Emerging Regional STEM Hub Backbone Grant

Request for Application

Emerging Regional STEM Hub – Backbone Grant

2015-2017

Updated to: Grant Application Due Date: 2:00pm on January 19, 2016

Oregon Department of Education

Office of Learning

255 Capitol Street NE

Salem, OR 97310-0203

It is the policy of the State Board of Education and a priority of the Oregon Department of Education that there will be no discrimination or harassment on the grounds of race, color, sex, marital status, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, age or disability in any educational programs, activities, or employment. Persons having questions about equal opportunity and nondiscrimination should contact the Oregon Department of Education, 255 Capitol Street NE, Salem, OR 97310; Telephone (503) 947-5600; Fax (503) 378-5156.

Table of Contents

Emerging Regional STEM Hubs – Backbone Grant

Request for Applications

I. Background and Legislative Intent

In 2013, Oregon’s network of Regional STEM Hubs was created as part of HB3232—a Strategic Initiative to strengthen the connection between education and the world of work. This foundational investment supported the establishment of six STEM Hubs in diverse communities across the State. Overseen by a partnership between the Oregon Department of Education, the Chief Education Office, and the STEM Investment Council, the overarching purpose of this investment strategy is to increase student interest, preparation, and attainment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics for success in related degrees and careers.

These regionally-focused, multi-sector partnerships unite schools, institutions of higher education, non-profits, businesses, civic leaders and communities to drive local STEM innovation and improvements at the systems-level, while also working to identify systemic barriers and co-construct solutions with communities most affected by the barriers. The focus of the STEM Hubs is to improve the entire STEM education ecosystem—formal and non-formal environments—from birth to career. They are not solely focused on K-12, though improving K-12 educational experiences in STEM are an essential expectation of each Hub. STEM Hubs leverage local resources and opportunities to bring STEM to students early and often, engaging them in and beyond the classroom. Hub borders are fluid, overlapping into surrounding communities and connected by multiple professional networks through which ideas and resources flow.

The Theory of Action for the Regional STEM Hub strategy is based upon a collective impact model where partnerships engage with multiple sectors in the community; eliminate locally defined inequities; use data for continuous improvement; and leverage community assets in efforts to improve practice and increase opportunities related to STEM education. Hubs align partner efforts and programs towards a common agenda with a commitment to using relevant data for continuous improvement.

Coordinating and facilitating a partnership with leaders from different sectors is extremely challenging. It requires high-level champions in the community who understand how critical these efforts are to their community, and who are willing to commit their time and resources alongside others to break barriers and achieve the outcomes. Hubs are not, primarily, intended to deliver programming directly; rather, the collective partners identify the essential programming needed to achieve the goals of the partnership, then identify how best to provide those services. In some instances that programming expertise can be found locally, and in other instances Hubs may identify external providers to address the local needs.

Often, a neutral, and respected organization is selected by the partnership to be the primary “backbone” of the STEM Hub, and to support day to day convening and coordination. However, no single organization can usually fill all of the roles needed for a successful partnership, and the backbone organization is not intended to staff all positions to meet all of the needs of the partnership. Roles are usually shared across the core partners in the STEM Hub based on expertise and capacity. For example, one of the partner institutions might have communications expertise and a commit to handling the development of marketing materials and maintaining the web presence. Another partner organization may have capacity and expertise to be the lead on data and metrics.Please see Appendix D for a detailed description of the multiple roles of a STEM Hub backbone.

Some of the programmatic strategies that are common amongst partners across the Regional STEM Hubs include:

• educator professional development around best practices in STEM instruction,
• implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards and the Common Core,
• increasing hands-on STEM learning experiences for students both in- and out-of school, and
• deepening student and educator connections to the fast-growing STEM employment opportunities in the state of Oregon.
• leveraging volunteers from local STEM employers to provide internship and other career-related learning experiences for students, and to support educator professional learning to bring real-world application of content.

Local STEM employers provide internship and other career-related learning experiences for students and work alongside formal and informal educators to bring real-world contexts to enrich and deepen content understanding and its application.

Regional STEM Hubs form a mutually supportive statewide network of hubs for implementation and dissemination of best practices. Through HB 3072, the 2015 Oregon Legislature, in collaboration with the Governor’s office and the STEM Investment Council, provided continued monetary support to increase organizational capacity for this work. Theintent is for all communities to have access to a STEM Hub in Oregon and to build an ecosystem to reach each and every student and educator.

All current and future Regional STEM Hub Grant sites are expected to incorporate and adopt the principles of Oregon’s Equity Lens. Through this Equity Lens, the Oregon Department of Education considers the creation of strategic opportunities for educational equity and excellence for every child and learner in Oregon. The Equity Lens provides twelve core beliefs that fuel opportunities to bolster success for diverse student populations across the state. The beliefs most pertinent to the work of this grant are highlighted below:

• We believe that everyone has the ability to learn and that we have an ethical and moral responsibility to ensure an education system that provides optimal learning environments that lead students to be prepared for their individual futures.

• We believe that our community colleges and university systems have a critical role in serving our diverse populations, rural communities, English language learners and students with disabilities. Our institutions of higher education, and the P-20 system, will truly offer the best educational experience when their campus faculty, staff and students reflect this state, its growing diversity and the ability for all of these populations to be educationally successful and ultimately employed.

• We believe that the students who have previously been described as “at risk,” “underperforming,” “under-represented,” or minority actually represent Oregon’s best opportunity to improve overall educational outcomes. We have many counties in rural and urban communities that already have populations of color that make up the majority. Our ability to meet the needs of this increasingly diverse population is a critical strategy for us to successfully reach our 40/40/20 goal.

• We believe that resource allocation demonstrates our priorities and our values and that we demonstrate our priorities and our commitment to rural communities, communities of color, English language learners, and out of school youth in the ways we allocate resources and make educational investments.

• We believe that communities, parents, teachers, and community-based organizations have unique and important solutions to improving outcomes for our students and educational systems. Our work will only be successful if we are able to truly partner with the community, engage with respect, authentically listen—and have the courage to share decision making, control, and resources.

II. General Information

A. Purpose of the Emerging Regional STEM Hub Backbone Grant

The Emerging Regional STEM Hub Backbone Grant of 2015-2017 is intended to develop and expand collaborative efforts that leverage community assets in order to increase students’ proficiency, interest, and attainment of post-secondary credentials and degrees in STEM and CTE. Theseregional collaborations will be a catalyst to drive economic vitality for individuals, communities, and the State. This grant supports the “backbone” coordination, data, and communication efforts of emerging Regional STEM Hubs. The purpose of funding the Emerging STEM Hub Backbone is to provide initial funding to develop a local framework of sustainable partnerships and to create a formalized Partnership Plan.

To support the success of this initiative, the Oregon Regional STEM Hubs will be connected through a larger statewide STEM network that will provide mutual support across regions to:

a)improve student performance in STEM related content,

b)increase interest and improve preparation for STEM careers, and

c)increase proficiency in STEM concepts necessary to make personal and societal decisions.

Across these focus areas, we prioritize efforts that:

a)close the opportunity gaps for culturally and linguistically diverse learners and learners navigating poverty;

b)connect with local economic and workforce needs;

c)and increase high school and post-secondary graduation and attainment.

B.Type of Grant

Based on the availability of state resources this grant begins February 2, 2016 and ends on June 30, 2017. The Oregon Department of Education, in collaboration with the office of the Chief Education Office, will review progress reports and performance data to determine future and continued program funding.

Between $75,000-$125,000 will be available per application for the entirety of the grant period. Grants will be determined based on detailed information submitted in the application, appropriate backbone functionality identified in budget worksheet and narrative, differential needs across regions, developmental status of the partnerships and availability of state funding.

Initial release of funding will be no more than 50 percent of the full grant request. Awardees will have up to 12 months to complete a comprehensive Partnership Plan based on extensive engagement with community partners. Once approved by the Oregon Department of Education in collaboration with the Chief Education Office, the remainder of the approved backbone funding will be released, and Hubs will also become eligible to apply for STEM Hub program funding.

Under certain circumstances and with prior notification, ODE may approve use of grant funds between June 30, 2017 and September 30, 2017. Grant funds may not be used outside of the award period February 2, 2016 – June 30, 2017 without prior approval.

C.Eligibility

The Regional STEM Hub Grant is a competitive grant. Any public school district, Education Service District (ESD), public charter school, community college or university or combination of such entities is eligible to apply. Other Oregon entities may partner with an eligible entity for the proposed project however; the eligible entity must retain accountability and fiscal responsibility for the implementation of the proposed activities.

D.Grant Requirements

Grantees will:

(1)Identify the backbone support organization to manage and support the Regional STEM Hub by serving the roles of project manager, data manager, communication provider and professional development facilitator.

(2)Engage in continuous communication both within and between Regional STEM Hubs to support a Statewide STEM Network.

(3) Participate inat least four statewide STEM network meetings and monthly calls.

(4)Fully commit to inclusive partnerships that are reflective in the vision and mission of the Regional STEM Hubs Partnership Plan

(5)Commit to addressing issues of the historically underserved and underrepresented populations; specifically, culturally and linguistically diverse students, students navigating poverty and female students.

The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) in collaboration with the Chief Education Office (CEdO) will:

(1)Provide grantees access to facilitated exchanges of best practices and shared expertise.

(2)Facilitate communications between Regional STEM Hubs to create a sustainable Statewide STEM Network.

(3) Share evidence-based practices that foster positive learning outcomes.

(4) Provide localized technical assistance to support the development of the Hubs

E. Use of backbone funds

These funds are to be exclusively used to support backbone functions of the Regional STEM Hubs, and not the delivery of specific programming.Grantees must be able to spend funds according to acceptable accounting procedures and be able to provide evidence of such procedures. All funds will be provided through the Electronic Grants Management System (EGMS). Costs must be necessary and reasonable to carry out backbone functions and not prohibited under State or local laws.

Reasonable costs will not exceed that which would be incurred by a prudent person, are ordinary and necessary for the operation of the program, and represent sound business practices. Lack of documentation is a primary reason for audit findings. Documentation must be available to support all expenditures and may be requested by the Oregon Department of Education at any time.

Funds will be available upon official notification February 2, 2016through June, 30, 2017. Under certain circumstances, ODE can approve use of grant funds between June 30, 2017 and September 30, 2017. Grant funds may not be used outside of the award period.

Note - Administrative costs must not to exceed 5% of the total proposed budget.There is an expectation of matching funds which is outlined in the Application Narrative in the Budget Worksheet section.

Backbone funds may not be used for:

• Costs associated with writing the proposal.
• Contractual obligations that extend beyond June 30, 2017, or began prior to the award date.
• Purchase of equipment that becomes the property of any individual or organization other than eligible project partners or recipients.
• Purchase of services for personal benefit beyond the Hubs backbone functionality.
• Support for travel to out-of-state professional meetings/conferences unless the meeting is identified in the proposal and attendance will directly and significantly advance the project.
• Purchase of office equipment unless directly linked to outcomes.
• Program activities hosted or conducted by the STEM Hub

F. Reporting and Assurances

Successful proposals will include specific outcomes that align to the STEM Pathways document and the STEM Hub Outcomes Framework with a data collection and evaluation plan that will provide evidence there has been progress toward meeting those outcomes within the timeline of the grant. Progress must be documented and measureable, observable through anecdotal records, or documented through other records. The results of the evaluation will be reported to the Oregon Department of Education ODE as part of the Final Grant Report. The evaluations will be included in the report to the Oregon Legislature and may be published on the ODE website or in other state publications. The evaluations will be included in the report to the Oregon Legislature. Any submission of evaluation materials (e.g., video or photographs) that include images of minors must be accompanied by a signed release form by a parent or guardian.

To facilitate evaluation of the grant by ODE and the Chief Education Office, recipients will provide additional data related to the impact of the STEM Hub on students, teachers and community partners. This data may include but are not limited to the following:

●Target Goals that address how underserved and underrepresented populations will be an supported during the 2015-2017 biennium and beyond

●An interim grant report, due in August, 2016

●Data and information requests during legislative sessions

●A final grant report, due in August, 2017

●Ongoing site visits and interviews and/or surveys conducted by the Chief Education Office, ODE staff and/or evaluators

The interim and final grant reports will contain, but are not limited to the following:

• Narrative information regarding the successes and challenges encountered in implementing the grant-funded program
• The number of students served by various aspects of the grant. Programs should be able to break down the number of students by Race/Ethnicity, Gender, LEP Status, Special Education Status and Economically Disadvantaged Status.
• The number of teachers served by various aspects of the grant. Programs should be able to break down the number of teachers by Race/Ethnicity as well as identify any teachers served who teach Special Education or ELL classes.
• Other information as needed (e.g., changes to program logic model, timeline of progress, plans for sustaining the program)

By signing the assurances included in this application, products and materials created as a result of the Regional STEM Hub grant will be made available for unrestricted reuse and recombination according to the following Creative Commons licensing agreement: addition, public school districts, educational service districts, public charter schools, community colleges and public universities, business, industry and community partners agree to cooperate with ODE and the Chief Education Office to collect and report such data to the extent that it is possible.

G. Scoring and Appeals Process

Applications must be electronically submitted to Elisa Rodrigues () at the Oregon Department of Education by 2:00 p.m. onJanuary 19, 2016. All applications will be scored by a review committee using the scoring criteria similar to that provided in this document. Each application will have at least three reviewers. When possible, each proposal will be scored by at least three reviewers from the following sectors: business, industry, STEM community member, student-focused nonprofit, Oregon’s equity team, education, professional development, or afterschool provider. No direct applicant or others with a conflict of interest will be accepted as a reviewer.