SPED 5960 Louisiana Council for Exceptional Children (LA-CEC) Mini-Grant
1. Description of Assessment and its use in the program: The purpose of this assessment is to
provide an opportunity for teachers to gain experience writing a grant. Each year, the
Louisiana Council for Exceptional Children (LA-CEC) awards up to fourteen mini-grants
to Louisiana teachers who have outstanding proposals that will impact students with
exceptional needs (LA-CEC, 2010). Recipients’ grant proposals address one of the
following areas: (1) educating children with exceptionalities; (2) improving relationships
between families and their children with exceptionalities, (3) developing independent
living skills or employment of students with exceptionalities, or (4) using technology to
enhance the education of children and/or youth with exceptionalities. Any qualified
educator working in the Louisiana school system that can formulate an idea, create and
write the idea following the grant guidelines, submit a quality grant proposal, receive
funding, and implement the proposal may be funded.
2. Alignment of the Assessment with CEC standards:
The CEC standards addressed in this assignment are as follows:
CEC Standards: ICC9S12 Engage in professional activities that benefit individuals with
exceptional learning needs, their families, and one’s colleagues (DM, PS, RT, CCT);
IGC9S1 Participate in the activities of professional organizations relevant to individuals
with exceptional learning needs (DM, PS, RT, CCT).
3. Analysis of Data Findings: When candidates enroll in the class, SPED 5960 Interactive Teaming,
all class members and all 524B candidates gain experience writing and getting feedback on a small
mini-grant through this assignment/assessment. Additionally, out of a total of 14 LA-CEC funded
grants, approximately, 8 to 10 (524B) candidates are funded with a $500 dollar mini-grant as a
result of this assignment. Candidates believe this to be a helpful and useful assessment. This
assignment gives candidates a practice opportunity to write and get feedback on a grant. If the
candidate has followed all guidelines, then the grant may be funded.
4. Evidence for meeting the standards: Each year, 100% of the candidates enrolled in the Master’s of
Education in Mild/Moderate Special Education (524B) Program write a LA-CEC mini-grant and
submit for funding. All candidates gain experience engaging in professional activities and
organizations that benefit individuals with exceptionalities and their families. In 2008, 10/14 grants
were awarded to NSU 524B candidates. In 2009 11/14 grants were awarded to NSU 524B
candidates. In 2010, 9/14 grants were awarded to NSU 524B candidates.
5. Assessment Documentation:
Attachments:
A. Description of the assignment
B. Scoring guide
C. Candidate data
ATTACHMENT 5A
5A. Description of the Assignment
Assessment #7: Louisiana Council for Exceptional Children (LA-CEC) Mini-Grant
Directions: Please follow the guidelines below step-by-step in order to complete the mini-grant
assignment. If you have any questions, please ask. Total Points Possible = 66 points.
Louisiana Council for Exceptional Children (LA-CEC) 2010
Mini-Grant Application Guidelines (Amount of Funding: $500)
DEADLINE: The completed 2010 LA-CEC Mini-Grant Application must be postmarked on
or before midnight November 2, 2010 and submitted to the address listed below.
All interested persons are encouraged to apply. Applicants do not need to be experienced
in grant writing to receive an award as long as they follow the organization and format
listed below.
List of Application Items
Directions: Please follow the directions for the LA-CEC Mini-Grant as listed below. Your
grant will not be considered for funding if it is not organized in the format below and
submitted on the due date with two copies.
In short, you must follow the grant guidelines by organizing and labeling it as described
below.
o Mini-Grant Organization and Clarity: Write a clear and organized LA-CEC mini-grant
proposal that includes the following information (in the order in which it is listed below).
o Mini-Grant Length of Application: Applications should be no longer than 5 typed
pages and should describe the proposed project clearly.
o Mini-Grant Submission: Submit two (2) copies of the completed LA-CEC Mini-Grant
Application to
Dr. Duchardt at the address listed at the bottom of this page.
o Mini-Grant Deadline: The Mini-Grant must be postmarked on or before, Tuesday,
November 2, 2010.
Mini-Grant Questions: Please contact Leslie Ortiz if you have any questions about this
application: Phone: 337-239-3401 or E-mail: lortiz@mail.vpsb.k12.la.us
**Mini-Grant Award checks will be mailed by December 31, 2010.
Grant Organization: Please organize, number, and label your grant following the format
listed below:
1. Please indicate the type of award for which you are applying.
___
a. Educating Children with Exceptionalities.
___
b. Improving Relationships between Families and their Children with
Exceptionalities.
___
c. Developing Independent Living Skills or Employment of Students with
Exceptionalities.
___
d. Using Technology to Enhance the Education of Children and/or Youth with
Exceptionalities.
2. Application/ Project Director submitting the proposal information
a) Contact information: Include name, address, city, state, zip code, cell phone number, &
email address.
b) Resume: Include a one-page Resume
c) CEC Member: Identify if you are a member of the Council for Exceptional Children
(CEC)
3. Host agency/school district or other public institution/non-profit agency information
including:
a) Contact information: Include name, address, city, state, zip code, phone number, &
email address.
b) Non-Profit Status: Include a statement of Nonprofit or Institution Status.
4. Project Description must include the following items in an organized, numbered, and
labeled format:
a) Title of Project
b) Duration of the Project (Note: the Project must take place between the dates of 12/15/10
and 5/31/11)
c) Statement of Problem or Need which the Project addresses
d) Description of the Population to be served
e) Project Objectives
f) Project Activities to accomplish each Objective
g) Project Activities Timeline
h) Evaluation Procedures for Evaluating each Project Objective
i) Project Benefits: Anticipated Benefits of the Project
j) Project Budget
5. A Letter of Endorsement from an administrator of the agency that includes the
following assurances:
a) The Project will directly benefit the identified Population.
b) The School System or Nonprofit Organization assumes responsibility for the safety of the
Students while engaged in the activities described in the proposal.
c) The Activities are normally undertaken by students and their teachers and are approved
activities within the school system.
All interested persons are encouraged to apply. Applicants do not need to be experienced
in grant writing to receive an award as long as they follow the organization and format
listed above.
Leslie Ortiz, LA-CEC Mini-Grant Chair
201 Belview Road, Vernon Parish School Board Office
Leesville, LA 71446
Phone: 337-239-3401 or E-mail: lortiz@mail.vpsb.k12.la.us
ATTACHMENT 5B
5B. Scoring Guide
Assessment #7: Louisiana Council for Exceptional Children (LA-CEC) Mini-Grant
Name: ______________________________________ Date: _____________________
LA-CEC MINI-GRANT SCORING CHECKLIST RUBRIC
(Duchardt, 2010)
Grant Component
Scoring Criteria:
CEC Standards: ICC9S12 Engage in professional
Target = 1 = All grant components complete
activities that benefit individuals with exceptional
Unacceptable = 0 = Component incomplete
learning needs, their families, and one’s colleagues
or not present
(DM, PS, RT, CCT);
IGC9S1 Participate in the activities of professional
organizations relevant to individuals with
exceptional learning needs (DM, PS, RT, CCT).
1. Grant is visually appealing.
2. Grant is organized with each section
clearly and neatly labeled and identified.
3. Grant is bound.
4. Grant has the title on the cover page.
5. Grant has a picture on the cover page.
6. Section 1 has all four sections (a, b, c, &
d) typed with a check mark or an X in the
section for the type of award you are
applying for in the grant.
7. Section 2a is identified in bold text:
Your contact information is complete.
8. Section 2b is identified in bold text: A
one-page resume of the Project Director is
included and neatly organized in an
appropriate format.
9. Section 2c is identified in bold text: A
statement that you are/are not a member of
CEC.
10. Section 3a is identified in bold text:
Contact information for the Host
Agency/School District or other public
institution/non-profit agency information is
complete.
11. Section 3b is identified in bold text.
Statement of nonprofit or institution status
is complete.
12. Section 4a is identified in bold text and
must include the title of the grant.
13. Section 4b is identified in bold text and
must include the duration of the project.
14. Section 4c is identified in bold text and
must include the statement of
need/problem based on recent research
(2006-2010), references must be included
in the body of the need, and should be, at
least, four (4) paragraphs in length.
References must be included in the body of
the need cited in APA format.
This section is worth 10 points.
15. Section 4d is identified in bold text and
must include a detailed and organized
description of the population to be served
in a table format and include the total
number of students and exceptionalities.
This section is worth 5 points.
16. Section 4e is identified in bold text and
Project Objectives must be written in an
observable, measurable, concrete, and
specific format and organized into a
timeline with activities and dates.
This section is worth 10 points.
17. Section 4f & 4g is identified in bold
text and Activities must match each
objective and be organized into a timeline
with dates.
This section is worth 5 points.
18. Section 4h is identified in bold text and
Evaluation procedures for each objective &
activity should be observable, measurable,
concrete, & specific.
This section is worth 5 points.
19. Section 4i is identified in bold text and
Benefits of the project are explained in
detail and are complete and clear.
20. Section 4j is identified in bold text and
the Project budget is organized in a table,
and each item is listed separately with the
exact price listed. No guesstimates.
Section 4 is worth 10 points.
21. Section 4j is identified in bold text and
the budget does not exceed $500
22. Section 4j is identified in bold text and
outside of the budget table, a complete
written description of each item is
summarized in the text.
23. Section 4j is identified in bold text and
the budget supports the project objectives
24. Section 4j is identified in bold text and
the budget supports the project activities
25. Section 5 is identified in bold text: A
Letter of endorsement from an
administrator of the host agency must
include the following: (a) how the project
will directly benefit the identified
population; (b) the school system or nonprofit assumes responsibility for the safety
of the students while engaged in activities
described in the proposal;
(c) the activities are normally undertaken
by students and their teachers and are
approved activities within the school
system.
26. Grant is submitted on time.
27. The total grant is a finished product and
enhanced in a way that is not listed in the
above sections
Total Pts. Possible:
66 points
Attachment 5C
5C. Candidate Data
Assessment #7: Louisiana Council for Exceptional Children (LA-CEC) Mini-Grant
CEC Standard
Target
Acceptable
Unacceptable
3
2
1
Candidates
Assessed
Candidates
Assessed
Candidates Assessed
#
ICC9S12 Engage in
professional activities
that benefit
individuals with
exceptional learning
needs, their families,
and one’s colleagues
(DM, PS, RT, CCT);
IGC9S1 Participate in
the activities of
professional
organizations relevant
to individuals with
exceptional learning
needs (DM, PS, RT,
CCT).
%
#
#
%
%
#19 100% Class
#0 0% Class
#0 0% Class
#7 37% 524B
#0 0% 524B
#0 0% 524B
#26 100% Class
#0 0% Class
#0 0% Class
#1 4% 524B
#0 0% 524B
#0 0% 524B
Academic
Year(s)
2009
2010
Table 2: LA-CEC Mini-Grant Winners from 524B Program Course Assignment
Funded
Winners
of LACEC
MiniGrant by
Year
Total
number of
524B
Candidates
whose
grants
were
funded
Total
number
of grants
funded
% of
Grants
awarded to
Candidates
enrolled in
the 524B
Program
% of
Grants
awarded
to others
2008
10
14
71%
40%
2009
11
14
79%
21%
2010
9
14
64%
36%
Total Number of
Students in Class/
Total number of
524B Candidates
19/7
26/1