North
Carolina Comprehensive School Reform
Implementation Grants - 2001 Competition
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Frequently Asked
Questions
1. How many grants will
be funded?
Given the range of $50,000 to $75,000 per school, the
number of schools funded should range from 7 to 10. The
Department reserves the right to increase or decrease the
number of grants based on the quality of the applications
received.
2. Which schools are
eligible to apply?
Forty-one schools were designated as eligible to apply
for 2001 Comprehensive School Reform Grants based on their
performance on 1999-2000 state assessments. Eligible schools
were identified from the following categories:
- Schools identified as
"low-performing,"
- Schools with the
lowest performance composites,
- Schools identified as
No Recognition based on confidence bands, and
- Schools in Title I
School Improvement.
This eligibility priority
is in response to the President's Executive Order on
Low-performing Schools. The intent is to provide resources
to help high-needs schools increase the academic performance
of their students.
3. Can schools apply to
implement more than one model?
Yes, but the critical issue is the fit between the
needs/assets assessment results and the model(s) selected
and the integration of the models into a cohesive reform
initiative.
4. Why do we have to
get a commitment from a model developer?|
The Department does not want to fund a school and then find
out that the model developer cannot commit resources to
assist the school in implementing the model.
5. Are any models
preferred over others?
No particular models are preferred; however, the 2001
competition is limited to the thirty-four, whole-school
models found in the Northwest Laboratory's Catalog of School
Reform Models. Locally developed models and content-specific
models do not lend themselves to the comprehensive reform
focus that is a part of this competitive grant
program.
6. Can grant funds be
used to conduct a needs assessment?
No. These grant funds are to be used to implement
comprehensive school reform models/initiatives; they are not
for planning purposes. Needs assessment is a process that
leads to selection of a model/initiative to implement.
Schools that have not gone through a needs assessment
process should not apply for these funds.
7. Must a school select
a model from the "Catalog of School Reform Models" published
by the Northwest Laboratory?
Yes. The primary model(s) to be implemented must be
chosen from the whole-school reform models in the Northwest
Laboratory's Catalog of School Reform Models.
8. Is there a priority
for schools serving particular grade levels?
No. CSRD legislation clearly suggests that states should
ensure a mix of elementary, middle, and high schools. This
is normally an area that the State Board considers in
conjunction with geographic distribution.
9. What are the key
factors the state will examine in selecting
recipients?
The two key factors
are:
- Need for
reform
- Quality of the
program
10. What about schools
that are already implementing a model? Are they eligible to
apply?
The intent of Congress is to support schools that are
initiating implementation of a model. In cases where two or
more applications are equal, priority will be given to
schools initiating implementation versus those schools that
have been implementing a model for one or more
years.
11. Are private schools
eligible to participate?
No. SEAs and LEAs are encouraged, however, to share
their knowledge with private schools.
12. Are charter schools
eligible to participate?
Yes.
13. Can a school
decrease other funding sources in a school if it receives
grant funds?
No. A school cannot decrease state, local, and federal
funds if it receives grant funds, and this requirement
cannot be waived.
14. Should our school
apply for these funds?
Any eligible school can apply, so each school will have
to make its own decision based on the amount of time it will
take to write the grant, the commitment of the faculty to
the model, the need for comprehensive change in the school,
and other priorities or activities in which the school is
involved. Because there is a limited amount of funding
available, schools can always look to other sources to
support this effort.
15. Do the LEA Cover
Page, School Cover Page, Abstract, LEA's List of Schools,
Verification of School Support for Comprehensive School
Reform, Budget Form, Developer Commitment Letter, Budget,
and Debarment forms count toward the twenty-page maximum
allowed for the narrative?
No. The twenty-page limit applies to the 14 points found
on pages 10-13 of the local application.
16. Can grant funds be
used for "pre-award" costs, including costs of developing
the grant application?
No. A school cannot pay a firm or group directly for its
proposal development work nor may it reimburse itself for
those costs after it receives a grant. Grant funding is to
be used only for program implementation.
Grant funds cannot be used
to reward a proposal writing firm for its help in developing
a comprehensive school reform implementation grant that is
funded. This is not considered a "reasonable and necessary"
program activity. Grant funds can only be used for program
implementation.
17. Are there any
cautions regarding the use of outside firms or groups to
develop a grant application?
If multiple schools submit applications drafted by
outside firms or groups and these applications are basically
similar, this will result in applications being eliminated
from consideration. Submission of an "off-the-shelf" design
without a direct focus on the needs of the individual school
cannot adequately address the comprehensive requirements of
the grant program. There is also the question of staff
buy-in.
18. Can an LEA charge
indirect cost to grant funds?
Yes, An LEA could charge indirect cost charges to this
grant, but the rate must be consistent with each LEA's
prescribed rate for other federal funds. However, charging
indirect cost is optional.
19. How do Charter
Schools address the issue of LEA support?
Each grant application must address LEA support. Charter
Schools should discuss the support of their governing boards
when addressing this issue.
For More Information: If
you have questions, please call Bill McGrady at
919/807-3957.
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