Computer Science Supplementary Authorization Incentive Grant Request for Applications - Questions and Answers

Questions and Answers

Computer Science Supplementary Authorization Incentive Grant Request for Applications

1. Question: Given that funding shall be available for encumbrance until June 30, 2026, can our project support teachers who are enrolled prior to June 30, 2026, but will complete their authorization in the following fiscal year?
   Answer: Yes. There is a two-year liquidation period after the end of the project period (June 30th, 2026) to expend any remaining encumbered funds.
2. Question: While charter schools cannot apply, could we support a teacher who works at a charter through our consortium?
   Answer: Yes.
3. Question: Will there be a round 7 of funding and if so, when would that next round of funding open up?
   Answer: Future grant rounds are determined by the availability of grant funds. If grant funds are available, rounds will be offered in the fall and spring of each fiscal year through the end of the project period (June 30th, 2026).

4. Question: We will be a consortium application and have secured letters of support from our partner LEAs. While we know that these would not be scored, our thought is to include them at the end of the submission PDF. May you please advise?
   Answer: Yes. They will not be scored, and you may include them in the application.
   

February 9, 2024
Questions Clarifying the Request for Application (RFA) and the Submission Requirements

5. Question: To be eligible do we need to have to meet a certain number of rural schools or unduplicated pupils?
   Answer: No. When scoring applications, priority is awarded to grant applications for teachers that provide instruction at either of the following:

(A) A school operating within a rural district.
(B) A school with a higher share than other applicants of unduplicated pupils, as defined in Section 42238.02 of the Education Code.

April 29, 2023
Questions Clarifying the Request for Application (RFA) and the Submission Requirements

6. Question: How many teachers might be funded per year based on capacity of existing and in development programs specifically stating they support coursework that meet supplementary authorization applications?  As an example, [an IHE] is committed to supporting 200 teachers in 2 classes per year. And may be scaling even larger in future years.

   Answer: Eligible grantees are local education agencies (LEAs). Over the life of the grant, the allocated funds can support a maximum of 6000 teacher participants. The number of participants funded per year is based on LEA need and the number of participants approved for funding.

7. Question: Since no MOU or other letterhead/authenticated correspondence is required from the IHEs supporting CS Supp Auth grant applications, will the CTC communicate/correspond with IHEs regarding the rosters of applicants that were submitted as intending to use their programs so that the IHEs can allocate resources appropriately?

   Answer: No. The Commission expects the LEA grantee to communicate with their IHE partners.

8. Question: Could you clarify how this could be used to support preservice teachers? 

   Answer: It is a local decision of the grantee LEA to use grant funds to support preservice teachers to take Computer Science Supplementary Authorization (CSSA) courses.

9. Question: Could you also clarify if preservice teachers can take CSSA courses during their preservice / credential work and then receive their CSSA when they receive their primary credential?

   Answer: Supplementary Authorizations (SA) may be added to the University Internship Credentials (Multiple and Single Subject only) but may NOT be added to a district intern credential.

10. Question: I want to ensure that we are all on the same page regarding whether Math, Business and ITE credentialed teachers can apply for the supplementary authorization in Computer Science.

    Answer: Instructing Computer Science coursework is authorized in some capacity via the Single Subject Mathematics, Business, and ITE credentials, although none of those credentials have any subject matter content for Computer Science within the Subject Matter Requirements (SMR).  Because of this, the Computer Science Supplementary Authorization CAN be added to Mathematics, Business, and ITE credentials.

11. Question: In the RFA it states "a school with a higher share than other applicants of unduplicated pupils as defined in Section 42239.03 of Education Code". I interpret the threshold as 55% of unduplicated or higher. Is that correct? Or if this is in comparison to other districts who might have more schools with higher unduplicated percentages, is it recommended to use a more conversative threshold for the percentage of unduplicated pupils (for example 85% or higher)?
    Answer: Please list all schools within the applicant LEA that have an unduplicated pupil population of 55% or higher. The underlying legislation for this grant authorizes the Commission to give priority to grant applicants with a higher percentage of unduplicated pupils relative to other applicants.

Questions About Who Can Apply for a Computer Science Supplementary Authorization Incentive Grant

12. Question: Can COEs apply on behalf of teachers at their county schools (court & community, etc.)? Can COEs apply on behalf of teachers at their districts' schools? Can COEs apply on behalf of multiple districts in the same application?

    Answer: Yes. And if County Offices of Education (COEs) choose to do so, they should clearly note such partnerships in the narrative of the application.

13. Question: Are county offices able to apply in partnership with LEAs or is this one strictly for LEAs?  can county offices partner with LEAs to submit an application jointly? If so, is the county office allowed to take the lead with the application?
    Answer: Yes. And if COEs and LEAs choose to do so, they should clearly note such partnerships in the narrative of the application.

Questions Regarding Funding

14. Question: Are we able to use [district] staff salaries (for our staff assigned to oversee this project) as a demonstration of matching costs?

    Answer: Per authorizing legislation, the 100-percent match of grant funding can only be in the form of costs for required coursework, books, fees, tuition, and release time, as applicable and/or an in-kind match of release time or substitute teacher costs for the participating teacher.

15. Question:  I have a few districts asking if the grant for the Supplemental Authorization for Computer Science will be retroactive since they have some teachers already doing the course work?

    Answer: Grant funds and matching funds may only be used for approved expenses incurred after the awarding of the grant.

16. Question:  My understanding is that this is a gift where the LEA has to match what the state provides, but that this match can be in-kind.  Could you please elaborate on what that in-kind matching from an LEA could look like, and what that process would be for applying for funds with an in-kind match?

    Answer: Per authorizing legislation, in-kind matching funds are limited to in-kind match of release time or substitute teacher costs for the participating teacher. The process for indicating in-kind matching funds can be found on Appendix F, Budget Overview form.

17. Question:  Can the CTC grant fund be used by the LEA awardees to pay for above cost of $3,060 or $3876 and $75 credential filing fee?

    Answer: Grantee LEAs will be funded a maximum of $2,500 per participating teacher. LEAs may use matching funds for any additional program costs above the $2,500 grant fund maximum.

18. Question: The instructions of the RFA for the Computer Science Authorization Incentive Grant states that grant funding can be used for any of the following: cost for tuition, books, fees, or release time/sub cost. If we are partnering with an organization that offers asynchronous or evening classes, are we still able to use grant funds to pay teachers to complete their courses? This would be extra duty pay rather than needing to have to cover the cost of a substitute.

    Answer: Authorizing legislation states that the use of grant funds includes coursework, books, fees, tuition, and release time and/or substitute cost. Since asynchronous or evening classes would not require time off from regularly scheduled activities, extra duty pay would not be considered an approved use of grant or matching funds.

19. Question:  To help support the CS community's needs to grow quality CS educational opportunities in Title 1, rural, and other high need schools, would there be an opportunity for matching funding from outside the LEA to be used for matching? Some types of other funding that could be interested in matching could include • Private, individual donors • Corporations • NSF, DoD, and other federal grant programs • Private grant programs (Ford Foundation, etc.) • CSforCA or other 503C • PTA • IHEs.
    Answer: Yes.

Questions Regarding Reporting and Responsibilities Once Grants Have Been Awarded

20. Question: We are a Tk-8 district, and we are wondering what you mean by "the number of new computer science courses" (p.20)?  Our district is starting a CS initiative where we plan to integrate CS standards throughout the core at the elementary level, so we will not create new computer science courses. Can elementary school teachers apply for this grant to teach integrated CS standards in the core?

    Answer: The purpose of this grant is to increase computer science coursework in settings authorized by the teacher's underlying credential. The introductory computer science supplementary authorization added to a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential authorizes the holder to teach departmentalized computer science courses in grades 9 and below.

    In this case, the number of new computer science courses offered could include those core courses taught by participants in the grant program in which there is evidence of an increased integration of Computer Science standards.

21. Question: Can supplemental programs count toward computer science courses? For example, can an after-school or summer program count?

    Answer: Yes. New courses being taught in supplemental programs such as after-school and summer programs can count towards the total number of new computer science courses offered.

22. Question: Part of the grant application requires us to describe our data collection and evaluation reporting. If we want to target elementary teachers for this grant, what metrics would we use to indicate teachers are actually teaching computer science content at the elementary level? We wouldn't be able to indicate new courses at the elementary level. Would instructional minutes spent teaching computer science content be sufficient? While we don't have a way to track those minutes at the individual teacher level, we can share the goals at the elementary program level.
    Answer: The purpose of this grant is to increase computer science coursework in settings authorized by the teacher's underlying credential. New courses could include those being taught by participants in the grant program in which there is evidence of an increase in instructional minutes spent teaching computer science content.

March 17, 2023
Questions Clarifying the Request for Application (RFA) and the Submission Requirements

23. Question: It doesn’t look like LEAs need to identify specific teachers in their application (which seemed to be required for the first cohort). I’m guessing this by looking at the appendix forms.
    Answer: Grantees will have to identify their teachers in the required annual data reports submitted to the Commission.

Questions About Who Can Apply for a Computer Science Supplementary Authorization Incentive Grant

24. Question: Do participants have to have prior computer science classes to be able to participate or be accepted into one of the programs?
    Answer: This is a local decision.
25. Question: What are the chances for acceptance into one of the institutions if I do not have prior computer science classes? I am assuming to be accepted for the grant program I would have to be accepted into one of the institutions. 
    Answer:

1. Contact the institution of higher education directly to learn more about their application criteria. Here is a list of IHEs with courses that satisfy the supplemental authorization. Please note that this list is not exhaustive and earning a Computer Science Supplementary Authorization requires a set of courses, not a Commission-approved program.
2. LEAs will determine locally how participants will be selected to participate in the Grant Program. To receive grant funds, a participant must be enrolled in coursework that satisfies the Computer Science Supplemental Authorization. 

Questions About the Computer Science Supplementary Authorization

26. Question: Can you please clarify under what conditions an elementary school teacher needs the introductory CS supplementary authorization to teach computing concepts in their classroom?  For instance, if a multiple subject credentialed teacher is providing one hour of computing instruction per week in a K-5 classroom, my understanding is that they DON’T need the authorization.
    Answer: If the computer science instruction is occurring within the Multiple Subject teacher's self-contained class, then they are fully authorized to provide computer science instruction.  However, if they are teaching in a more departmentalized setting, where they teach multiple student groups computer science throughout the day, then the teacher would be required to hold the Computer Science Supplementary Authorization.
27. Question: I know a single-subject math credential allows for teaching a standalone CS elective in middle school, but how about a Supplementary Authorization in Math?
    Answer: The Supplementary Authorization in Math was not intended to authorize curriculum at that level, therefore, use of this authorization for a course in Computer Science is a local level decision. The credential required for a course is determined by the primary course content and classroom setting. If the educator is teaching in a general education self-contained setting (teaching all subjects to the same group of students throughout the day), then a Multiple Subject teaching credential is required. If the educator is teaching a departmentalized class with the primary content area being Computer Science, then the appropriate credential for the content area of Computer Science is required, which includes the Specific Supplementary Authorization in Computer Science.

Questions Regarding Funding

28. Question: Can you provide a list of things/examples that LEAs who were awarded funds in rounds 1&2 indicated they would fund in-kind as part of their matching obligation?
    Answer: Per authorizing legislation, only in-kind match of release time or substitute teacher costs are allowed.