Team CSLX•Jan 19, 2024
Through the course of our work with clients, participants in CSLX’s CCSPP Grant Cohort Series, and our own conversations with practitioners, CSLX has collected a set of questions and answers about the CCSPP implementation grant cohort three application requirements, components and processes.
In this resource, you’ll find a list of questions we’ve surfaced, and what we’ve learned. Some of these responses reflect questions that we (and some of our LEA partners) have sent to the California Department of Education (CDE), and some come from the experiences of CSLX team members and community school practitioner partners who are well-versed in the CCSPP grant application requirements and the program overall.
We encourage you to visit the California Department of Education’s official CCSPP FAQ for more information and answers to any additional questions. If you have any remaining questions, email Lisa Clark-Devine at lclark-devine@cde.ca.gov (and please copy CSLX in your emails at love@cslx.org!).
NOTE: The guidance presented here represents the thinking of the CA Community Schools Learning Exchange (CSLX); it is not representative of the CDE. We understand that there are limits to the types of assurances that CDE can make (for example, the state's budget and what CCSPP funding looks like going forward is largely determined by the Legislature).
Our best advice is to follow the directions in the Request for Proposals (RFP) to the letter. This means font choice, font size, margins, submission instructions, everything! Those seemingly little details matter, and applicants can get rejected outright for failing to adhere to grant submission guidelines.
CSLX take: The CDE, both when asked via email–and in their December 5th, 2023 CCSPP webinar–affirmed that they are “planning” for a Cohort 4 implementation grant application round next year. However, there is no guarantee. Things could change as California’s budget situation changes, with legislative changes, or because of other circumstances. In short, while we and the CDE are hopeful, there are no formal assurances that there will be a Cohort 4 of Implementation Grants.
CSLX take: Correct. Awards will be per school site, based on enrollment numbers.
CSLX take: While the legislation that created the CA Community Schools Partnership Program (CCSPP) directs the CDE to give CCSPP planning grant awardees priority, eligibility and competitive priorities will still apply in the current implementation grant application process – i.e., if you have eligible schools that can also demonstrate “need” according to the competitive priorities, and you are committed to developing and sustaining a community school strategy, CSLX encourages you to apply whether you’ve already received a planning grant or not.
CSLX take: The planning and implementation grants are separate application processes, and the decisions that were made for the planning grants will not necessarily carry over to how implementation grants are awarded. While the legislation that created the CCSPP directs the CDE to give CCSPP planning grant awardees priority, the eligibility and competitive priorities outlined for Cohort 3 still apply in the current implementation grant award process.
CSLX take: Yes, you should apply on behalf of eligible schools because of point 2 (see page 7 of the RFA) in the eligibility description.
CSLX take: Fifty percent (50%) Unduplicated Pupil Percentage (UPP) is the eligibility threshold. Eighty percent (80%) is the competitive priority threshold, per legislation. For Cohort 2 Implementation Grants, CDE awarded grants to small and/or rural schools with UPPs of 70% and higher. These thresholds (or cut scores) could change based on the number of applicants, the UPPs of the schools in the applications, and the total amount of grant award monies available for this round.
CSLX take: The Demonstrated Need data will be from SY 22-23, and since the 2023-24 data will not be complete and available during the scoring process, CDE will only be looking at 2022-23 data for Cohort 3.
CSLX take: For the meeting minutes artifact, CDE wants to see that at least one meeting that has taken place this school year (2023-24).
CSLX take: Yes. Data from Google surveys are acceptable.
CSLX take: Yes. The needs assessment data is not specific to the eligibility criteria, and the information you collected and relationships you built during the planning process are not only valuable jumping off points; they will help demonstrate continued commitment to and development of your work.
The S-TAC developed an implementation plan template which can be helpful in putting together your implementation plan.
NOTE: Implementation plans AND artifacts are required for each school site in the application. Implementation plans are part of the grant application requirements – and they do NOT count as one of the five artifacts that are also required. Implementation plans are a component of the Request for Proposals (RFA), whereas artifacts are evidence that pieces of the implementation plan are happening – governance, alignment to CCSPP framework and so on. Put another way, implementation plans describe the process, governance, alignment/coherence, while artifacts give you an opportunity to prove how you came up with the plan. Bottom line: implementation plans are required for each school site, but do NOT count towards the five required artifacts.
CSLX take: Yes. There may be similarities and some subtle differences across sites, and if so, indicate those, but if there are going to be similar things happening across sites, it’s fine to submit similar plans. You can also elaborate on and provide context for those similarities and differences in the project abstract.
CSLX take: Yes! Asset mapping and needs assessment processes should include feedback from all interest holders – students, families and caregivers, teachers, and community partners.
CSLX take: Existing data is the starting point for your needs assessment. Describe what you have for each site. The Needs Assessment Date Sources resource can help you identify what sources of data you’d like to consider or include.
CSLX take: Yes, you should indicate on the questionnaire that you plan to build a network of schools. Give yourself credit for what you plan to do.
CSLX take: For an LEA applicant, the questionnaire should be submitted only once, on behalf of the LEA applicant (i.e., once for each application, not per school included in the application). It’s at the LEA’s discretion to decide the appropriate person for completing the questionnaire.
CSLX take: If you have one school you are applying for, or one in the district, be explicit about that in your application.
CSLX take: CDE will be going off of SY 22-23 enrollment data.
CSLX take:Yes. The costs associated with the site-based Community School Coordinator role are not admin costs – they are direct service costs.
CSLX take: Each site needs to meet one of the four eligibility criteria. It may be that that site doesn't meet the 50% criteria, but it may meet one of the other three. Keep in mind, it is a very competitive grant, so having Unduplicated Pupil Percentage (UPP) below 50% will decrease that site's chances of being awarded.
That said, if one site from your application doesn't get awarded, it doesn't mean the entire LEA's application will be denied. In that case, CDE will likely reach out and let you know which sites are awarded and which are not.
CSLX take: This is a question for CDE. While the Request for Proposals (RFA) contains some broader language around sources for the required match, it doesn’t include specifics, so we recommend you reach out to CDE directly.
CSLX take: We recommend you refer to the definition section in the RFA – that has CDE’s definition of support services. You can also reach out to CDE directly if you have additional questions.
CSLX take: Yes. Only one abstract per LEA/application is required. You do need a separate Implementation Plan and artifacts that meet the three requirements for each site, however.