Alabama 21 st Century Community Learning Centers

1. Alabama 21st Century Community Learning Centers Request for Application (RFA) Instructional Guidelines FY 2011 – 2012

2. Alabama State Department of Education Sallye Longshore – Education Administrator/Federal Programs Mark Ward – 21stCCLC State Coordinator/Federal Programs Contractual Services of Auburn University – Chris Groccia Paul Morin Assigned Technical Advisors Glenn Boman Ted Glover Judy Manning Rhonda Barber

3. 21st CCLC Foundations General Information

4. Purpose of the 21st CCLC Grant The 21st Century Community Learning Program (CCLC) is a U.S. Department of Education program Funding is administered through the states, providing grants to – Schools (LEAs) Community and Faith-based Organizations (CBOs) Youth Development Agencies (CBOs) For the creation of Community Learning Centers which provide academic enrichment to assist students attending lower performing schools to meet State and local standards in core subject areas

5. Purpose (continued) To ensure high quality, expanded learning opportunities which occur outside of regular school hours for children in a safe and sound educational environment. Before School After School Weekend Summer Holiday breaks Services focused on Academic Enrichment, Family Involvement, and Service Learning Opportunities

6. Purpose (continued) Offer a broad array of additional support, programs and activities that reinforce and complement the regular academic program of participating students. Tutoring & Remedial Assistance Academic Enrichment Hands-on Learning Mentoring Physical Activities Health & Prevention Programs Arts & Cultural Enrichment Family Engagement & Literacy Technology Programs Career & Higher Education Preparation Offer families of actively participating students educational opportunities that engage them in supporting their children’s learning.

7. Preparation and Submission Guidelines

8. Application Deadline Tuesday, June 7, 2011 Applications must be received no later than Tuesday, June 7, 2011, at 5:00 p.m. Please Note: This is not a postmarked date and time. No faxes or emails will be accepted.

9. Preparation Lay the appropriate foundation by conducting extensive research Know and understand the constituents the program will serve Correlate the research findings to the program’s objectives and projected outcomes While conducting research and determining the community needs, establish relationships and generate interest in that which the program will offer

10. Preparation (continued) Well Written Proposals are imperative Follow the directions explicitly, leaving nothing unaddressed Use plain language – avoid jargon and colloquialisms Define all acronyms Do not use the first person Eliminate run-on sentences Use concise language Do not allow any typos or grammatical mistakes Avoid metaphors or flowery language Do not make emotional appeals – use data and research Flow logically from beginning to end Support all facts and cite sources

11. Submission Guidelines The following formatting/submission standards must be followed: Submit one (1) non-stapled, complete original application with full original signatures in blue ink, secured solely by a single binder clip at the top. Submit three (3) non-stapled copies of the complete application, secured by individual binder clips at the top of each application copy. Do not submit any documents using rubber bands, paperclips, staples, three-ring or spiral binders. Please pay particular attention to all submission guidelines delineated in the RFA to avoid having your RFA rejected.

12. Timeline Important dates and activities related to the 2012 21st CCLC RFA are as follows: April 29, 2011 Application is available on the following Web sites: http://www.alsde.edu and http://alabama21stcclc.info/ May 5, 2011 Technical Assistance WebEx * Will remain posted on the SDE Web site May 6, 2011 (10 a.m. – 12 p.m.) Technical Assistance Workshop June 7, 2011 Deadline for submission June 9, 2011 Initial SDE screening for federal compliance. Incomplete applications will not be forwarded to readers for scoring. June 10, 2011 Reader training June 13 – 30, 2011 Reader review and scoring July 7, 2011 Reader scores and recommendations submitted to the SDE for action August 1, 2011 Award letters mailed

13. Application Details

14. Eligible Applicant(s) Any public or private organization is eligible to apply. Examples of agencies and organizations include, but are not limited to the following: Schools/School Districts (LEAs) Community-based organizations(CBOs) Faith-based organizations (FBOs) Non-profit agencies City or county government agencies Institutions of higher education For profit corporations

15. Priorities Absolute Criterion – Entities that primarily serve students who attend schools with a high concentration of impoverished students (40% or greater students eligible for free or reduced price meals) as determined by school enrollment or participating attendance area Additionally, the SDE must take into consideration the overall number of students receiving free/reduced lunches at all schools within the geographical area directly feeding into the proposed target program to determine some applicants' eligibility.

16. Priorities Competitive Criterion – Additional Competitive Priority Points may be awarded to those applicants that meet the specific criteria listed below. Competitive considerations: Applicants serving students of Low Performing Schools or Schools in Improvement (3 competitive priority points) Applicants serving students of previously un-served schools (3 competitive priority points) Applicants submitting a joint/collaborative proposal (4 competitive priority points)

17. Priorities Joint/collaborative proposals defined: A proposal submitted through combined efforts of an LEA receiving Title I funding and a public or private community organization (Corporation, CBO, FBO, et al) This collaboration is not merely a partnership through contracted provided services. The LEA and other organization(s) must work extensively in the planning and design of the program. Each must have substantial roles in the delivery of services. Each must share grant resources to implement the proposed program effectively. Each must be involved the management and oversight of the proposed program. A signed agreement between both entities stating the collaboration of efforts, resources, and funding

18. RFA Scoring For an application to be considered for funding, it must meet a minimum of 150 points out of 200. Competitive priority points will be added only after a minimum quality score has been obtained. Competitive priority points will not be used to reach the minimum quality score. Competitive Priority points will be added only after the application has met the minimum quality score of 150 points out of 200. The RFA Scoring Rubric in its entirety can be found at www.alsde.edu, under Hot Topics; and www.alabama21stcclc.info, under Alabama State News and Happenings.

19. Use of Funds Grant funding must be used in a manner consistent with all requirements of federal and state statutes. Funds must be used only to supplement (increase) and not supplant(replace) any federal, state, or local funds available to support allowable activities under the 21st CCLC program. The proper use of funds is always a major obstacle for most grantees. The applicant’s Needs Assessment shoulddrive the program’s goals and objectives – which drives the activities – which drives the budget. Reasonable, Necessary and Allocable (Capable of being allocated)

20. Use of Funds (continued) Examples of allowable and non-allowable are included in the RFA. Allowable and non-allowable expenses for federal programs are addressed in the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR). http://www.ed.gov/policy/fund/reg/edgarReg/edgar. html Examples of Allowable and Non-Allowable expenses are included later in this presentation. When in doubt…..ask! Contact information will be provided at the end of this presentation.

21. Grant Awards and Grant Period Grants will be awarded in amounts ranging from $50,000 to $200,000 per year for each of three years. After the initial grant has been awarded based on the scoring results of the original RFA, subsequent award years will be contingent upon the following: The SDE receiving adequate federal funds for the purpose of this grant Satisfactory performance by the sub-grantees as evaluated by the SDE Submission of an annual continuation application Compliance with all grant requirements and continuing to provide the services initially outlined in the RFA for which funding was received

22. Application Review and Selection Process Phase One – Review of Application Components Applications reviewed to determine if all the required components are enclosed and complete. Each application will be checked for formatting and submission compliance. Incomplete submissions that do not follow formatting requirements and do not include each component of the RFA will not proceed to Phase Two. Phase Two – Federal Compliance Review Each application must meet all the 21st CCLC program requirements as stipulated by all state, local, and federal laws prior to progressing to Phase Three.

23. Application Review and Selection Process Phase Three – Reader Review and Scoring Each application will be evaluated and scored by a panel of independent readers. (Please refer to the RFA for reader qualifications and SDE requirements.) The readers will use the 21st CCLC Application Scoring Rubric as their evaluation instrument. Applications are then scored based on the quality of the proposal and the capacity of the applicant to implement the program. Please refer to the RFA, the RFA Scoring Rubric, and Web site locations as previously mentioned. Phase Four –SDE Post – Reader Review Assessment Upon the completion of the Reader Review process, the SDE will review all reader scores and comments to answer any outstanding issues or concerns. Phase Five – Notification of Awards Based on available funding and the overall application score, the selection of awarded grants will then be determined, and letters of notification will be mailed on August 1, 2011.

24. Program Reports and Evaluation All grantees will be assisted with grant implementation compliance both on site by SDE staff and the program’s assigned Technical Advisor. All data, documentation, programmatic reports, etc., will be periodically reviewed. Additionally, grantees must locally self monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the program in academics, behavior and attendance. Grantees are required to prepare and submit two end-of-year evaluation report by October 1 and October 15 of each year – The federal report is the Annual Performance Report (APR) The state report is the Data Evaluation Annual Report (D.E.A.R.) Annual Self-Assessment and Evaluation Evaluations and reports address the program’s progress toward goals and objectives, instruments used to determine results, program modifications, distribution of results, etc.

25. Application Components

26. Applications must be completed in their entirety leaving no component unaddressed. The RFA must be assembled and sent to the SDE in the order of the RFA checklist provided at the beginning of the RFA. Deviations are not permissible.

27. Pre-requisite Forms Required Cover Sheet (Form 1) Assurances with all applicable signatures in blue ink on the original. (Form 2)

28. As noted in the RFA, each Narrative component has a typed character limitation. Rule of thumb – 3,000 characters typically equals one typed page The narrative section of the RFA must not exceed 25 total typed pages. The required forms are not included in this total.

29. Needs Assessment Required Needs Assessment Form (Form 3, page 28 of the RFA) Applicants must prepare a brief, concise narrative that details the process used to identify and assess student, family, and community needs to be met by the proposed grant program. Applicants must provide a description of the community and school(s) to be served by citing factors that impact the educational outcomes of the identified students. Information should be derived from the local school district, local school, and/or community-based data and will assist in determining the program’s mission. Part of assessing the community’s needs is determining the amount of funding to request to effectively operate the program. An effective tool that may be used – www.wallacefoundation.org

30. Grade Levels Served Applicants must list all of the grade levels the program will serve. If serving multiple sites, please list all grade levels per each site. Example: Excellent Elementary School– serving grades K-5. Stellar Middle School – serving grades 6-8 Remember SDE requirements regarding the number of days, hours, etc. which a program must provide services for elementary, middle and high school students.

31. Project Abstract Applicants must provide a description of the proposed program's plan and how the program will meet the necessities that have been determined by the Needs Assessment. This abstract should include, but not be limited to, the following: The overall purpose The services to be provided that meet the needs of students, parents, and families An explanation of how the program's stated goals and objectives are directly tied and correlated to the projected outcomes If the applicant has chosen to pursue the Competitive Priority points, these stipulations must be addressed in this section.

32. School(s) and School District Applicants must identify the school(s) and school district proposed to be served through this program. LEA’s only: If serving more than one school, also name the primary school that has been selected as the cost center.

33. Timeline Applicants must document the expected timeline of the program activities for the fiscal year of October 1, 2011 – September 30, 2012. Provide a detailed timeline outlining the procedures which will be followed during the first year of the grant. Do not forget to address Summer School, School Breaks, etc. intentions. The timeline should include, but not be limited to, some of the following: recruitment of students, hiring of staff, training, planning meetings, meetings with school-day staff, creating materials, providing services to students, evaluations, etc.

34. Capacity to Implement The Capacity to Implement component is quite detailed and multi-faceted. Student Safety Compliance with all applicable State laws and statutes must be demonstrated. Applicants must detail their ability to comply and implement prescribed safety plans, emergency procedures, evacuation processes, crises management, intruder policies, etc. Transportation Daily/Weekly plans Pick-up/Drop-off procedures Field Trips School Buses/No Vans Budgeted allocations (No more than 25%)

35. Capacity to Implement (continued) Operations Hours/Days of Operation Location Participation and Behavior Child Nutrition Program (Snacks) Additional verification of CBO/FBO Fiscal Stability is required and will be addressed momentarily. Please note, the SDE reserves the right to visit any applicant to establish its capacity to implement an effective 21st CCLC program, prior to the award of funding.

36. Staffing Qualifications Applicants must describe in detail the roles, responsibilities, qualifications and proposed number of staff who will be hired to work in the program. Staff qualifications are determined locally based on the needs of the program and should be included in the application. Pupil – teacher ratio must be addressed according to the RFA guidelines. Supervision and administration must be summarized keeping in mind the SDE specifications outlined in the RFA, and the 20% funding allowance for administrative positions. Please note – This percentage also encompasses Indirect Costs. LEAs must adhere to the formulaic parameters of their local LEA.

37. Scientifically Based Research (SBR) As stipulated in the Elementary andSecondary Education Act (ESEA), the use of scientifically based research curricula is required. A web link to the definition and parameters of SBR curricula for a comprehensive understanding is found in the RFA. Most importantly, it is imperative for applicants to directly correlate and link the use of selected curricula to the Needs Assessment of the community the program serves. Subsequently, the applicant must be able to justify how its use will produce the preferred outcomes. Needs Assessment SBR Curricula + Goals and Objectives = Projected Outcomes

38. Goals and Measurable Objectives Applicants must list all goals and objectives (in quantifiable, measurable terms) for the proposed project that relate directly to locally identified needs of proposed schools and students. Program goals, measurable objectives, and activities should support academic enrichment, family involvement, and the identified needs of the community served. Applicants must describe how the program will impact school success and the academic achievement of participating students. The program should demonstrate its ability to help participating students meet state academic content and student academic achievement standards.

39. Example of Measurable Goal and Objective Goal – To increase parent involvement in after school program Measurable objective – There will be a 15% increase in parent/family attendance in our parenting classes by the end of the year.

40. Integration into Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP) Applicants must demonstrate how this grant is supported by the local LEA and school. A description of how joint planning occurred should be included. The alignment between the program’s goals and objectives and the local LEA’s CIP must be addressed. A coordination of existing after-school and summer programs must exist and be notated. A collaboration of existing local, state, and federal programs and their funding must be demonstrated; since a 21st CCLC program is a supplementary program intended to enhance student academic achievement. Each applicant must establish an advisory board. The grant application should include plans accordingly. Details for accomplishing this requirement can be found at the state’s 21st CCLC website at www.alabama21stcclc.info in the Operational Manual portion. (Useful Tools and Links)

41. Program Activities Applicants must describe in detail, the activities / strategies/ curricula the program proposes to employ to focus on each of the following State priorities: Academic enrichment, with an emphasis on reading and math Service-learning – a teaching and learning strategy/methodology that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities. Activities may include, but not limited to projects concerning healthy lifestyles/obesity; family literacy; natural sciences (environmental education); and the arts, etc. Family involvement in the program activities All three areas must be addressed.

42. Professional Development Applicants must describe in detail the program’s staff professional development plan in accordance with SDE specifications notated in the RFA. Ensure budget allocations which allow for SDE required training and development events. (Up to 5%) Documentation of all professional development activities must be retained locally.

43. Partnership Commitment: Stakeholder Involvement/Collaboration Applicants must list all partner organizations, types of organization, their specific participatory role, contact person(s) with any applicable phone numbers. Please note: LEA programs must partner with at least one community-based organization. Community-based organizations (CBOs) must partner with at least one school within the local LEA of the community served. It is preferable that written documents of agreement which include the types of organizations, and contact persons with applicable phone numbers and pertinent contact information be provided. A listing of examples of expected collaborations is included in the RFA. It is advisable for applicants to establish as many viable partnerships as possible; thus promoting the program’s sustainability. Further specifications regarding partners are notated in the RFA.

44. Program Evaluation Representatives of the SDE will regularly conduct Compliance Monitoring to ensure programmatic quality. The SDE will provide a Technical Advisor who will periodically assess the program's compliance and progress. Applicants must address how the program will be locally monitored and evaluated. Instruments utilized must include indicators of programmatic success in all key areas of academics, behavior, and attendance. How will the information obtained from evaluations be distributed to key stakeholders? How will the information obtained from assessments impact needed changes for the program? As stated previously, grantees are required to prepare and submit three end-of-year evaluation report by October 1 and October 15 of each year- The federal report is the Annual Performance Report (APR) The state report is the Data Evaluation Annual Report (D.E.A.R.) Annual Self-Assessment and Evaluation

45. Program Communication Applicants are required to address how the program will effectively communicate with partners, parents, school personnel, the community, and others to ensure ongoing program progress and success. Applicants must demonstrate a coordination with existing after-school and summer programs. Applicants must outline how information about the program will be disseminated to the community , including its location. Specifics pertaining to the program must be publicized in a manner that is understandable and easily accessible. Applicants must describe recruitment strategies for both students and staff.

46. Program Management A detailed narrative explanation for the effective administration of the program must be provided. The detailed narrative must include the Program Director’s Job Description, hours worked, and where the Director/Manager will be based must be provided. Please keep in mind, the 20% budgetary allocation for administration must include all administrative positions – Principal, Site Director/Coordinator, Accountant, Bookkeeper, Financial Officer, Administrative Assistant, etc. A listing of duties and responsibilities should be included.

47. Budget/Allocation of Resources/Cost Financial and budgetary matters must be addressed with four major components – A comprehensive, detailed narrative Budget Summary of Expenditures Form [ES-6CLC/ES-20CLC] (Form 6) Budget Expenditure Detail Form [ES-6CLC/ES-20CLC] (Form 7) A line item spreadsheet (Form 8) The key objective with all budgetary requirements is accountability for the use of all funds. Applicants must include an explanation for each expenditure, and how each expenditure aligns with the program goals and objectives in an efficient and effective manner. Samples of Allowable and Non-allowable expenses are included in the RFA and here. However, this list is in no way a comprehensive list.

48. Examples of Allowable Expenses Salaries: For 21st CCLC Project Director, Program Manager, and Site Coordinators (reasonable and in line with industry standard) Teachers, Tutors and Paraprofessionals Contractors Independent evaluator National and local Criminal Background Checks Supplies and materials required for the 21st CCLC program Computer hardware and software required for the 21st CCLC program Travel to required 21st CCLC trainings, conferences, and workshops Transporting students home following 21st CCLC activities Rent Utilities (Indirect Costs) Parent Involvement Activity costs Educational Field Trips Advertisement (For recruitment purposes only, not for promotion of the program)

49. Examples of Non-Allowable Expenses Preparation of the Proposal: Costs to develop, prepare, and/or write the 21st CCLC proposal cannot be charged to the grant directly or indirectly by either the agency or contractor. Pre-Award Costs: Pre-award costs may not be charged against the grant. Funds can be used only for activities conducted and costs incurred after the start date of the grant. Entertainment, Refreshments, Snacks Un-approved out-of-state or overnight field trips, including retreats, lock-ins, etc. Incentives (e.g.,plaques, trophies, stickers, t-shirts, give-a-ways) Advertisements – Promotional or Marketing Items Decorative Items Purchase of Facilities or vehicles (e.g., Buses, Vans, or Cars) Land acquisition Capital Improvements, Permanent Renovations Direct charges for items/services that the indirect cost rate covers; Dues to organizations, federations or societies for personal benefits Non 21st CCLC programmatic expenditures

50. Budget/Allocation of Resources/Cost Applicants must ensure the following are included in line item detail: Salaries (including benefits) Administrative cost and Indirect Costs Professional Development Travel Transportation Field trips Materials & supplies (consumable, non-consumables, curriculum materials, etc.) Instructional expenses Non-capitalized equipment Contracted services Summer school (if applicable) Applicants should not be limited to this aforementioned list, as they are given the freedom to provide as much detailed budgetary information as possible. Budgetary Reminders: 20% Administration Allowance 25% Transportation Allowance 5% Professional Development Allowance 3% External Evaluator Allowance (if applicable)