Refugee Student Impact Grant

Posted by on November 29, 2010

Announcing Application Extension of December 15, 2010 for Applications for the Refugee Student Impact Grant for 2010-2012

To:     School District Superintendents
Charter School Chief Executive Officers
Career and Technical Education Executive Officers
Intermediate Unit Executive Directors

From:   Amy Morton
Deputy Secretary
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
Edward A. Vollbrecht, Director
Bureau of Teaching and Learning

The Department of Education is pleased to announce the availability of the 2010-2012 Refugee School Impact Grant (RSIG) Request for Application (RFA) on the PDE Refugee Education website at http://www.education.state.pa.us, keywords Refugee School Impact.  Notice of Availability of the RFA will also be disseminated through direct notification of all local educational agencies through Penn*Link.

We are extending the deadline announced through Penn*Link from the initial application due date of Wednesday, November 24, 2010 to Wednesday, December 15, 2010.

Section 412 (c)(1)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)(8 U.S.C. §1522 (c)(1)(A), as amended, includes the use of funds to support local school systems that are impacted by significant numbers of newly arrived refugee children. The Refugee School Impact Grant is authorized by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Refugee Resettlement. These funds are awarded to Pennsylvania’s Department of Public Welfare for the statewide Refugee Resettlement Program. It is through a Memorandum of Understanding that RSIG funds are provided to the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Refugee Education Program.

For the purposes of this grant, refugee students are those who are between the ages of six and eighteen years old who have been given refugee status upon admittance to the United States. Refugee students come to the U.S. with a wide range of educational backgrounds, little to no English language skills, lack of understanding for American culture and many psychological scars from the trauma they endured.

Eligible Applicants:

All Pennsylvania school districts are eligible to apply. PDE requires that eligible school districts provide documentation of collaboration with local refugee resettlement agencies and service providers when applying for funds. School districts must provide documentation that they have the full support of local refugee resettlement agencies and service providers to which services are targeted. Likewise, local refugee resettlement agencies and service providers must clearly demonstrate cross-collaboration with the school district. This cross-collaboration should occur through every stage of the RSIG program development, including proposal creation, program implementation and process and outcome evaluation.

Grant Award Selection and Notification:

Applications selected for funding will receive funds for a period of approximately 24 months with two twelve-month budget periods. Awards will be for one year budget periods, although the project period may be for two years. Year Two continuation is contingent upon satisfactory performance, as defined in this RFA, continued funding from ORR and evidence of growth and progress as documented in both the Semi-Annual Report and mandatory completion of the state evaluation data. The grant period will range from December 15, 2010 – August 14, 2012.

PDE anticipates awarding eight to ten grants statewide. It is expected that a maximum of one school district from a county will receive funding with grant amounts ranging from a minimum of $30,000 to a maximum of $50,000 per application.

Application Information:

Detailed information outlining grant terms and conditions, pertinent regulations and the application process is contained in the Refugee Student Impact Grant (RSIG) Request for Applications (RFA) for Fiscal Years 2010-2012, which may be secured by these methods:

•       Online at PDE’s website: http://www.education.state.pa.us, keywords Refugee School Impact.

•       Telephone and Email Request: Susan D’Annunzio, Supervisor at 717-346-3186 or sdannunzio@state.pa.us

Application Budget and Signature Forms plus three copies must be received by 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 15,  2010 at the Bureau of Teaching and Learning, Division of Student Services 333 Market Street, 5th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333. axed and emailed copies will not be accepted. Forms received after the deadline will not be reviewed. Applications submitted after that time will be ineligible for consideration, as will be faxed or emailed applications.  Mail original and three copies of application to:

Attention: Arletha Harris, Administrative Assistant
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Bureau of Teaching and Learning
Division of Student Services
333 Market Street, 5th Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333