Notice_of_Availability_of_State_and_Federal_Funds Notice of Availability of State and Federal Funds

11/19/08 N.Y. St. Reg. Notice of Availability of State and Federal Funds

NEW YORK STATE REGISTER

VOLUME XXX, ISSUE 47

November 19, 2008

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDS

 

EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

Office of Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities Albany, New York 12234

PUBLIC SCHOOLS, CHARTER SCHOOLS AND BOCES SERVING STUDENTS IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 12TH GRADE HAVING VALIDATED EFFECTIVE EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICES

S3TAIR Project Effective Practice Dissemination Grant

Extension of due date through December 19, 2008

Applications will be accepted though December 19, 2008 for annual grant funding of approximately $210,000 available to nominated schools having validated effective evidence based instructional practices. Grants of up to $10,000 are available for up to five years for the purpose of replication and dissemination of these practices. Grantees will be involved in Peer to Peer mentoring activities and in documenting efforts of collaboration.

Public schools, charter schools and BOCES serving students in kindergarten through 12th grade having validated effective evidence based practices will be eligible to apply for a grant. The effective practices that are validated must be in one or more of the following areas:

• literacy instruction,

• positive behavior/ academic interventions/ supports, or

• special education instruction for students with disabilities

For information on how to have a potential effective practice validated, please go to the following website for information: http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/grant_procurement_opportunities/about.htm

Program Purpose/Goal:

The primary purpose of this program is to support the S3TAIR Project's goal of dissemination and replication of evidence based instructional practices in three instructional areas that benefit students with disabilities (literacy, positive academic and behavior intervention and supports, and effective delivery of special education programs and services) by:

• identifying districts/schools successfully implementing and sustaining these practices,

• developing in-depth documentation of the practices in these districts/schools, and

• supporting peer to peer mentoring between these schools/districts and Replication districts seeking to replicate the practices.

Applications for funding may be found http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/grant_procurement_opportunities/about.htm

All questions must be emailed to [e-mail] no later than close of business on December 1, 2008. A Question and Answer summary will be posted at http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/grant_procurement_opportunities/about.htm no later than December 5, 2008.

HIGHER EDUCATION SERVICES CORPORATION

99 Washington Ave., Rm. 1500 Albany, NY 12255

NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN EXISTENCE PRIOR TO SEPT. 1, 2007

College Access Challenge Grant Program (CACGP)

In 2008, the United States Department of Education announced a national initiative known as the College Access Challenge Grant Program (CACGP). The New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) is the state's Lead Agency for the CACGP. The CACGP is a formula grant program in which funds are awarded based on the relative number of people in each state between the ages of 5 and 17 and between the ages of 15 and 44 who are living below the poverty line. The purpose of the national CACGP is to foster partnerships among federal, state, and local governments and philanthropic organizations through matching challenge grants that are aimed at increasing the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education.

The overall goal of New York State's CACGP will be to increase the rate of low-income, minority, and underserved students prepared to apply for, and succeed in college, with a priority on below-poverty-level families.

CACGP Grants are funded for two years and are authorized to implement an array of programs and strategies to ensure access to and participation in postsecondary education for underserved populations. To meet this goal, HESC will provide targeted support to local schools, agencies, and community-based organizations through a series of small-scale sub-grants. These will be for specific products, services, or activities that the grantees will provide to high-need students and families to meet the CACGP goals and objectives. Project funding will be conditioned on the outcomes being measurable and verifiable to ensure coordination with the overall state program.

Grant recipients will be authorized to: provide information to students and families regarding postsecondary education and career preparation; promote financial literacy and debt management; conduct outreach activities; assist students in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Financial Aid (FAFSA); provide need-based grant aid; conduct professional development for guidance counselors at middle and secondary schools, financial aid administrators, and college admissions counselors; and offer student loan cancellation or repayment or interest rate reductions for borrowers who are employed in a high-need geographical area or a high need profession. (Funds cannot be used to promote any lender's loans.)

Organizations (bidders) must be "not-for-profit"; must have been in existence prior to September 1, 2007; were, as of that date, providing or participating in one or more services and activities described as follows (THIS IS ALSO THE LIST OF ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES FOR WHICH SUB-GRANTS WILL BE AWARDED):

A. Providing information for students and families about postsecondary education opportunities and benefits, and how to plan for college and career.

B. Providing information on financing options for college and on financial literacy and debt management among students and families.

C. Providing outreach activities for students who may be at risk of not enrolling in or completing postsecondary education.

D. Providing assistance in completion of the Free Application for Federal Student aid or other common financial reporting form under section 483(a) if the Higher Education Act of 1965.

E. Providing professional development for guidance counselors at middle schools and secondary schools, and financial aid administrators and college admissions counselors at institutions of higher education, to improve such individuals' capacity to assist target population students and parents with the following:

-Understanding and meeting entrance requirements for admission to institutions of higher education;

-State eligibility requirements for Academic Competitiveness Grants or National SMART Grants under section 401A, and other financial assistance that is dependent upon a student's coursework;

-Applying for admission to institutions of higher education;

-Applying for Federal student financial assistance and other State, local, and private student financial assistance and scholarships;

-Increasing students' ability to successfully complete the coursework required for a postsecondary degree, including activities such as tutoring or mentoring;

-Improving secondary school students' preparedness for postsecondary entrance examinations.

HESC will issue a Request For Proposals (RFP) to solicit proposals for projects for up to two (2) years, beginning March 1, 2009 through October 31, 2010; for no more than $49,999.00.

Prospective bidders that are interested in, and capable of, providing the required services must contact Chet Fiske, Contracts Management Specialist, the above address, phone: [phone] or by e-mail at [e-mail] by COB December 3, 2008 to be placed on HESC's mailing list for the RFP. Proposals are due no later than COB January 6, 2009.