation are addressed in a timely manner, and (5) project activities and outcomes are communicated to key stake holders.

Applicants will fill out the provided template (15 points) to detail Year 2 (the first year of implementation) strategies, professional learning activities, and a timeline. Strategies, professional learning activities, and approximate timelines will continue during years 3-5. Applicants may add as many rows to the template as they need to address their expected activities. However, applicants may not include more than 2 goals and no more than 3 strategies per goal. An example of a filled-in Year 2 Implementation template is provided in Section VIII(B) Appendix E.

Reviewer Rubric (from the narrative): Overall approach to Year 2 strategy implementation including establishing Year 2 implementation activities, namely, how the project director will (5 points):

• Communicate with all stakeholders about project implementation progress and student outcomes.

• Use project data to monitor and re-direct project activities as needed.

• Collaborate with outside evaluator to provide strategy and professional learning data the project director collects from each target school.

• Rely on formal and informal networks to implement problem-solving procedures to overcome implementation barriers (e.g. staff buy-in, leadership turnover) in the district and/or at target school.

• Provide, or arrange, ongoing professional learning to staff implementing strategies in target schools.

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Reviewer Rubric (from the template): Overall approach for Year 2 Implementation of strategies and professional learning to support staff who implement strategies (15 points):

• Build on the communication plan established during the planning year to continue information flow and encourage input and involvement from community stakeholders.

• Determine key implementation activities to support each strategy and when activities should be implemented (determining effectiveness of activities will be established AFTER award).

• Maintain appropriate types of professional learning opportunities (e.g. job-embedded coaching, demonstration classroom, coach-supported PLCs, and ongoing sessions from experts) and when they should be implemented (determining effectiveness of different types of professional learning for changing staff practice will be established AFTER award).

2018 MCASP DoDEA IMPLEMENTATION YEAR TEMPLATE District:

Project Name:

Number of Elementary Schools: Number of Military-connected Students:

Number of Middle Schools: Number of Military-connected Students:

Number of High Schools: Number of Military-connected Students:

Number of Other Schools (e.g. K-8, Virtual): Number of Military-connected Students:

Communication Plan (Communicating about the project implementation to and seeking input from such groups as school board, district staff, staff and parents at target schools, military installation, and community stakeholders. Providing updates on the project to such groups as school board, district staff, staff and parents at target schools, military installation, and community stakeholders at the beginning of the project: e.g. maintain project website; regular updates to project page on district/school website; regular information on Twitter feed; regularly distribute district and/or school newsletter; email updates to parents at target schools; provide regular reports to school board, business community or chamber of commerce; distribute activity announcement flyer in military installation and local libraries.)

Target Audience Type of

Communication Description of Communication

Frequency of Communication

Role of Responsible Person

Directions for filling in cells (REMOVE DIRECTIONS IN YOUR APPLICATION) Must be from BAA List:

• Extra-curricular

• In-class

Curriculum and Instruction Support

• In-class Technology Support

• Tutoring

• Virtual Learning

What activities are needed during the implementation year to ensure strategies are implemented with fidelity

Name a month or range of months when these activities will occur

What type of professional learning is needed to ensure staff are implementing strategies with fidelity?

Name a month or range of months when these activities will occur

Tool: What tool is needed to ensure strategy is implemented with fidelity?

TBD with Evaluator

Tool: What tool is needed to capture attendance and/or satisfaction? TBD with Evaluator

Goal 1: Improve XXX achievement of YYY level military-connected students as measured by ZZZ during the grant cycle ETAC Strategy Category:

Strategy Implementation Activities

Month Professional Learning that Sustains Fidelity of Strategy Implementation

Month

TBD with Evaluator TBD with Evaluator

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Strategy 1 Activity Professional Learning

Tool: TBD with Evaluator Tool: TBD with Evaluator Strategy 2 Activity Professional Learning

Strategy 3 Activity Professional Learning

Tool: TBD with Evaluator Tool: TBD with Evaluator

Goal 2: Improve XXX achievement of YYY level military-connected students as measured by ZZZ during the grant cycle Strategy 1 Activity

Strategy 2 Activity

Strategy 3 Activity

Section VI: Project Leadership (15 points) For this section, applicants will describe expectations for the project director and outside evaluator, two key leadership positions for the project. Please note that the project director position is required to be from 50-100 percent FTE. Applicants should also include a statement explaining how the project director and outside evaluator will collaborate to perform evaluation tasks included below.

Reviewers will use the rubric included below to score applications.

Presents Criteria for the Project Director (7 points) Applicants should include a brief statement explaining how the project director will:

• Use background knowledge and experience to direct a project with a STEM focus.

• Address the project barriers and challenges (e.g. poor staff buy-in, school leadership turnover, low band width for technology devices) collaboratively with district and/or school staff.

• Utilize the project plan activities and tools presented in the planning and implementation year templates (Section V) to continually monitor and redirect strategy and professional learning implementation.

• Collaborate with project school leadership(s) and district leadership to command authority to direct the project in target schools.

• Provide the outside evaluator with formative and summative project data to analyze project progress and student outcomes.

• Provide continual and effective communication to all participants and stakeholders, including DoDEA, about the project’s purpose and implementation progress.

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• Append a résumé for the project director that is no more than two pages in length. If the project director is yet to be determined (TBD), applicants should provide a description of the criteria they will use to advertise the position.

Presents Criteria for the Outside Evaluator (6 points) Applicants should include a brief statement demonstrating that the outside evaluator has expertise in:

• Qualitative and quantitative data collection methods and analyses.

• Education, school, and district contexts, in particular the unique needs of military families, DoDEA grant evaluation requirements, and/or STEM.

• Evaluating direct service projects supported by a set of activities and resources to achieve an intended result.

• Evaluating process and summative measures and data to determine whether the intended result was achieved.

• Using a collaborative approach for working with project staff.

• Append a résumé for the outside evaluator that is no more than two pages in length. If the outside evaluator is TBD, applicants should provide a description of the criteria they will use to advertise the position.

Overall Approach to Evaluation Responsibilities (2 points) Provide annual analysis for process and summative data provided by the project director.

• Project summative data (e.g. disaggregate military-connected student achievement by grade and school compared to non-military-connected students in same grades and schools).

• Process data to provide actionable information for improving strategy and professional learning implementation (e.g. compare professional learning outcomes among the target schools to provide recommendations for the type of professional learning preferred by school staff) for ongoing implementation and sustainability.

Section VII: Project Evaluation (10 points total) For the Evaluation Section, applicants will provide information about how their project will be evaluated to ensure that the project meets its outcome targets. A successful evaluation plan provides methods and benchmarks to answer the big and small questions:

Big Questions Small Questions To what extent did the project meet its SMART goals (Section III)?

To what extent are participants (military-connected students and staff) improving?

What aspects of the project are successful? What are the barriers to success and how did the project address these barriers?

What can we learn from the project? What are recommendations for moving forward with sustainability?

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Applicants should provide information about how the project director will collect the necessary data to answer these big and small questions. The evaluation plan should include how the evaluator will review process as well as summative data to author the evaluation report at the end of each year.

Reviewer Rubric: Overall approach to Evaluation (10 points) The evaluation plan:

• Includes the three (3) big questions and appropriate evaluation methods and tools to answer them.

• Includes the three (3) small questions and appropriate evaluation methods and tools to answer them.

• Determines if the project participants (students and staff) have met their intended outcomes at the end of each grant year.

• Analyzes for shortcomings and successes against benchmarks in the project for the planning year and implementation years.

• Makes recommendations for improving or maintaining outcomes in the next year or sustaining the project in the final year.

Section VIII: Budget Narrative and Sustainability (20 points total) Please note: Grant funds must be used for projects that directly support students. They cannot be used for projects that only support staff professional learning. The budget narrative should provide explanations for the appended detail budget table, explain how the budget would be spent and how it is cost effective. The sustainability plan should explain, in detail, how project data will be used to sustain the project after the funding cycle.

Reviewers will use the rubric included below to score applications.

Clear Overview (10 points) The budget narrative:

• Provides a clear overview and rationale for how grant dollars (and any matching funds) will be allocated.

• Describes existing resources and other support the LEA expects to receive for the proposed project. This may include any resources or support (monetary or in-kind) applicants expect to receive from community partners. A letter of support from the community partner (if applicable) should be included as an appendix. The letter should provide details about the resources and/or support that will be provided to the applicant as part of the project.

• Provides an overview of LEA grant internal control processes.

• Identifies how project leaders will track budget expenditures.

• Identifies the role/position and FTE for each person involved in the project and ensures the scope is reasonable given the amount of work to be done.

• Provides reasonable estimates for implementing and maintaining strategies and…