SPECIAL EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAMS

AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT OF 2009

(ARRA 2009)

State Department of Education Grantee Information

 

Freedom of Information Act

All of the information contained in the grant application is subject to the provisions of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Connecticut General Statutes, Sections 1-200 et.seq.  The FOIA declares that except as provided by federal law or state statute, records maintained or kept on file by any public agency, as defined in the statute, are public records and every person has the right to inspect and receive a copy of such records.

 

Obligations of Grantees and Subgrantees

All recipients of a grant award are hereby notified that the grant is subject to contract compliance requirements as set forth in Connecticut General Statutes Section 4a-60, 4a-60a and Sections 4a-68j-I et seq. of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies as well as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.  Furthermore, the grantee must submit periodic reports of its employment and subcontracting practices in such form, in such manner and in such time, as may be prescribed by the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities.

 

State/Federal Monitoring and Evaluation

The state and federal government may conduct site visits to grantees and subgrantees funded under this grant program in order to monitor a community’s progress and compliance of the IDEA, and in accordance with state/federal statutes as well as the purposes of this grant program as stated on pages three and four of this application.

 

Management and Control of the Program and Grant Consultation Role of the State

The grantee has overall management control of the grant.  While state agency staff may be consulted for their expertise, they will not be directly responsible for the selection of subgrantees or vendors, nor will they be directly involved in the expenditure and payment of funds obligated by the grantee or subgrantee.

 

Technical Assistance

Applicants with questions or needing assistance with the completion of the grant application or other issues (explanation of supplement, not supplant; maintenance of effort (MOE)) may contact:

 

Technical Assistance for IDEA ARRA 611/619
Brian J. Cunnane IDEA Funds Manager State Department of Education Division of Family and Student Support Services Bureau of Special Education 165 Capitol Avenue P O. Box 2219, Room 369 Hartford, CT 06145-2219 brian.cunnane@ct.gov 860-713-6919
	CONNECTICUT STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
REV 5/01/09	Division of Family and Student Support Services
P.L.108-446

 

SPECIAL EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAMS

        SUPPLEMENTAL APPLICATION FOR USE OF ARRA FUNDS

 

GRANT PERIOD

February 17, 2009 to June 30, 2011

 

GRANT COVER PAGE

To Be Completed and Submitted with the Grant Application

 

Applicant Dr. Joseph R. Castagnola Superintendent of Schools 3 Brush Hill Rd. New Fairfield, CT 06812 (203) 312-5770 Fax (203) 312-5609 jcastagnola@newfairfield.org	Program Funding Dates  From  February 17, 2009 to June 30, 2011   Preliminary Funding Amount (ARRA)    IDEA Special Education Assistance (611 funds) = $562,623   IDEA Preschool Education (619 funds)               = $22,266
Contact Person Aimee Turner and Kim Culkin Directors of Elem and Sec PPS 54 Gillotti Rd. New Fairfield, CT 06812 (203) 312-5774 Fax (203) 312-5804 aturner@new-fairfield.k12.ct.us kculkin@new-fairfield.k12.ct.us	Check if Consolidated Application   ___For IDEA, Section 611 Participating Districts:  (list districts)   ___For IDEA, Section 619 Participating Districts:  (list districts) *Please attach list of districts, if needed.

 

I,   Dr. Joseph Castagnola,   the undersigned authorized chief administrative official, submit this proposal on behalf of the applicant agency, attest to the appropriateness and accuracy of the information contained herein, and certify that this proposal, if funded, will comply with all relevant requirements of the state and federal laws and regulations.

 

In addition, funds obtained through this source will be used solely to support the purpose, goals and objectives as stated herein.

Signature (Superintendent):		Date:
Name (typed):	Dr. Joseph  R. Castagnola
School District/Agency:	New Fairfield Public Schools

 

 

SPECIAL EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAMS

AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT OF 2009

(ARRA 2009)

 

Goals and Related Activities

 

 

DIRECTIONS: 

Applicants are required to provide goals and describe the special education activities related to each identified goal. 

 

Applicants must complete the "Goals and Related Activities" page for each funding source the applicant is applying to receive, the IDEA, Section 611 and/or IDEA, Section 619.

 

 

Please Note

IDEA ARRA funds may not be used for child find activities, including the identification, location and initial evaluation of children.  School districts must provide these activities at public expense.

 

 

 

 

 

The grant application's "Goals and Related Activities" pages are attached.

 

 

 

 

ARRA FUNDS

GOALS AND RELATED ACTIVITIES

IDEA, SECTION 611

Special Education and Related Services (Ages 3-21)

 

 

 

District Goal # __1___:

Provide identified students, grades K through12, with additional supplementary, instructional, organizational

and study skills support,  in order to establish and maintain increased involvement in regular education

instruction.

 

School District Planned Special Education Activities:

 

1.  To increase outcomes for students with special education needs, special education teachers will increasingly be assigned to co-teach, consult and plan lessons with regular education teachers.

2. To increase outcomes for students with special education needs, paraprofessionals will be assigned to support regular education teachers in the implementation of modifications and instruction in the regular education classrooms.

3. To increase outcomes for students with special education needs, increased professional development opportunities will be provided to special education teachers, paraprofessionals and related service staff.

4. To increase academic and social emotional growth of students with special education needs grades 6-8, a new Special Education program will be developed, staffed and implemented.

 

 

District Goal # _2____:

Provide students with special education needs, grades K through12, with assistive technology equipment and software in order to maintain and increase their involvement in regular education instruction.

 

School District Planned Special Education Activities:

1. To provide students with special education needs access to the regular education curriculum, through the implementation of reading and writing software.

2. To provide access to the regular education curriculum through the implementation of a computer-based academic program for students considered at risk for academic failure; identified for special education programming;and in need of homebound instruction.

3. To provide students with special education needs access to the regular education curriculum with increased access to computers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                Prepare as many pages of the Goals and Related Activities Form

as necessary to describe your school district’s goals and activities

that ensures positive student outcomes.

 

 

 

ARRA FUNDS

GOALS AND RELATED ACTIVITIES

IDEA, SECTION 619

Preschool Special Education (Ages 3-5)

 

 

 

 

District Goal # __1___:

Provide identified preschool students, with additional supplementary materials in order to maintain and

increase their involvement in regular education instruction.

 

School District Planned Special Education Activities:

 

1. To increase outcomes for special education students, continued emphasis will be placed on professional

development for special education teachers, paraprofessionals and related service staff.

2. To provide special education preschool students with increased access to the regular education curriculum,

and increased access to adaptive playground and classroom equipment.

 

 

 

District Goal # _____:

 

 

School District Planned Special Education Activities:

1.

2.

3.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prepare as many pages of the Goals and Related Activities Form

as necessary to describe your school district’s goals and activities

that ensures positive student outcomes.

 

 

SPECIAL EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAMS

AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT OF 2009

(ARRA 2009)

Budget ED114

 

DIRECTIONS: Applicants must complete and submit a State Budget Form, ED 114, for each funding source, IDEA/ARRA, Section 611 and/or Section 619 entitlement.  The ED 114 must reflect a proposed line item budget that corresponds to the intended goals, objectives and activities proposed in the grant application.  Applicants must submit the IDEA grant budgets electronically through the CSDE’s Prepayment ED 114 Grant System.  Questions regarding this system should be addressed to Linda Kriss in the Bureau of Grants Management at 860-713-6472. 

 

 

NOTE ON THE IDEA BUDGETS

 

Administrative expenditures (salaries, clerical salaries and administrative supplies) are limited to a maximum of 10% of an eligible district’s total entitlement for both Sections 611 and 619.

 

When the federal government conducts its audit, grantees must be able to demonstrate that these expenditures for salaries are justified by time records and demonstrate the percentage of time that these individuals are involved in IDEA activities.

 

LEAs may use ARRA funds to purchase equipment which as been defined to mean an article of nonexpendable, tangible personal property that has a useful life of more then one year and an acquisition cost which equals or exceeds the lesser of the capitalization level established by the governmental unit for financial statement purposes, or $5,000 (see 2 CFR Part 225, Appendix B, 15.a.).

 

IDEA funds may only be used for the excess costs associated with the provision of special education and related services to eligible children.  However, 15% of the total grant may be used for general CEIS purposes or, if an the LEA has been identified under 34 CFR Section 300.646 to set aside funds due to disproportionate identification, it must be used for activities to reduce this disproportionate identification.  Applicants must document use of grant funds on the NOTICE OF INTENT TO USE IDEA FUNDS FOR COORDINATED EARLY INTERVENING SERVICES (CEIS), found on page 21 of the IDEA ARRA application. 

 

Grantees must use funds to supplement, not supplant local expenditures.

 

Eligibility for IDEA funding is based upon an LEA’s/agency’s prior demonstration of its MOE which the CSDE Division of Grants Management calculates for each LEA. If the CSDE identifies an issue concerning a LEA’s eligibility CSDE will contact the grantee.

 

 

 

The following ED 114s must be submitted electronically on the CSDE’s Prepayment   

Grants System.