December 20, 2022
Questions Clarifying the Program Structure and Partnerships
10. Question: Can we create a 4.5-year program for this grant? Or does it need to be a 4-year program?
Answer: Per the page three of the RFA Introduction: “Note: Applicants may submit a proposal for a concurrent multiple or single subject/education specialist integrated program of 4.5 years duration, but candidates must be able to earn at least one
credential within the initial four-year program period and the second credential within the additional half-year.”
11. Question: Would you clarify the 2 - credential part?
Answer: See the answer to question #10.
12. Question: Can summer courses be part of the 4 years- can we add summer courses to make it 4 years (instead of 4.5). (I see in implementation grant it says fund can be used for creating summer courses- so I assume summer can be used)?
Answer: This is a local decision.
13. Question: If we do a partnership with a JC - can we do accreditation through them - a second site? Can we help the JC get accreditation for credentialing (program head/unit head), (i.e., JC awards the credential instead of CSU)?
Answer: Community Colleges cannot be a Commission-approved program sponsor. Please see: AB 320 and PSA: AB 320 Impact on Preliminary Multiple Subject, Single Subject and Education Specialist Educator Preparation Programs for more information.
14. Question: Our School of Education is planning on applying for the Integrated Teacher Preparation Program Implementation and Expansion Grant. As the Early Childhood Development BA program, we will be included in this grant through the School of
Education. Our question is whether or not we can as a Division of the School of Education, also apply separately for the Teacher Preparation Program Planning grant.
We will be moving into the planning and design of our program which will open up our current ECD BA program to become an Integrated BA/PK-3 Credential. These two grants seem to be listed as two different grants. Is it expected that an IHE would only apply for one or the other?
Answer: Institutions may apply for both an Integrated Planning and an Implementation/Expansion grant. Note: Integrated programs for PK-3 Early Childhood Education (ECE) Specialist Instruction Credential cannot expend implementation grant
funds until an approved program is in place. Knowing that grant funds must be expended by June 1, 2025, it may be that funds will need to be spent before an institution has a commission-approved program. Institutions may use planning grant funds for the PK-3 Early Childhood Education (ECE) Specialist Instruction Credential integrated programs.
15. Question: Planning Grant vs Implementation Grant – Can an IHE apply to both or only one? The IHE has started work in K-12 teacher prep and want to add PK3. What would they apply for?
Answer: See the answer to question #14.
16. Question: Can the same IHE apply for two separate planning grants for two different undergraduate credential areas- undergraduate degree with teaching credential and the other would be for early childhood and adolescent certification?
Answer: Yes. One IHE may apply for two separate planning grants for two different credential areas. Per authorizing legislation, “an integrated program of professional preparation shall enable candidates for teaching credentials…” Certification is not the
same as a teaching credential.
17. Question: Can this grant be used to create, implement, or expand an effective four-year integrated teacher preparation program for B.A. in ECE with a Pre-K to 3rd grade ECE specialist credential?
Answer: Yes. Note: Integrated programs for PK-3 Early Childhood Education (ECE) Specialist Instruction Credential cannot expend implementation grant funds until an approved program is in place. Institutions may use planning grant funds for the PK-3 Early Childhood Education (ECE) Specialist Instruction Credential integrated programs.
18. Question: Can a partner community college be included in multiple grants? For example, can a CC be written into a grant with one IHE and a separate grant with another IHE?
Answer: Yes.
19. Question: Can an applicant partner with multiple community colleges (or only 1)?
Answer: Authorizing legislation allows for multiple community college partnerships.
20. Question: Can we expand a community college partnership that was forged as a result of the 2016 award?
Answer: Yes, if credentials in the designated shortage areas will be expanded or if a new Community College partnership will be established.
a. Question: If yes, can I expand on my existing partnership and create new community college partnerships via the Implementation and Expansion grant?
Answer: Yes.
21. Question: Can we apply for planning and implementation and expansion grants at the same time? Can we apply for multiple in one area?
Answer: Yes.
22. Question: If our timeline to start a developed program was extended, would we still be required to adhere to the expenditure end date of June 2025?
Answer: Yes.
23. Question: If flexibility with the implementation start date for programs is not possible, does the CTC anticipate there will be additional RFAs released for ITEP planning grants over the next 3 academic years?
Answer: No. Grant funds will be awarded through June 1, 2023, and grantees will have until June 1, 2025, to expend grant funds.
24. Question: In regards to the Integrated Teacher Program Grant opportunities, will the CTC accept more than one proposal from the same institution?
Answer: Yes.
25. Question: Our expansion grant focus would be to continue the development of online courses for our traditional undergraduate and adult undergraduate candidates, especially in the area of GE requirements. The implementation grant submission would support the work partnerships established with two local community colleges and the pipeline into an educator preparation program. Would we be able to submit an implementation grant for each partnership?
Answer: Yes.
Questions Clarifying the Credentialling Requirements
26. Question: Would adding a Special Education credential work?
Answer: It is a local decision about which credential(s) will be part of the integrated program.
27. Question: Our IHE is interested in developing an integrated teacher preparation program that would offer a pK-3 credential. How should we incorporate or plan for CTC approval of a developed program within our implementation timeline? Does the CTC have an estimate for how long it will take programs to obtain approval/accreditation?
Answer: Knowing that grant funds must be expended by June 1, 2025, it may be that funds will need to be spent before an institution has a commission-approved program.
Regulations need to be approved, institutions need to submit for initial program review, and submissions need to be reviewed, etc. As a result of these multiple steps, it is challenging to provide an exact timeline. Institutions that are interested in using integrated planning grant funds for the PK-3 Early Childhood Education (ECE) Specialist Instruction Credential may do so.
Questions Clarifying Grant Funding and Budget
28. Question: Are we allowed to apply for the preparation and implementation the same year? So -for example Spring 2023 - June 2024 - planning and then Summer 2024/Fall 2024-Spring 25 = implementation time- should we apply for both parts now?
Answer: Grant funds will be awarded through June 1, 2023, and grantees will have until June 1, 2025, to expend grant funds. It is a local decision for which grant(s) to apply.
29. Question: Upon reviewing the solicitation, I wanted to ask what is CTC’s policy on indirect cost? Specifically, I would like to confirm that we are applying the 30% indirect cost that is associated with the California Model Agreement.
Answer: This is a local decision.
30. Question: Is there a written restriction on the use of university indirect cost rates?
Answer: See the answer to question #29.
31. Question: The definition for the Administration Costs budget category uses the term “administrative costs” and provides examples of allocable and reasonable expenditures that could be documented as being a direct cost to the Planning Program proposed. Do you consider a federally recognized university indirect cost rate an “administrative cost?”
Answer: No. That is an indirect cost and can be listed under the “other” budget category.
32. Question: Our institution requires a written statement to restrict how our university indirect rate is applied to external funds. The Integrated Program funding legislation authorizes the funds be used for “any proper purpose.” Is a university indirect rate of 40% or more of total direct costs ($143,000 of the $500,000 cap, for example) a “proper purpose” that is “the most efficient and effective use of fiscal resources?”
Answer: This is a local decision. The indirect cost may be listed under the “other” category in the budget.
33. Question: We received a grant in the first round of funding several years ago. It appears we will now be eligible for an expansion grant. May we apply for both another implementation grant and an expansion grant if the grants have different foci?
Answer: Yes.
34. Question: Our institution has an ITEP program which leads to a BA + Education Specialist Credential. We would like to add/create a new ITEP that would lead to the new PreK-3 Early Childhood Specialist Credential. Should we choose to apply for the planning grant or the implementation/expansion grant?
Answer: This is a local decision.
35. Question: The grant allows for recruitment activities; does this include the payment of tuition and/or books for the candidates?
Answer: This is a local decision. Legislation states that grantees "…may use grant funds for any proper purpose in support of implementation or expansion of a four-year integrated program of professional preparation…"
36. Question: At a private, independent college/university, can a portion of the grant money be allocated to students in the program to use as tuition supplement?
Answer: See the answer to question #35.
37. Question: The ITEP Planning grant RFA indicates that awardees will have until June 2025 to liquidate awarded funds and to complete planned activities as described in their proposal. Our campus is currently transitioning from quarters to semesters having impact on all IHE departments, programs, courses, and course sequences. In collaboration with our local districts and community colleges we would like to develop an integrated credential program for a pK-3 credential for implementation beginning 2026/27 AY. Does the CTC have flexibility with this RFA to allow a timeline that delays implementation of a newly developed program this far in the future?
Answer: No. Per legislation, grant funds must be expended by June 30, 2025.
38. Question: Can you clarify the difference between Administration Costs, IHE Personnel Release Time, and IHE Personnel Salaries. The definition for Release Time and Salaries indicates it is for “non-program administration work within the integrated Program Planning Grant Program.” Is this intended to be the same language for the Faculty Release Time which states the grant funds are used to cover work directly related to the Planning Program activities and deliverables as proposed by the IHE?
Answer: Section II in the RFA defines IHE Personnel Release Time and IHE Personnel Salaries states that these line items are used for release time or salaries related to non-program administration work for the Integrated Grant. This is work that IHE Faculty or Personnel complete that is not administrative work for the grant. Administrative costs can include salary and benefits for those completing administrative work for the grant.
39. Question: The Administration Costs definition indicates personnel costs to “administer” the Planning Program are allowed – how is this different from the line items for Personnel Release Time and Salaries? Please distinguish between “non-program
administration work” and “administration costs” as it applies to personnel.
Answer: IHE Personnel release time and salaries line items are for those not completing administrative work for the grant.
40. Question: The budget definitions suggest that only direct costs are allowable for Administration Costs, for example staff effort to analyze college enrollment trends that are not related to a required activity or proposed deliverable of the Planning Program implementation. Should the Administration Costs only include proposed expenditures that are direct costs which can be reasonably related to the Planning Program purpose?
Answer: Yes.
41. Question: Can we use grant funds awarded to compensate community college personnel during the academic year?
Answer: Yes. Legislation states that grantees “…may use grant funds for any proper purpose in support of implementation or expansion of a four-year integrated program of professional preparation…”
Questions Regarding Grant Writing Support
42. Question: Will there be a “training” workshop on applying for this grant?
Answer: There will not be an application workshop for this grant. Institutions may continue to ask questions via email, and Commission staff will post the answers to general questions via a questions and answers document, as outlined in the RFA.