The Office of Student Achievement and Accountability

Notice of Grant Opportunity

Stewart B. McKinney-Vento Education of Homeless Children and Youth Program

Year 3 of 3

Lucille E. Davy

Commissioner of Education

Barbara Gantwerk

Assistant Commissioner

Division of Student Services

Suzanne Ochse

Director

Office of Student Achievement and Accountability

April 2008

Application Due Date: June 13, 2008

NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. Box 500

Trenton, NJ 08625-0500

TABLE OF CONTENTS

When responding to this Notice of Grant Opportunity (NGO), applicants must also access the "Discretionary Grant Application (DGA)" for additional information governing the grant program. See / or call the ApplicationControlCenter (ACC) at 609-633-6974.

PAGE

SECTION 1:GRANT PROGRAM INFORMATION

1.1Description of the Grant Program1 1.2 Eligibility to Apply 2

1.3Statutory/Regulatory Source and Funding 2

1.4Dissemination of this Notice2

1.5Technical Assistance3

1.6Application Submission3

1.7Reporting Requirements4

1.8 Assessment of Statewide Program Results4

SECTION 2:PROJECT GUIDELINES

2.1Project Design Considerations6

2.2Project Requirements 7

2.3Budget Design Considerations 10

2.4Budget Requirements11

SECTION 3:COMPLETING THE APPLICATION

3.1General Instructions for Applying13

3.2Review of Continuation Applications13

3.3Application Component Checklist13

Attachment A 15

Attachment B 16

Attachment C 17

SECTION 1: GRANT PROGRAM INFORMATION

1.1DESCRIPTION OF THE GRANT PROGRAM

It is the intent of Stewart B. McKinney-Vento Act for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth program to ensure that homeless children and youth have equal access to a free, appropriate public education, and to be able to enroll in, and attend school. The Stewart B. McKinney-Vento grant program funds are to provide support services designed to assure school success.

The New Jersey Department of Education has established a three-year grant program which focuses on the provision of instructional services that are supplemental to the regular school program and on referrals to appropriate community-based organizations to enable all homeless children and youth to meet challenging state content and student performance standards. This Notice of Grant Opportunity (NGO) for the final of this three-year program is to assist partnerships of educational agencies and community-based organizations in New Jersey in providing educational programs and services for homeless children and youth residing in the partnership’s project area. The third grant cycle begins September 1, 2008 and ends August 31, 2009.

1.1.1 BACKGROUND

The McKinney Homeless Assistance Act was amended in 1990, 1994 and most recently as part of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001.

The Act requires that each state ensure: (1) each homeless child have equal access to the same free, appropriate public education, including a public preschool education, as provided to other children; (2) any State that has a compulsory residency requirement as a component of the State’s compulsory school attendance laws or other laws, regulations, practices, or policies that may act as a barrier to the enrollment, attendance or success in school of homeless children and youth, will review and undertake steps to revise such laws, regulations, practices, or policies to afford the same free, appropriate public education as provided to other children; (3) homeless children are not separated from the mainstream school environment by virtue of their homeless status; and (4) homeless children and youth have access to the supplemental educational and support services that such children and youths need to ensure that they have an opportunity to meet the same challenging State student academic achievement standards to which all students are held.

ELIGIBILITY TO APPLY

Agencies that received awards through the competitive process under the originating NGO are eligible to apply. They are as listed in the following table:

Agency
BergenCountySpecialServicesSchool District
Bridgeton
East Orange
EssexCounty Educational Services Commission
GloucesterCountySpecialServicesSchool District
PassaicCounty Educational Services Commission
Newark
Trenton

Applications must include Documentation of Eligibility listing each of the partnering agencies. A Documentation of Collaboration form (Attachment A) is provided at the end of this NGO document.

1.3STATUTORY/REGULATORY SOURCE AND FUNDING

The program is authorized under Title VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 USC 11431 et seq.). The program was originally authorized in 1987, and most recently reauthorized by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The Stewart B. McKinney-Vento Education of Homeless Children and Youth Programis one hundred percent federally fundedunder the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), P.L. 107-110.

A total of $1,360,000 has been allocated to fund year three of this three-year grant cycle.

In year three of this three-year cycle, it is anticipated that funds will be awarded to the eight local education agencies who were awarded funds through a competitive process in year one. These agencies will continue to serve as lead agencies for the required consortia. Local education agencies may apply for up to $170,000 of which no more than ten (10) percent may be used for administrative purposes.

The applicant’s project must be designed and implemented in conformance with all applicable state and federal regulations.

1.4DISSEMINATION OF THIS NOTICE

The Office of Student Achievement and Accountability will make this notice available to eligible agencies identified in Section 1.2: Eligibility, of this NGO, and to the county superintendents of the counties in which the eligible agencies are located.

Important: This NGO does not constitute the complete application package. All applicants must use this NGO in combination with the Discretionary Grant Application (DGA), which contains required guidance, application forms and instructions, necessary to prepare a complete application.

The DGA is available on the NJDOE web site at:

by contacting the ApplicationControlCenter at the New Jersey Department of Education, RiverViewExecutivePlaza, Building 100, Route 29, P.O. Box 500, Trenton, NJ 08625-0500; telephone (609) 633-6974; fax (609) 777-1051.

Additional copies of the NGO are also available on the NJDOE web site (above) or by contacting the Office of Student Achievement and Accountability at the New Jersey Department of Education, RiverViewExecutivePlaza, Building 100, Route 29, P.O. Box 500, Trenton, NJ 08625-0500; telephone (609) 292-8777; fax (609) 292-1211.

1.5TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

The Technical Assistance Workshop will be held as follows:

Thursday, April 24, 2008

9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

New Jersey Housing Mortgage and Finance Agency

Gallery B

637 S. Clinton Street

Trenton, NJ08611

609 278-7400

Pre-registration is required by Thursday, April 17, 2008. Please call Ms. Boleita McNeil at (609) 292-8777 to register. Registrants requiring special accommodations for the Technical Assistance Workshop should identify their needs at the time of registration.

1.6 APPLICATION SUBMISSION

The Department of Education operates discretionary grant programs in strict conformance with procedures designed to ensure accountability and integrity in the use of public funds and, therefore, will not accept late applications.

The responsibility for a timely submission resides with the applicant. The Application Control Center (ACC) must receive an original and four copies of the complete application NO LATER THAN 4:00 P.M. ON June 13, 2008. Without exception, the ACC will not accept, and the Office of Grants Management cannot evaluate for funding consideration, an application received after this deadline. An applicant agency will lose the opportunity to be considered eligible for an award if the application is receivedafter the due date.

The original and four (4) copies of the application must be mailed or delivered to:

ApplicationControlCenter

New Jersey Department of Education

RiverViewExecutivePlaza, Building 100

P.O. Box 500

Trenton, NJ08625-0500

Applicants are encouraged either to:

  • hand deliver the application to the address above which is located next to Mercer County Waterfront Park on Route 29 in Trenton, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday (excluding state holidays) and obtain a dated receipt; or
  • send the application by Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested; or
  • arrange for delivery by an overnight delivery service to ensure timely delivery and receipt of the application.

Postmarks are not acceptable evidence of timely submission. Receipt by the due date and time is required. Applicants are encouraged to obtain a receipt or to sign in upon delivery to verify DOE receipt. Complete applications are those that include all elements listed in Section 3.3, Application Component Checklist of this notice. Applications received by the due date and time will be screened to determine whether they are, in fact, eligible for evaluation. The Department of Education reserves the right to reject any application not in conformance with the requirements of this NGO.

Applications submitted by fax cannot be accepted in any circumstances.

1.7REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Grant recipients are required to submit periodic project and fiscal progress reports. (For additional information about post award requirements see the Grant Recipient’s Manual for Discretionary Grants at .Reports for this program will be due as follows:

ReportReporting PeriodDue Date

1st Interim September 1, 2008 - November 30, 2008December 31, 2008

2nd Interim September 1, 2008 - March 31, 2009 May 1, 2009

3rd Interim September 1, 2008 - June 30, 2009 July 31, 2009

Final September 1, 2008 - August 31, 2009 December 1, 2009

1.8 ASSESSMENT OF STATEWIDE PROGRAM RESULTS

The New Jersey Department of Education will conduct periodic reviews of the grant program’s progress based on the program outlined in the grant award agreement and the required programmatic and fiscal reports for the third grant award period. In conducting these reviews, the NJDOE will consider program progress in the context of a full multi-year grant program, and whether such progress is likely to contribute to a successful program implemented over multiple years.

Staff members of the Office of Grants Management will conduct desk reviews of quarterly and final fiscal reports. Staff members from the Office of Student Achievement and Accountability will conduct desk reviews of quarterly program and fiscal reports, as well as on-site compliance monitoring during the grant award period, in accordance with New Jersey Department of Education policy.

In addition to the submission of the aforementioned reports, grant award recipients must be prepared to submit to the Office of Student Achievement and Accountability, New Jersey Department of Education and/or its designees, data including but not limited to, measuring the level of proficiency of children and youth experiencing homelessness on statewide assessments. This is consistent with state requirements to be increasingly accountable in compliance with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

SECTION 2: PROJECT GUIDELINES

The intent of this section is to provide the applicant with the program framework within which it will plan, design, and develop its proposed project to meet the purpose of this grant program. Before preparing applications, potential applicants are advised to review Section 1.1, Description of the Grant Program, of this NGO to ensure a full understanding of the state’s vision and purpose for offering the program. Additionally, the information contained in Section 2 will complete the applicant’s understanding of the specific considerations and requirements that are to be considered and/or addressed in their project.

When developing an application, the agency must use the Discretionary Grant Application(DGA). The DGA contains the requirements, forms and instructions applicable to all grant programs. The application selection process is based upon conformance with the application requirements contained in the DGA and the project specific information contained in Sections 2 and 3 of this NGO.

2.1PROJECT DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

The goals and objectives for each Stewart B. McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Project were developed in the program’s first year application in response to the initiating notice of Grant Opportunity. As you continue to develop and implement your program, please remain cognizant of the fact that homeless children and youth have needs above and beyond those of other students. It is important, however, not to stigmatize or classify these students as being any different from any other child or youth, but rather to focus on the delivery of services in ensuring that homeless children and youth enroll in and, attend school, and meet the same challenging standards that all other students are expected to meet.

Successful programs identify practices that are necessary to ongoing program management. Many of these programs include the following practices:

  • Oversight of successful ongoing implementation of all program components by the lead agency, regardless of which collaborator has responsibility for which component. Collaborators and other participating agencies should meet periodically to review progress toward program goals and review each agency’s continued role and responsibilities to the Stewart B. McKinney-Vento project.
  • Development of activities that respond to both intended and unintended outcomes. Programs must be prepared to be flexible to be effective.
  • Effective use of available resources and recognition of individual accountability among collaborating agencies to maximize progress toward achieving program goals.
  • Increased efforts to expand the number of collaborating agencies as programs enter each succeeding year in order to increase available resources and expand services.

Quality homeless education programs consider the special needs of those experiencing homelessness. General principles for operating quality homeless education programs include:

  • Developing staff awareness of issues pertaining to homelessness and how homelessness impacts upon the education of children and youth;
  • Strengthening links with social service agencies in an effort to ensure delivery of comprehensive services to homeless children and youth based on needs;
  • Sharing strategies for self-sufficiency with homeless families;
  • Ensuring the identification of all homeless children and youth;
  • Developing staff awareness of each other’s roles and responsibilities in the project;
  • Providing continuous opportunities for training and professional development;
  • Providing program services that are supportive of the entire family;
  • Providing opportunities for homeless children and youth to experience activities which they may not otherwise experience due to socio-economic status;
  • Assuring the capacity to serve homeless special needs students;
  • Developing effective systems to address the transportation needs of homeless children and their families;
  • Accessing existing Title I and other educational services to address the comprehensive needs of homeless children and youth;
  • Assuring the provision of counseling services to allow homeless children and youth to address their emotional and social issues, challenges, or concerns due to homelessness;
  • Establishing relationships with vendors or organizations who are able to provide supplies or materials that students in homeless situation may not otherwise be able to afford;
  • Ensuring that the district has developed a systematic process for the collection of required data;
  • Developing methods to ensure the privacy and integrity of homeless children and their families in all possible situations; and
  • Providing opportunities for homeless children to participate in extracurricular activities to make friendships and form allegiances with other children.

Projects should develop and implement systems and services based upon a sound understanding of homelessness and the unique challenges of educating children and youth experiencing this situation. Any anticipated needs of this population which may be addressed through the provision of this program should be served.

Additionally, multi-year award grant recipients are expected to build upon the key elements and successes of prior years and to modify areas identified as being in need of improvement or change.

2.2PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

Applicants must assure that they serve and meet both the educational and social/emotional needs of the number of children/youth indicated in Section 1.3: Statutory/Regulatory Source and Funding. To do this, projects must develop a sound process for identifying, recruiting and providing services to this population. To meet both the educational and socio-emotional needs of homeless children and youth, collaboration is needed. It is expected that the collaboration of the lead agency with the partner agencies identified in year one of this grant program will continue through each continuation year of the grant program. If unforeseen circumstances necessitate a change of collaborative partners, the lead agency must notify the NJDOE Office of Student Achievement and Accountability immediately.

The Chief School Administrator of the lead agency must also review and sign both a Statement of Assurancesform(Attachment B) indicating compliance with the fiscal requirements set forth in this Notice of Grant Opportunity and a DistrictTitle Part-A Set-Aside for Homeless Educationform (Attachment C), respectively. Both forms are provided at the end of this NGO document.

Project activities will be updated using the Project Abstract form contained in the DGA. The update shall summarize the current status of the project, including the achievement of established goals and objectives, unforeseen obstacles or challenges as well as unanticipated project outcomes/benefits.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

All applicants must include and describe in their application how the following requirements will be met under the Stewart B. McKinney-Vento Grant for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth, according to the child’s best interest:

  • continue the child’s education in the school of origin for the duration of homelessness; for the remainder of the academic year if permanently housed during the academic year; or enroll the child in any public school that non-homeless students who live in attendance area in which the child is actually living are eligible to attend;
  • to the extent feasible, keep a homeless child in the school of origin, except when doing so is contrary to the wishes of the child’s parent or guardian;
  • provide a written explanation, including a statement regarding the right to appeal to the homeless child’s parent or guardian, if the local education agency sends such child to a school other than the school of origin or a school requested by the parent; and in the case of an unaccompanied youth, and provide notice to such youth of the right to appeal;
  • immediately enroll the homeless child, even if the child is unable to produce records normally required for enrollment, such as previous academic records, medical records, proof of residency, or other documentation;
  • immediately contact the school last attended by the child to obtain relevant academic and other records;
  • immediately refer the parent or guardian of a child needing immunizations or immunization records to the district homeless liaison, who will assist in obtaining necessary immunizations, or immunization or medical records;
  • maintain for each homeless student any record ordinarily kept by the school, and ensure that, upon request, the record can be made available in a timely fashion;
  • not withstanding a dispute, immediately admit to the school in which enrollment is sought, pending resolution of the dispute;
  • provide a written explanation of the school’s decision regarding school selection or enrollment, including the rights of the parent, guardian, or child to appeal the decision;
  • refer the child, parent, or guardian to the local educational agency liaison, who will carry out the dispute resolution process as expeditiously as possible, and in the case of an unaccompanied youth, ensure that the student is immediately enrolled in school pending resolution of the dispute; and
  • make a placement choice regardless of whether the child lives with the homeless parents or has been placed elsewhere.

Goals, Objectives and Indicators