Instructions for Completing FY15
SPED 274 Budget Workbook
Part I - Budgets
Part II – Amendments
1.
Please use PC hardware: The workbook can be submitted using a PC only. The workbook does not
function properly with Apple operating systems.
2.
Opening the File and Enabling Macros: Click on the link named FY 15 SPED_274_leacode.xls. A dialog
box may appear as the file opens prompting you to disable or enable macros and/or data connections. In
order to use the workbook you must click ‘Enable Macros’ and/or ‘Enable this content’. For assistance
please contact your local district IT support personnel.
3.
Saving and Naming the File: Once the file is open, select ‘File’ and then select ‘Save As,’ immediately
ensure that the document is saved as “Excel 97-2003.’ . Indicate where you want to save the file. The file is
currently named FY 15 SPED_274_leacode.xls. Edit the current file name by replacing the words ‘leacode’
with your 4-digit LEA code. The file will now have the following name format:
FY 15 SPED_274_#### (Note: #### denotes your LEA code.)
Example: FY15 SPED_274_4891
Grant Assurance Statement
The school district staff member who is responsible for programmatic oversight of the 274 grant should: review the
Special Education Program Improvement Grant Assurance Statement and check the box indicating that the
proposed professional development activities will meet a high quality standard. In the first box (labeled District
Name), click on the down arrow to view the dropdown menu for ORGANIZATION NAME. Scroll down to find your
district’s name and select it. Then enter the staff member’s name, position, address, telephone number and
email address where indicated. Click “submit” to access the cover sheet and application.
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Cover Sheet
You will automatically be directed to the tab labeled ‘Cover Sheet.’ Enter the district’s ‘Entitlement Amount’ in
Section B. The ‘Total Amount Requested’ box will fill in automatically once the budget pages are completed.
Notes:
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Before submitting the grant application workbook, please ensure that the “Entitlement Amount” and the
“Total Amount Requested” match. Any discrepancies in the amounts will not be processed, and will be
returned to the school district for correction.
Once the budget is completed, you must print the Cover Sheet and mail two (2) original signed copies of the
Cover Sheet to the Special Education Planning and Policy Development office (SEPP) at the ESE – see
additional instructions labeled Submission of Budget below.
Propose Professional Development Activities
New: Each eligible public school district and educational collaborative has been assigned to one of two groups based
on the 2013 district Determinations of Need for Special Education Technical Assistance or Intervention. Based on
district assignment, applicants will see either a Group 1 or Group 2 tab at the bottom of the screen. Select this tab to
complete the narrative portion of the application.
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REQUIRED PROGRAM INFORMATION – NARRATIVE COMPONENT: Please complete all of the required
program information (Sections A through D). Use concise descriptions because the Excel text boxes do not allow
for lengthy narratives.
Please note: The required program information, entered into the electronic workbook, is the ONLY
information that ESE needs with this application about the district’s proposed activities under this grant
program.
Please do not mail hard copies of the entire electronic workbook to ESE. The ONLY hard copies that need to
be submitted to ESE are: two (2) copies of the Cover Sheet, signed by the Superintendent or Executive Director.
Please send the signed cover sheets to:
Section A: Provide an overview of the proposed professional development activity(ies).
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Group 1
1. From the dropdown menu, select the priority that the proposed PD will address.
2. Check the box(es) that best aligns with the proposed PD.
Group 2
1. From the dropdown menu, select the SPP/APR Indicator that the proposed PD will address.
2. Check the box(es) that best align with the proposed PD.
Section B: Provide details about the actual professional development activity(ies).
1. In two to three sentences, identify and briefly describe the proposed PD activity(ies).
2. Identify the goals and objectives for the proposed PD.
a. Learning outcomes for students with disabilities – Identify at least one SMART Goal
b. Learning outcomes for Educators – Identify at least one SMART Goal
c. In two to three sentences, explain how the proposed PD supports any state, district, school, and/or
educator goals or priorities?
3. For each activity in B.1., provide a proposed timeline, including the number of contact hours and the
name(s) of provider(s).
Note: If applicants propose individualized, rather than school or district-wide professional development,
and have yet to identify a provider(s), please describe the type of provider the school district will be seeking
and how the district will ensure that the selected professional development is aligned with the selected
Indicator and selected topic area(s), and contributes to the school district’s professional development goals.
4. In two or three sentences, describe the job embedded activities or plans for participants to apply their
learning to the particular content and/or context.
5. Check the box next to each professional role that is targeted for participants who will be taking part in the
identified professional development activity(ies) in B.1.
Section C: Provide a data-based rationale for PD activity(ies) specified in Section B.
1. Check the box next to each type of data that was analyzed in order to target the professional development.
2. In two to three sentences, describe how the data listed in C.1. informed the school district’s decision to focus
on the selected Indicator, topic area(s), and specific professional development activity(ies).
Section D: In two or three sentences, how you will assess and measure the changes in educator knowledge, skills,
and/or practices resulting from the proposed PD to ensure that it is meeting the targeted goals relevant to the desired
student outcomes?
Section E: In this section of the worksheet enter the budget information related to all of the Section B activities. The
budget information will be automatically totaled and populated on the budget pages.
Contractual rate, hour/day (Part 5) must be entered on the narrative worksheet. Also, for stipend amounts that must
pay into the Massachusetts Teachers’ Retirement System (MTRS), click the MTRS box. Nine percent will be
calculated automatically in this field. Please note that salaries may not be paid using these grant funds. (If you are
not able to check the MTRS box, please ensure you have enabled all macros.)
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Budget Pages
To access the budget, click on the tab labeled ‘Budget Pages’ at the bottom of the screen. On the budget pages,
the district is required to ONLY confirm completion of Part II: contact person, mailing address, telephone, summer
phone, email and submission date.
Schedule A Worksheet
A Schedule A is to be completed if the applicant operates and administers a grant project using funds assigned to
more than one agency. In this case, mail a signed original Schedule A along with the two signed cover sheets to:
Helen Skulski
Special Education Planning and Policy Development Office, 4th Floor
Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA 02148-4906
Summary Sheet
When the budget has been completed, the district’s primary contact person should review the ‘Summary’ worksheet.
This sheet is for reference purposes only and contains 3 reports that summarize the data entered on the budget
worksheets. Do not enter data on the ‘Summary’ worksheet.
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Submission
Submit all 274 applications through the ESE security portal. UPLOAD the entire workbook FY15 SPED_
274_####.xls to the security portal, through Drop Box Central into the “SPED Grant Application and Amendments”
box. (Note: #### denotes your LEA code.)
Directions on Security Portal access and uploading:
The district’s FY15 274 submission package will be considered complete when all of the required components are
uploaded to the Drop Box and two (2) signed cover sheets are received by ESE. School district personnel completing
this grant application will need to consult with the school district’s "Directory Administrator" to access the ESE’s
Security Portal. If necessary, the Director Administrator will need to assign the "SPED Grant Application and
Amendments" security role to the person or persons in your district who are responsible for submitting materials
related to SPED 274 Grant application.
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8.
Login to the Security Portal. To review general information about the portal, please see materials available
at https://gateway.edu.state.ma.us/docs/loginhelp.asp?mode=about
Click "Drop Box Central" from the list of Applications.
Select "SPED Grant Application and Amendments" at the Drop Box Central screen and click "Next". (If this
drop box is not visible, contact the school district’s District Directory Administrator to have access granted.)
On the next screen, select your organization (district name) and click "Next".
You are now in the “SPED Grant Application and Amendments” drop box, where you can upload your grant
application. Please be sure to add the four-digit LEA Code in place of the words “leacode” before uploading
them to the Drop Box. The Drop Box will only accept filenames with the extensions ".doc" and ".xls"
(Microsoft Word and Excel, respectively).
When a file is uploaded, “Success!” will pop up to confirm that the upload was successful. The file will also
appear under "SPED\District Name\ESE Inbox" along with the date and time of transmittal. Staff at ESE will
be notified via email that the school district’s file has been uploaded and is ready for review. To view all of
the files in the district’s Inbox or Outbox, click "Expand All".
Click "Logout" to exit the Security Portal.
For questions concerning the submission process, please contact Helen Skulski at (781) 338-3379 or via email at hskulski@doe.mass.edu.
Once documents are successfully uploaded for submission, the final step is to print and have the Superintendent of
Executive Director sign two (2) copies of the 'Cover Sheet', and mail them to:
Helen Skulski
Special Education Planning and Policy Development Office, 4th Floor
Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA 02148-4906
Instructions for Completing FY15 SPED 274 Grant Amendments
A. Accessing/Opening File/Saving File
The final budget workbook will be posted to the security portal once it is complete and approved by Grants
Management. The file name will be FY 15 SPED_274_leacode_FINAL. This is the only workbook that can be
used to file a first amendment.
To begin the amendment process, download the workbook from the ‘SPED Grant Application and Amendments’
security portal. As the file opens, a dialog box may appear stating that ‘the workbook you are opening contains
macros.’ Click on ‘Enable Macros’ and/or ‘Enable this content’ to begin.
Once the file is open, select ‘File’ and then select ‘Save As,’ immediately ensure that the document is saved as
“Excel 97-2003.’ Be sure to keep the exact filename as designated by the ESE.
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If you are submitting a first amendment, the file name is FY 15 SPED_274_leacode_FINAL
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If you are submitting a second amendment, the file name is FY 15 SPED_274_leacode_AM1
B. Budget Sheets
Make line item changes on the narrative tab. The budget pages will automatically populate – each line item is
linked to the AM-1 form by formulas.
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C. Amendment (AM-1) Form
1.
2.
To access the amendment (AM-1) form, click on the tab labeled ‘Amendment’ at the bottom of the screen.
On the amendment (AM-1) worksheet, complete the yellow highlighted areas only: Part I:I – Name of
person completing this report, Title, and Phone Number; Part II – Justification; and Part III – Authorized
signature.
Important note: Do not try to enter information in Part III – Columns A, B, C, and D; the cells are linked to the
budget pages and are password protected.
D. Submitting Amendments
When the amendment is ready for submission, UPLOAD the workbook to the SPED Grant Application and
Amendments security portal. Be sure to maintain the same filename that the ESE has designated.
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Mail one copy of Form AM 1 (Amendment Request Form) with an original signature in Part III along with the
budget pages to:
Helen Skulski
Special Education Planning and Policy Development Office, 4th Floor
Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA 02148-4906
E. Approved Amendments
Once the amendment has been approved, ESE will mail a signed hard copy of the information back to the contact
person listed on the AM-1 form.
A revised electronic 274 workbook will be posted back into the security portal. The name of the grant workbook will
change slightly with each amendment filed. After the first amendment the file name will become FY 15
SPED_274_leacode_AM1, then with each subsequent amendment the last part of the file name will change, e.g.,
AM2, AM3, etc. Please remember to use the most current workbook when filing new amendments.
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