Tag Archives: Grants

U.S. Department of Education Announces $3 Million in Pay for Success Grants for Preschool Programs

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12/22/2016

The U.S. Department of Education announced today more than $3 million in grant awards to eight government organizations for Preschool Pay for Success feasibility pilots that will support innovative funding strategies to expand preschool and improve educational outcomes for 3- and 4-year-olds. These grants will allow states, school districts and other local government agencies to explore whether Pay for Success is a viable financing mechanism for expanding and improving preschool in their communities in the near term.

“Despite the overwhelming evidence that attending high-quality preschool can help level the playing field for our most vulnerable children, we continue to have a huge unmet need in this country,” said U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. “We’re pleased that these grantees will work in their communities to make the case for investing in early education and drive expansion of high-quality preschool.”

Pay for Success is an innovative way of partnering with philanthropic and private sector investors to provide resources for service providers to deliver better outcomes—producing the highest return on taxpayer investments. Through Pay for Success, the government agrees to pay for concrete, measurable outcomes, but taxpayer funds are spent only if those outcomes are achieved.

Twenty-one applications were reviewed.  Among the 8 winners are one state (Minnesota), one charter school, one school district and five local government agencies.

  • Napa Valley Unified School District, CA, $380,944
  • Santa Clara County Office of Education, CA, $392,704
  • Ventura County Office of Education, CA, $397,000
  • Minnesota Department of Education, MN, $397,158
  • Mecklenburg County Government, NC, $335,677
  • Cuyahoga County Office of Early Learning, OH, $374,320
  • Clatsop County, OR, $350,000
  • The Legacy Charter School, SC, $381,815

These feasibility studies will advance the understanding of how Pay for Success can be used to expand and improve the quality of preschool programs for low-income and disadvantaged preschoolers. Each grantee identified potential outcome measures for students that attend preschool, such as improved kindergarten readiness, reading and math growth or achievement, and improved social and emotional skills. Those outcomes will be evaluated over the course of the grant. The grantees will also examine whether children’s social and emotional development is predictive of future school success, cost savings and other societal benefits.

Each Pay for Success project will include an assessment of the design and expansion of an evidence-based preschool program and a cost-benefit analysis showing the return on investment to the community. In the event the Pay for Success model is determined to not be a viable model for funding early childhood learning in a particular community, the grantee’s final report will detail those reasons and offer potential alternatives to Pay for Success that would positively impact early childhood learning.

The grants require safeguards to protect the rights of children with disabilities if the reduction in the need for special education is one of the outcome measures explored in the feasibility studies.  Three of the studies included special education as an outcome measure, and the proposals for all three of these include safeguards and emphasize the importance of engaging special education and disability stakeholders.

The Education Department supports initiatives that are based on evidence, focus on outcomes, and improve education for students at all ages, including early childhood, elementary and secondary education, career and technical education, post-secondary and adult education. Pay for Success is one of several strategies that the Department can use to promote evidence-based policy. In addition to its potential to lead to high-quality Pay for Success projects that provide or expand early education for children, these investments will add knowledge to the field about a wider range of outcome measures that preschool Pay for Success projects should consider and will encourage other entities to set strong guardrails when using special education as an outcome measure.

Today, the Department also released another resource to explore how educators might build on and sustain the positive effects of preschool.  A new case study of five programs examined two types of promising strategies to support children’s learning in early elementary school: (1) aligning instruction from preschool through grade 3, and (2) differentiated instruction.  The five programs included:

  • Boston Public Schools
  • Chicago Child–Parent Centers (Chicago and St. Paul)
  • Early Works (Portland, Oregon)
  • FirstSchool (Martin County, North Carolina)
  • Sobrato Early Academic Language (SEAL) program (Redwood City, California)

Findings indicate that all five aligned instruction across grades by coordinating standards, curricula, instructional practices and professional development. Common elements of these programs included the use of professional learning communities, coaches, parent engagement, and play-based or student-initiated learning. All reported using strategies to accommodate students’ different skill levels, including modifying assignments, adapting learning materials, providing different levels of support, or using small-group instruction.

Source: Office of Early Learning, U.S. Department of Education

Foundations for Excellence: Planning in Head Start

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1/2015

The Office of Head Start National Centers have produced this series of papers to support programs in developing and implementing their planning systems. They may be useful to Head Start leaders and management teams, including governing body and Policy Council members.The Head Start planning systems and related activities are an essential part of program operations. Thoughtful planning has always been critical to successful programming. However, it becomes even more important as programs shift from an indefinite grant period to a five year project period. Federal Oversight of Five Year Head Start Grants (ACF-IM-HS-14-02) and the five year grant applications require programs to describe and define:

  • Long-term goals they will accomplish during the five-year period
  • Short-term objectives
  • Expected outcomes that are aligned with the goals and objectives
  • Data tools and methods for tracking progress towards their goals, objectives, and expected outcomes

Grantees report on this progress in their yearly continuation applications over the course of the five year project period.These papers can help programs develop plans for tracking their progress in a meaningful way.

Source: Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center

Available at: http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/operations/foundations

Baby E-lert, Sharing Information on the Quality Care of Infants, Toddlers, and their Families

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3/3/2014

This Baby E-lert features information about federal partnerships, breastfeeding resources, and math in the home. Share the information and resources with program administrators, co-workers, families, and other early care professionals!

Source: Early Head Start National Research Center

Available at: http://us1.campaign-archive1.com/?u=579784392aff8aa5d251c89ab&id=a28a310a15&e=f28bfaf0fd

IM 13-02 Five Year Head Start Project Periods – Head Start

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7/1/2013

The Office of Head Start (OHS) is moving from indefinite project periods to five year project periods for all Head Start grantees. This requires changes in OHS funding practices and oversight of Head Start programs. Changes in oversight will include improved communication between federal staff and grantees, as well as ongoing analysis of data to determine the type of support needed by grantees. The main purpose of improved oversight is to demonstrate the quality of program services, the effectiveness of management systems, and the achievement of outcomes for children, families, and communities.

Source: Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center

Available at: https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/standards/IMs/2013/resour_im_002_070113.html?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=New%20Content%20E-blast%20for%20July&utm_content=New%20Content%20E-blast%20for%20July+CID_30ee5ad9937c9730611342af4be147d8&utm_source=CM%20Eblast&utm_term=IM%2013-02%20Five-Year%20Head%20Start%20Project%20Periods

Five Year Grant Periods – Head Start

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8/2013

The Office of Head Start (OHS) is moving from indefinite project periods to five year project periods for all Head Start grantees. This requires changes in OHS funding practices and oversight of Head Start programs. The main purpose of improved oversight is to demonstrate the quality of program services, the effectiveness of management systems, and the achievement of outcomes for children, families, and communities.

Source: Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center

Available at: https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/hs/grants/5-yr-cycle?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=New%20Content%20E-blast%20for%20July&utm_content=New%20Content%20E-blast%20for%20July+CID_30ee5ad9937c9730611342af4be147d8&utm_source=CM%20Eblast&utm_term=Five-Year%20Grant%20Periods

Applications for New Awards; Technical Assistance and Dissemination To Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities and the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Program-National Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports

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Deadline: 8/19/2013

Purpose of Programs: The purpose of the Technical Assistance and Dissemination To Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities program is to promote academic achievement and to improve results for children with disabilities by providing technical assistance (TA), supporting model demonstration projects, disseminating useful information, and implementing activities that are supported by scientifically based research.

The Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities program provides support to State educational agencies (SEAs) for a variety of drug-abuse- and violence-prevention activities focused primarily on school-age youths.

Priorities: This notice includes two absolute priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), absolute priority 1 is from allowable activities specified or otherwise authorized in the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (see sections 663 and 681(d) of the IDEA, 20 U.S.C. 1463 and 1481(d)). We are establishing absolute priority 2 under the authority in section 4121 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended, and in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) (20 U.S.C. 7131; 20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1).

Absolute Priorities: These priorities are absolute priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet these priorities.

Source: Federal Register

Available at: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2013/07/05/2013-16191/applications-for-new-awards-technical-assistance-and-dissemination-to-improve-services-and-results

Federal Register | Reopening; Applications for New Awards; Training and Information for Parents of Children With Disabilities-Parent Training and Information Centers

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Deadline: 9/9/2013

We are reopening the Parent Training and Information Centers competition that was announced in the NIA published on April 25, 2013, in the Federal Register (78 FR 24395-24401) because there have been significant problems with the interface between the System for Award Management (SAM), the Government’s primary registrant database, and the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov) that may have prevented applicants from meeting the June 10, 2013, deadline. We want to provide any applicant in this competition that was affected by these problems with additional time to submit an application.

Any applicant that has already submitted an application under the FY 2013 Parent Training and Information Centers competition does not need to resubmit its application.

Source: Federal Register

Available at: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2013/07/02/2013-15878/reopening-applications-for-new-awards-training-and-information-for-parents-of-children-with?utm_campaign=subscription+mailing+list&utm_medium=email&utm_source=federalregister.gov

Applications for New Awards; Educational Technology, Media, and Materials Program for Individuals with Disabilities-Center on Technology and Disability

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Deadline: 8/15/2013

Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities Program [1] is to: (1) Improve results for children with disabilities by promoting the development, demonstration, and use of technology; (2) support educational media services activities designed to be of educational value in the classroom for children with disabilities; (3) provide support for captioning and video description that is appropriate for use in the classroom; and (4) provide accessible educational materials to children with disabilities in a timely manner.

Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), this priority is from allowable activities specified in the statute (see sections 674(b)(1), 674(b)(2)(A), and 681(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.)).

Absolute Priority: For FY 2013, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this priority.

Source: Federal Register

Available at: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2013/07/01/2013-15712/applications-for-new-awards-educational-technology-media-and-materials-program-for-individuals-with

Applications for New Awards; Technical Assistance and Dissemination To Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities-State Technical Assistance Projects To Improve Services and Results for Children Who Are Deaf-Blind and National Technical Assistance and Dissemination Center for Children Who Are Deaf-Blind

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Deadline: 8/15/2013

Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program is to promote academic achievement and to improve results for children with disabilities by providing technical assistance (TA), supporting model demonstration projects, disseminating useful information, and implementing activities that are supported by scientifically based research.

Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), this priority is from allowable activities specified or otherwise authorized in the statute (see sections 663 and 681(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 20 U.S.C. 1463 and 1481(d)).

Absolute Priority: For FY 2013 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet this priority.

This priority is:

State Technical Assistance Projects to Improve Services and Results for Children Who Are Deaf-Blind and National Technical Assistance and Dissemination Center for Children Who Are Deaf-Blind.

Source: Federal Register

Available at: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2013/07/01/2013-15715/applications-for-new-awards-technical-assistance-and-dissemination-to-improve-services-and-results

NCSER announces FY 2013 Awards

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7/2013

The National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) recently made a total of 18 awards to applications considered under three FY 2013 competitions: Accelerating the Academic Achievement of Students with Learning Disabilities Research Initiative (CFDA 84.324D), Research Training Program in Special Education: Early Career Development and Mentoring (CFDA 84.324B), and Special Education Research Grants Program (CFDA 84.324A).

Source: National Center for Special Education Research

Available at: http://ies.ed.gov/ncser/projects/13awards.asp