Scaling Up MTSS Statewide Partner Entity

The California Department of Education (CDE) Educator Excellence and Equity Division is pleased to announce the Request for Applications (RFA) for the SUMS Partner Entity.

The Budget Act of 2021 appropriated $50 million to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction (SSPI) to apportion to the Orange County Department of Education (OCDE) for the purpose of funding schoolwide and districtwide implementation of services or practices aligned to the MTSS framework. As part of that funding, the SSPI is seeking grant applications in order to select a local educational agency (LEA), an LEA in partnership with an institution of higher education or nonprofit educational service provider, or a consortia, to partner with the OCDE and the Butte County Office of Education (BCOE) to expand the state’s capacity to support LEAs’ implementation of social and emotional learning (SEL); trauma-informed practices; and culturally relevant, affirming, and sustaining practices.

The CDE seeks a partner entity that has demonstrated expertise in developing and delivering high-quality professional learning to educators in SEL; trauma-informed practices; and culturally relevant, affirming, and sustaining practices in a manner that aligns with local MTSS. The partner entity shall support the OCDE and the BCOE in offering high-quality professional learning to educators and school leaders by performing all of the following functions:

• Creating, collecting, and curating resources for educators on SEL, trauma screening, trauma-informed practices, and culturally relevant, affirming, and sustaining practices.
• Providing ongoing training and support in the use of trauma screening tools and mental health service referrals, school climate surveys, and the use of tool and survey data.
• Providing grants to LEAs to support both of the following:
  • Convening professional learning communities of educators and school leaders.
  • Providing ongoing training and coaching to educators and school leaders.

The CDE and the executive director of the State Board of Education (SBE) shall select the partner entity on or before February 15, 2022. The partner entity may apply for up to $12.5 million for the purposes outlined in this SUMS: Partner Entity RFA, covering a grant period that ends on February 15, 2026.

Grant Timelines

Note: Timeline is subject to change.

Program Authorization

Chapter 44, Statutes of 2021, Education Omnibus Trailer Bill (Assembly Bill 130) appropriated $50 million from the General Fund to the Superintendent to apportion to the OCDE to award no less than $30 million as grants to LEAs for the purpose of funding schoolwide and districtwide implementation of services or practices aligned to the MTSS framework. The OCDE may expend up to $1 million of the amount appropriated pursuant to subdivision (a) to support the administration of grants and provide support to the grantees. The Superintendent is required to establish a process, in consultation with and subject to the approval of the executive director of the SBE, to select a LEA, an LEA in partnership with an institution of higher education or nonprofit educational service provider, or a consortia, to partner with the OCDE and the BCOE to expand the state’s capacity to support LEAs’ implementation of SEL, trauma-informed practices, and culturally relevant, affirming, and sustaining practices, and requires no more than $20 million of the $50 million appropriation to be available for these purposes.

Technical Assistance Webinar

A technical assistance webinar to review all parts of the RFA took place on Monday, November 15, 2021, from 9:30–11:00 a.m. View the recording or slides on the SUMS Partner Entity grant page.

Funding Results

SUMS Partner Entity Notification of the Intent to Award
Notification of the Intent to Award for the SUMS Partner Entity grant program.

SUMS Partner Entity Appeal Form [Link no longer available]
The Form to Appeal the funding results of the SUMS Partner Entity survey closed on January 21, 2022.