560894 - Teacher Para Educator Registered Apprenticeship Program 2.0
Funding Opportunity Details

Apprenticeship

Final Application Deadline: Dec 2, 2024 2:00 PM

Description

• Description

  IMPORTANT DATES

  Deadline: Applications for the funds are due by Monday, December 2, 2024, by 2:00 p.m. Central Time.

  Applicant Webinar Date: Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) will host a webinar to provide additional information on Wednesday, November 6, 11:00A.M.-12:00P.M.

  Application Notification: A Notice of Intent to Award will be posted on the following websites:

  https://apprenticeship.iowa.gov

  www.iowagrants.gov

   

  PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

  Purpose

  The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to enable Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) to award grant funding to support Iowa Community School Districts in developing new Teacher Aide I and/or K-12 Teacher Registered Apprenticeship program to assist in addressing the negative impact of learning loss related to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and teacher shortages across the state.

   

  Funding Priorities

  Priority will be given to applicants that:

  1. Are Iowa school districts that demonstrate a high need for additional certified teachers within their district by providing information of current and/or near future open positions within their district.
  2. Provide documentation demonstrating a high percentage of free and reduced lunch participation within their district

   

  Performance Measures

  · Number of registered apprentices from an underrepresented population enrolled.

  · Current wages (include anticipated wage increases) for each registered apprentice.

  · Number of registered apprentices earning a credential.

  · Number of anticipated registered apprentices completing the program.

  · Number of registered apprentices earning an endorsement.

  · Describe your plan and ability to track and measure the performance measures (on the job training competencies) of the registered apprentice program.

  · Describe your plan and ability to track the hours of the classroom training requirement for each apprentice in the Registered Apprenticeship program.

  · Describe your plan and ability to ensure and track that each apprentice has a mentor (licensed teacher) throughout the registered apprenticeship program. Mentor to apprentice ratio must be 1:1.

  Program Authority

  IWD’s authority to award these grants may be found in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, (H.R.1319), as delegated by Governor Kim Reynolds pursuant to her authority under the same act. This award will be funded by a combination of the 21.027 American Rescue Plan - Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds as well as supplemented by additional funding from the State of Iowa.

   

  AWARD INFORMATION

  Funding

  Governor Kim Reynolds has reserved funding under the federal American Rescue Plan Act (H.R.1319) of State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds for this Notice of Funding Opportunity.  This award will be funded by a combination of the 21.027 American Rescue Plan - Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds as well as supplemented by additional funding from the State of Iowa.

  Estimated Award Amounts

  The estimated total award amount will be based on the number of anticipated apprentices applied for in the application and the amount of available funding. Iowa Workforce Development is providing awarded districts a maximum of $32,800.00 for each registered apprentice in their district participating within the Teacher Aide I Registered Apprenticeship Program. Iowa Workforce Development is providing awarded districts a maximum of $38,000.00 for each registered apprentice in their district participating within the Teacher Educator Registered Apprenticeship Program. Remaining funding from one apprentice not utilizing the full amount may be used to increase participation within the program; however, additional funding may not be added to increase apprentice award maximums identified per apprentice based on the eligible registered apprenticeship program.

  State or Federal Match Requirement

  There is no state or federal match requirement or cost sharing associated with this Notice of Funding Opportunity.

   

  Project and Award Periods

  Pursuant to the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, (H.R.1319), funds received as part of this program must be entirely spent by June 30, 2026. Any funds not expended for activity completed by June 30, 2026, will be forfeited and IWD will not be obligated to provide additional funding for program completion. Funding will need to be obligated by December 31, 2024.

   

  The funds for this award are provided by the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF), part of the American Rescue Plan. SLFRF requires that all costs be incurred during the period beginning March 3, 2021, and ending December 31, 2024. Therefore, all costs incurred prior to March 3, 2021, and after December 31, 2024, are not eligible uses of these funds. The period of performance for this program begins February 15, 2025, and ends June 30, 2026, which will provide recipients an additional eighteen months during which they may expend funds for costs incurred (i.e., obligated) by December 31, 2024. Any award funds not obligated or expended within these timeframes must be returned to the State. Recipients of these funds will be held accountable to these funding timeframes.

   

  Awardees must provide a detailed report of the progress of the project and the use of funds each quarter, beginning from the date the Agreement between the applicant and the State is fully executed.

  Reporting & Financial Period	Program Period Report	Due Date (No later than)
  2/15/2025-05/31/2025	Semester	June 30, 2025
  06/01/2025-08/30/2025	Semester	September 30, 2025
  09/01/2025 – 12/31/2025	Semester	January 31, 2026
  01/01/2026-06/30/2026	Semester	July 31, 2026
  2/15/2025-6/30/2026	Final	August 31, 2026

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  The period of performance for this award begins February 15, 2025, and ends June 30, 2026, providing up to 17 months for the award period. Requirements of the Teacher Aide I Registered Apprenticeship program is considered a two-year, competency-based program and may extend beyond the period of performance of this award. Awarded districts that incur expenses with participation of this program outside of the period of performances will not be eligible under this award. Expenses incurred with continued participation after June 30, 2026, will be the responsibility of the district.

   

  Requirements of the K-12 Teacher Registered Apprenticeship program is considered a three-year, competency-based program and will likely extend beyond the period of performance of this award. Awarded districts that incur expenses with participation of this program outside of the period of performances will not be eligible for reimbursement under this award. Expenses incurred with continued participation after June 30, 2026, will be the responsibility of the district.

   

  Type of Award

  Awarded districts will be provided funds to address various needs as a result of the negative educational and economic impact of the pandemic. This beneficiary program will directly benefit the awarded districts by addressing the increased needs of the workforce to mitigate learning losses, shifts of district priorities and additional needs incurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

   

  Teacher Aide I Registered Apprenticeship Program

  Awarded school districts will be eligible to claim up to $8,200.00 per eligible apprentice each semester up to the maximum apprentice amount of $32,800.00, or for a maximum of four (4) semesters. Under the terms of this award, a semester is considered January-May, June-August and September-December. This allows for a district to submit up to three requests per calendar year and for a maximum of four (4) submissions. Awarded districts will be required to provide completed approved transcripts and an employee agreement letter for each claim for the previous semester. For the Summer semester, an employee agreement letter for the following Fall semester will be required. Participants must complete at least four (4) credit hours per semester to be considered eligible.

   

  K-12 Teacher Educator Registered Apprenticeship Program

  Awarded school districts will be eligible to claim up to $9,500.00 per eligible apprentice each semester up to the maximum apprentice amount of $38,000.00, or for a maximum of four (4) semesters. Under the terms of this award, a semester is considered January-May, June-August and September-December. This allows for a district to submit up to three requests per calendar year and for a maximum of four (4) submissions. Awarded districts will be required to provide completed approved transcripts and an employee agreement letter for each claim for the previous semester. For the Summer semester, an employee agreement letter for the following Fall semester will be required. Participants must complete at least four (4) credit hours per semester to be considered eligible.

   

  ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

  Eligible Applicants

  Eligible Applicants include Iowa school districts as a stand alone applicant or serve as a lead sponsoring district. The Lead Sponsoring District may include up to four (4) Partner Districts forming a consortium of a maximum of five (5) districts. Districts listed as either a Lead Sponsor or Partner may only be listed in one award and not receive funding from multiple awards from this NOFO. The Lead Sponsoring District will be required to register their Registered Apprenticeship program with the Iowa Office of Apprenticeship.

   

  Eligible Applicants will be required to enter into an agreement with one accredited two-year community college for the Teacher Aide I Registered Apprenticeship program or one accredited four-year college or university for the K-12 Teacher Educator Registered Apprenticeship program demonstrating a partnership for the related training instruction of the stated registered apprenticeship program(s). Districts may have up to one (1) agreement with a two-year community college and/or one (1) agreement with a four-year college or university. Each district participating within a consortium must have an agreement with the same two-year and/or four-year college or university serving all districts within the consortium. Districts are encouraged to work with an RTI provider located in Iowa that provides an online platform for their apprentices to utilize in order to increase access for apprentice participation. Successful awardees are encouraged to require the apprentice completing the Teacher Educator Registered Apprenticeship program to complete a three year, in-state service residency with the awarded district.

  Applicants must be registered with SAM.gov prior to submission of an application and will be required to provide the unique entity identifier with the application. Awarded districts will be required to maintain an active registration in SAM.gov throughout the duration of the award period.

   

  Ineligible Applicants

  Iowa school districts that are awardees of the Teacher Para Educator Registered Apprenticeship program (TPRA) or partner districts within a consortium that are participating within the Teacher Para Educator Registered Apprenticeship (TPRA) program are ineligible for this award.

   

   

  Additional Considerations

  Eligible participants within the Teacher Educator Apprenticeship programs must currently hold, at minimum, an Associate’s degree prior to entering into a Teacher Educator Registered Apprenticeship program. If the participants currently hold a Bachelor’s degree or higher, the awarded degree must be in a field of study outside of Education to be considered eligible. Verification of this degree will be required prior to approval of participation. Individuals that hold a current teaching license with the State of Iowa or have a lapsed teaching license with the State of Iowa are not eligible to participate as a registered apprentice. Eligible apprentices must be employed with the district as a Paraeducator and may not serve in a substitute or a long-term substitute role during the apprenticeship program.  Participant eligibility will require the participant to be registered in both IowaWORKS and with the Office of Apprenticeship Registered Apprenticeship Partners Information Database System (RAPIDS), which will be validated with an ETA 671 and an Apprentice ID number. Validation of apprentice eligibility will be required each program period by the school district to receive funding.