Press Release
Eligibility
Eligible applicants include District of Columbia local educational agencies (LEAs) and third-party non-profit organizations that partner with one or more LEAs. Third-party non-profit organizations must secure partnerships with the LEAs with which they intend to work and will be required to verify these partnerships through a signed Joint Agreement that details the parameters of the partnership and demonstrates each partner’s role in the planning and implementation of programs and services. Entities with an existing SEEF FY 2018 competitive grant award (Cohort 1) are ineligible to apply for the SEEF FY 2019 competition (Cohort 2).
Purpose
OSSE’s administration of the Special Education Quality Improvement Amendment Act funding is designed to improve transition from Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part C (20 U.S. Code §1431 et. seq.) to IDEA Part B (20 U.S. Code §1411 et seq.), timely evaluation and service delivery for children ages 3 to 6, academic outcomes, graduation rates, and post-secondary success of students with disabilities in District of Columbia public schools. Successful applicants will:
- Demonstrate the need for their project through a needs assessment using relevant data,
- Specifically identify the measurable impact of their project, and
- Identify the evidence-based practices that will be utilized to achieve the intended results.
Funding
A total of $ 2,000,000 is available for awards through this RFA for the grant award period, which will begin on August 1, 2018 and end on September 30, 2019. Applicant LEAs (or partnerships) serving a total of up to 99 students with disabilities may apply for up to $300,000. Applicant LEAs (or partnerships) serving 100 or more students with disabilities may apply for up to $500,000. For the purposes of this grant competition, the number of students with disabilities served by each applicant will be determined based on OSSE’s school year 2017-18 enrollment audit.
Determinations regarding the number of competitive grant awards will be based on the quality and number of applications received and available funding. Successful applicants may be awarded amounts less than requested. OSSE will provide up to $500,000 per award, subject to LEA (or partnership) size as discussed above, availability of continued funding and satisfactory completion of grant obligations. Successful applicants may be eligible to receive up to the same amount of funding as their first grant award for each of two additional grant periods of 12 month each, subject to availability of continued funding and satisfactory completion of grant obligations.
Grantees may obligate funds beginning Aug. 1, 2018 or the date of the grant award notice, whichever date is later in time. For expenditures from Aug. 1, 2018 through Sept. 30, 2018, the reimbursement due date is Oct. 31, 2018. For expenditures from Oct. 1, 2018 through Sept. 31, 2019, the reimbursement due date is Nov. 15, 2019.
Awards are limited to one per applicant. Entities with an existing SEEF FY 2018 competitive grant award (Cohort 1) are ineligible to apply for the SEEF FY 2019 competition (Cohort 2).
Permissible Use of Funds
The funds associated with this RFA are available strictly on a reimbursement basis and may only be used for allowable grant project expenditures during the grant period as follows:
All costs must:
- Support projects that address needs identified within the needs assessment conducted;
- Support projects that are linked to evidence-based research and have been shown to increase academic achievement; and
- Support projects that apply promising practices to increase academic achievement.
Based on a review of available data, OSSE is prioritizing applications which:
- Demonstrate the project’s ability to support the creation of a continuum of public placements and build capacity to serve students in the least restrictive environment, in accordance with IDEA, 34 CFR Section 300.114;
- Demonstrate partnerships developed between nonpublic schools, public schools, and/or public charter schools to provide special education services and training;
- Demonstrate the project’s ability to ensure that children with disabilities served in early intervention (IDEA Part C) receive a smooth and effective transition to special education (IDEA Part B) and support timely evaluation and service delivery for children ages 3-6, with a focus on the beginning of the school year; and
- Demonstrate the project’s ability to improve graduation, secondary transition, and post-secondary outcomes for students with disabilities.
All grant project budgets will be reviewed by a review panel to ensure that planned expenditures are allowable and are appropriate, reasonable, and necessary to support the grant objectives.
Schedule
- Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) published in DC Register [updated url]: Friday, May 11, 2018
- Request for Application (RFA) and Application Release: Friday, May 25, 2018
- Mandatory Pre-Application Webinars will be held on the following dates and times:
- Wednesday, May 30, 2018, 2-3 p.m.
- Friday, June 1, 2018, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
- Monday, June 4, 2018, 3-4 p.m.
- Each interested applicant must have at least one representative (employed directly by the prospective applicant) attend one of the above webinars in order to meet the attendance requirement for this grant.
- Intent to Apply: Interested applicants must submit an Intent to Apply to [email protected] by Monday, June 4, 2018.
- Application Deadline: Wednesday, July 11, 2018 by 3 p.m.
- Award Notifications: August 2018
For more information or questions, please contact:
- Before Aug. 6, 2018: Brianna Becker, [email protected]
- After Aug. 6, 2018: Jonathan Elkin, [email protected]
Key Links to Documents
- Application Website, FAQ, and Training: Enterprise Grants Management System (EGMS)
- Request for Applications (RFA)
- Intent to Apply Form
- Partnership Agreement Template
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and Answers from Application Webinars
- Logic Model Template
- Logic Model Training from OSSE Office of Public Charter School Financing and Support [new link]
- Logic Model Training from US Department of Education Regional Education Lab
For questions regarding EGMS system access or technical issues, contact the OSSE Help Desk at (202) 719-6500 or email [email protected].