1. Service-Learning and Ecosystems!
Quality Enhancements in After-School and Out-of-School Time (ASOST-Q) Competitive Grant (FC 530-B)
Service-Learning and Ecosystems!
Funding Opportunity/RFP at:
Grant Information Webinar
July 30, 2013

2. Agenda ASOST Grant Purpose & Priorities Grant-Specific Priorities
Eligibility
Grant-Specific Requirements
Funding/Fund Use
Required Information/Forms
Submission Instructions
Timeline
Questions?
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

3. Overall ASOST Grant Purpose & Priorities
Enhance quality of OST programming
Improve Student Outcomes
(academic, social, emotional, physical)
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

4. Purpose & Priorities: In particular…
Enhance STEM teaching/learning in OST programming
Improve Student Outcomes
(academic, social)
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

5. Grant-Specific Priorities
Support OST staff to better understand new Science standards related to Ecosystems (grades K-5 and 6-8). (Please reference the National Research Council’s Framework for K-12 Science Education and the Next Generation Science Standards.)
Help OST staff better understand how students learn these concepts.
Develop related high-quality summer STEM-SL projects that will help to decrease summer learning loss and increase students’ understanding of concepts related to Ecosystems.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

6. Eligibility Community-based organizations with…
Experience* developing STEM curricula
Experience* training educators to implement STEM curricula with youth
A minimum of two OST program site partners**
*Particularly in the area of
Ecosystems (K-5 and/or 6-8)
**One (or more) of which is a public school
Note: Current ASOST-Q grantees (FC 530-A) are not eligible to apply.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

7. Grant-Specific Requirements
Identify a team, including representatives from the participating OST programs and partners, which will:
Participate in Department-provided PD sessions
Implement a summer STEM-SL project that engages youth in the project for a minimum of 25 hours over a minimum of 4 weeks; and
Submit curriculum materials developed to the Department to serve as examples for other summer programs.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

8. Grant-Specific Requirements
Teams must include…
A project coordinator (lead applicant)
Up to two staff from each OST site (total of 4)
At least one science teacher (with grade-level experience aligned with the proposed targeted student population)
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

9. Grant-Specific Requirements
Professional development will cover…
Quality Service-Learning – what is it? how do you do it?
Digging in to the NextGen Science Standards on Ecosystems
Blending the above…STEM Service-Learning
And will include…
Fall: 2-day STEM-SL Kickoff Session
Winter: 1-day Planning Session
Spring: Follow-up Session (site visit) - program planning at proposed OST sites
Summer (August): 1-day Reflective Practice / Documentation Session
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

10. Grant-Specific Requirements
As a result, teams will:
Create and document a STEM Service-Learning Curriculum
Engage students (K-5 and/or 6-8) in the curriculum during summer 2014
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

11. Funding/Fund Use
Anticipate awarding four grants of up to $50,000 per grant
Funds can be used to support:
Salaries/stipends for both curriculum development and implementation
Professional development and related costs (including a required set-aside of $6,250 for ESE-provided PD)
Related program Materials/Supplies
Other costs related to STEM Service-Learning curriculum development and/or implementation
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

12. Required Program Information
The STEM-content expertise you bring
The existing OST programs / partners involved
The targeted students to be served and their particular needs
Who’s on your team
Anticipate outcomes resulting from implementing STEM Service-Learning
Other resources supporting your OST programs
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

13. Required Program Information
Do NOT tell us about (please)…
A specific service-learning project you plan to implement.
Why?? 
Quality service-learning engages students in identifying needs and problems, and discovering and owning the solutions (projects) that they plan and implement as a result. Through the Department-sponsored professional development and support, funded applicants with develop curricula and lessons that incorporate rigorous science concepts as students are guided through the steps of service-learning.  Not until students are engaged in these steps will the solutions (projects) become fully-formed service-learning projects.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

14. Required Forms Signature Pages (for school-year and summer)
Budget Pages (for school-year and summer)
Required Program Information (narrative)
Grant Assurances
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

15. Submission Instructions
Letter of Intent Due: August 9, 2013 (
Application Due: August 16, ( and postmarked)
Submit all required forms by 5PM via to
Mail FOUR sets, at least one of which is single-sided and marked “ORIGINAL” and includes original signatures.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education