Notice of Grant Opportunity – EWEG Continuation
MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM
TITLE II, PART B OF THE NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT OF 2001 (NCLB)
YEAR TWO OF THREE
11-MSO8-G03
Rochelle Hendricks
Acting Commissioner of Education
Willa Spicer
Assistant Commissioner
Office of Math and Science Education
Division of Academic Standards, Curriculum and Assessments
December 3, 2010
Application Due Date: January 28, 2011
NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
P.O. Box 500
Trenton, NJ 08625-0500
http://www.state.nj.us/education
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STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
JOSEPHINE E. HERNANDEZ ……………………………………. Union
President
ARCELIO APONTE ……….……………………………………… Middlesex
Vice President
RONALD K. BUTCHER ………………………………………….. Gloucester
Kathleen A. Dietz ……………………………………………. Somerset
EDITHE FULTON …………………………………………………. Ocean
ROBERT P. HANEY ……………………………………………… Monmouth
ERNEST P. LEPORE ……..………………………….……………. Hudson
FLORENCE McGINN …………………………………………….. Hunterdon
ILAN PLAWKER Bergen
DOROTHY S. STRICKLAND …………………………….………. Essex
Rochelle Hendricks
Acting Commissioner
Secretary, State Board of Education
It is a policy of the New Jersey State Board of Education and the State Department of Education that no person, on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, age, sex, handicap or marital status, shall be subjected to discrimination in employment or be excluded from or denied benefits of any activity, program or service for which the department has responsibility. The department will comply with all state and federal laws and regulations concerning nondiscrimination.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
When responding to this Notice of Grant Opportunity (NGO), applicants must use the Electronic Web-Enabled Grant (EWEG) online application system. See http://homeroom.state.nj.us/ to access this system.
SECTION 1: GRANT PROGRAM INFORMATION PAGE
1.1 Description of the Grant Program 4
1.2 Eligibility to Apply 7
1.3 Federal Compliance Requirements (DUNS, CCR) 8
1.4 Statutory/Regulatory Source and Funding 8
1.5 Dissemination of This Notice 8
1.6 Technical Assistance 9
1.7 Application Submission 9
1.8 Reporting Requirements 10
1.9 Assessment of Statewide Results 11
SECTION 2: PROJECT GUIDELINES
2.1 Project Design Considerations 12
2.2 Project Requirements 12
2.3 Budget Design Considerations 19
2.4 Budget Requirements 19
SECTION 3: COMPLETING THE APPLICATION
3.1 General Instructions for Applying 27
3.2 Review Applications 27
3.3 Application Component Checklist 28
ATTACHMENTS – TO BE COMPLETED, SCANNED AND UPLOADED TO EWEG
Attachment A: Documentation of Collaboration 29
Attachment B: Nonpublic Equitable Participation Summary and
Affirmation of Consultation Form 30
Attachment C: Documentation of Federal Compliance (DUNS/CCR) form 31
Attachment D: Documentation of Eligibility 32
SECTION 1: GRANT PROGRAM INFORMATION
1.1 DESCRIPTION OF THE GRANT PROGRAM
In January of 2002, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) became law. The Improving Teacher Quality Grant Programs (Title II) are a major component of the No Child Left Behind legislation. These programs encourage scientifically-based professional development as a means for improving student academic performance. As schools are responsible for improving student learning, it is essential to have highly qualified teachers leading the way.
Title II, Part B of NCLB authorizes the Mathematics and Science Partnerships (MSP) program. MSP is intended to increase the academic achievement of students in mathematics and science by enhancing the content knowledge and teaching skills of classroom teachers. Partnerships between high-need school districts and the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) faculty in institutions of higher education are at the core of these improvement efforts. Additional partners may include public charter schools, businesses, and nonprofit or for-profit organizations concerned with mathematics and science education. Private schools are encouraged to participate in the program. Private schools within the boundaries of any high need Local Education Agency (LEA) may participate directly in the program through the local public school district. Other private schools may participate as a secondary partner with any high need LEA.
Funds available for the Mathematics and Science Partnership competitive grant program will be awarded by the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) to support proposals submitted by eligible partnerships that provide programs to improve mathematics and science instruction. The Department of Education has established a three-year project using federal funds, as follows: Year One, July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011; Year Two, July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012; and Year Three July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013. Years Two and Three awards are contingent upon successful completion of funded program goals and objectives while adhering to all requirements.
The eligible candidates for the Year Two of Three of this continuation grant are limited to the six Lead Agencies, and their partner local education agencies, that were competitively awarded funding in Year One. These eligible institutions of higher education are William Paterson University, Montclair State University, Stevens Institute of Technology, Kean University, Middlesex County College, and Rowan University.
MSP funds support the development and support of partnerships between IHEs and LEAs. Each organization is responsible for the success or failure of the project and therefore must demonstrate an active role. Proposals that demonstrate vendor-client relationships will not be funded.
Funded professional development activities should focus on activities that support the revision of K-12 math and science curriculum and the development of teacher pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). The PCK is developed through the practice of identifying and clarifying core knowledge and skills in mathematics and science that is aligned to the content foci for the program year. As a result of the sustained supported professional development participants will:
· Identify and clarify core knowledge and skills in mathematics and science that is aligned to the content foci for the program year. The clarifications should include core concepts, specific ideas, practices, level of sophistication, and appropriate technical terms related to a topic at specific grade levels embedded in the Common Core State Standards for Math and the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards for Science.
· Support improvements in the coherency of mathematical and scientific ideas as they develop over multiple grade levels. Make effective use of the research based on student learning to identify potential learning difficulties, developmental considerations, and common misconceptions associated with a science or mathematics curricular topic.
Apply effective content-specific pedagogical strategies and identify useful contexts for teaching scientific and mathematical ideas as they relate to a particular topic.
· Improve teachers' ability to make connections within and across mathematics and science topics.
· Empower teachers to continue and expand the work of their professional learning communities once funding is no longer available.
MSP Key Features
1. Partnerships: MSP local projects are designed and implemented by partnerships that include IHE STEM faculty, K-12 administrators, faculty, and guidance counselors in participating K-12 schools, and administrators in higher education organizations. Additional partners are encouraged and may include businesses and additional departments of an institution of higher education (IHE). These partners and other stakeholders engage in the effort at both the institutional and individual levels, and share goals, responsibilities, and accountability for the project. The primary partnerships must include a mathematics, science, and/or engineering department at an IHE and current partner LEAs.
2. Content-Based Professional Development: The project focuses on the revision of K-12 math and science curriculum and the development of teacher pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). The PCK is developed through the practice of identifying and clarifying core knowledge and skills in mathematics and science including unifying themes, big ideas, core concepts and principles, practices, and student misconceptions embedded in the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards for Science and Common Core State Standards for Math.
3. Needs Assessment: The project must address the results of a comprehensive assessment of the local board approved curriculum in math and science and professional development needs with respect to the teaching and learning of mathematics and science of any schools and LEAs that comprise the eligible partnership.
4. Scientifically-Based Research (SBR): The activities to be carried out by the partnership must be based on a review of SBR. An explanation of how the activities expect to strengthen the quality of mathematics and science instruction and improve student academic achievement must be included.
5. External Evaluation: Each partnership project shall develop an external evaluation and accountability plan for activities of the project that include rigorous objectives that measure the impact of the activities. Measurable objectives to increase the number of mathematics and science teachers who participate in content-based professional development activities must be included. Additionally, measurable objectives for improved student academic achievement are required. The partnership shall report annually to the US Department of Education and the New Jersey Department of Education regarding progress in meeting the objectives described in the evaluation and accountability plan. See section 1.9 of this Notice of Grant Opportunity for details related to external evaluation requirements.
1.2 ELIGIBILITY TO APPLY
The eligible candidates for the Year Two of Three of this continuation grant are limited to the six Lead Agencies, and their partner local education agencies, that were competitively awarded funding in Year One. Funding is pending certification of the program office, that the applicant is making appropriate progress toward attainment of Year One goals and objectives and is managing their budget appropriately. Applicants must complete and upload the Documentation of Eligibility which can be found as Attachment D.
These eligible institutions of higher education are William Paterson University, Montclair State University, Stevens Institute of Technology, Kean University, Middlesex County College, Rowan University, and
· a regional network of high-need local educational agencies or districts in need of improvement.
In addition, the following organizations may be included as additional partners:
· private schools, or a network of schools; and a business or a nonprofit or for-profit organization of demonstrated effectiveness in improving the quality of mathematics and science teachers;
The New Jersey Department of Education will award approximately $3,552,000 in MSP Competitive Grants. A total of six awards may be made. Each award will be funded up to a maximum request of $592,000.
Applicants must include Documentation of Eligibility (Attachment D) for each of the partner LEAs and partner institutions to establish eligibility in this multiyear grant program. Funding for the MSP is contingent on receipt of federal funds. In addition, Documentation of Collaboration, verifying that the participants have agreed to enter into this partnership, must be included in the application. Failure to include and/or provide the Documentation of Eligibility and the Documentation of Collaboration may result in the ineligibility of the applicant. Collaborative partnership means all partners shall participate with the applicant agency in the preparation of the application, and in the implementation of the plan contained therein. Both the Documentation of Collaboration and Documentation of Eligibility forms are part of this NGO. Please reference the Discretionary Grant Application for information on responsibilities of the lead agency
(http://www.nj.gov/njded/grants/discretionary/).
1.3 FEDERAL COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS (DUNS, CCR)
In accordance with the Federal Fiscal Accountability Transparency Act (FFATA), all grant recipients must have a valid DUNS number and must also be registered with the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database. DUNS numbers are issued by Dun and Bradstreet and are available for free to all entities required to register under FFATA.
· To obtain a DUNS number, go to http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/
· To register with the CCR database, go to www.ccr.gov
Applicants are required to provide their DUNS number and certify that they are registered with the CCR database. No award will be made to an applicant not in compliance with FFATA. This form can be found as Attachment C, and must be uploaded into EWEG.
1.4 STATUTORY/REGULATORY SOURCE AND FUNDING
The applicant’s project must be designed and implemented in conformance with all applicable state and federal regulations. The MSP Grant is 100% funded under Title II Part B of NCLB, P.L. 107-110. Each partnership whose proposal is funded in Year One is eligible for a continuation in Years Two and Three, pending attainment of stated goals and objectives, demonstrated effective use of Year One funds, and the NJDOE’s receipt of federal funds.
Year Two awards in the amount of up to $592,000 are for the period of, July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012; and Year Three awards in the amount of up to $525,000 are for the period of July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013.
1.5 DISSEMINATION OF THIS NOTICE
The Office of Math and Science Education will make this notice available to all eligible agencies identified in Section 1, subsection 1.2 and to the county superintendents of the regions and 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 at http://www.nj.gov/njded/grants/discretionary/apps/ or by contacting the Application Control Center at the New Jersey Department of Education, 100 River View Plaza, 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 Math and Science Education, New Jersey Department of Education, 100 River View Plaza, P.O. Box 500, Trenton, NJ 08625-0500. For information please call (609) 984-7453.
1.6 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
The Department of Education will not provide a Technical Assistance Workshop. Technical assistance for the Year Two NGO will be provided via telephone, email, or individually scheduled meetings. Current MSP grantees may contact the Office of Academic Standards at (609) 984-7453 with any questions they may have. E-mail inquiries may be directed to Michael Heinz, science coordinator, at .
1.7 APPLICATION SUBMISSION
The New Jersey 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 the complete application through the online Electronic Web-Enabled Grant (EWEG) system at http://homeroon.state.nj.us/ NO LATER THAN 5:00 P.M. ON JANUARY 28, 2010. Receipt for submission is required; applicants should print a copy of the submission page and email notice once their application is submitted. 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 received after the due date.