Grants

The Cambridge Public Schools receives grant funding annually from federal, state, and private sources. Project descriptions for the district’s significant recurring grant programs are provided below.

FEDERAL GRANTS

ESSER II: Created through enactment of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSA), the core purpose of the ESSER II Fund is to provide direct money to states and districts to address the impact of the disruption, closure, and reopening of schools caused COVID-19.

ESSER III: Created through enactment of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP), ESSER III provides aid to help safely reopen and sustain the safe operation of schools and address the impact of COVID-19.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Allocations

This federal entitlement program aims to ensure that eligible students with disabilities receive a free and appropriate public education that includes special education and related services designed to meet their individual needs. Funds are awarded based on a formula taking school enrollment and demographics into account. The majority of IDEA funding is utilized for out-of-district tuition. A portion of the grant allocated to meet the required proportionate share of federal IDEA funds for equitable services for parentally placed private school children with disabilities and activities under the Comprehensive Coordinated Early Intervening Services.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)—Early Education Allocations

This federal entitlement program provides funding to support early childhood education for eligible students with disabilities A portion of the grant is allocated to meet the required proportionate share of federal IDEA funds for equitable services for parentally placed private school children with disabilities.

Title I

This federal entitlement grant funds academic and support services for students, professional development activities for staff, parent involvement activities, and the purchase of supplies and materials in the district’s six Title I (high poverty) schools. One percent of the grant supports family engagement, and grant funds also support eligible Cambridge students attending private schools.

Title IIA- Teacher Quality

This federal entitlement program, which aims to prepare, train, and recruit high quality teachers, funds stipends for CPS’s mentoring program for new teachers, as well as other professional development. Participating private schools are served in proportion to their enrollment.

Title III – English Language Learner Support

Funds from this federal entitlement grant support supplemental instructional services and supplies for after school and summer programs to improve the educational performance of English Language Learners (ELLs) in K-8 by assisting these students to learn English and meet State academic content standards. The grant also provides support for parent ESL classes and registration for Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) teachers to attend professional development conferences.

Title IV – Student Support

Part of the Federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), this federal entitlement program funds academic, social emotional and other supports for students. The district has elected to use Title IIA guidelines in the use of this funding.

Occupational Education Vocational Skills

This grant supports curriculum refinement and professional development for staff in vocational programs at the Rindge School of Technical Arts (RSTA). The grant also supports the purchase of necessary industry specific supplies for student use in Creative Design, Health Assisting, Printing, Automotive, Computer Science, Culinary, Biotech, Carpentry, Early Education and Care, Information Technology, Media Technology and Engineering programs.

STATE GRANTS

Special Education Circuit Breaker Reimbursement

The state's Special Education Circuit Breaker program, managed as a grant, reimburses local school districts for a portion of their costs of educating high-needs special education students. The state aim to reimburse, subject to budget appropriation, 75% of district costs in excess of a per pupil threshold as calculated under by the state. The Circuit Breaker budget in any given year reflects the district's reimbursement for prior year expenses.

Expanded Learning Time (ELT)

ELT funding supports three hundred hours of extended instruction for all students at the Fletcher Maynard Academy and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School. The grant supports additional working hours for teachers and assistant teachers. It is expected that the additional learning time will lead to improved academic achievement as measured by the MCAS results and other criteria being used by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Evaluation Team.

Coordinated Family and Community Engagement (CFCE)

The CFCE grant supports pre-school-aged children and their families through the collaborative work of the Cambridge Community Partnership for Children (CCPC) and the City of Cambridge DHSP’s Center for Families. Together they provide a network of programs responsive to diverse families, including conducting outreach and referrals, providing family literacy groups and community-wide activities, partnering with public schools and community-based programs to support Kindergarten registration and screening, providing family education and support services, and engaging families in supporting early childhood development. Almost 85% of the grant is subcontracted to the Center for Families. At CPS, the grant funds .4 FTE of an Early Childhood Specialist.

PRIVATE GRANTS

Popplestone Foundation

This foundation grant supports the salary of two full-time grade K-2 Kodaly music teachers at the Peabody School and Fletcher Maynard Academy, as well as 0.4 of a 1.0 teacher FTE at the Tobin School. Funds are also used to purchase musical instruments and instructional materials.