The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI)
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI), Division for Learning Support, Special
Education Team, invites the eligible applicant to apply for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA) Part B discretionary funds.
These guidelines set forth the funding priorities for specific funds in accordance with Wisconsin and
federal statutes, as well as policies by the DPI Special Education Team. An applicant electing to
accept IDEA Part B discretionary funding must comply with all the applicable requirements set forth
in the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal
Awards (2 CFR), the Education Department General Administration Regulations (EDGAR)
requirements, state statutes, rules, IDEA Grant policies and guidance, assurances and certifications
as prescribed by DPI. Grant policies and guidance may be amended during the grant year and
revisions will be provided to the grantee.
A grant approval award is contingent upon IDEA Part B funds being awarded to DPI, an approved
budget, signed Certification and Assurances, and other requirements as provided by the DPI grant
directors and administrative staff. Other considerations for approval will include past performance of
the grant project in achieving annual goals, activities, benchmarks, data collection and fulfilling
reporting requirements, if applicable. Availability of funding is estimated, and DPI is not bound by
the estimate in this NOFA. Successful applications will be funded at 100% of total approved project
costs.
Jill K. Underly, PhD, State Superintendent
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P.O Box 7841, Madison, WI 53707 - 7841 ꞏ 125 South Webster Street, Madison, WI 53703
(608) 266 - 3390 ꞏ (800) 441 - 4563 toll free ꞏ dpi.wi.gov
GRANT PROJECT
Project Purpose
WSPEI helps families and school districts build positive working relationships leading to shared
decision‐making which impacts positive outcomes for children and youth with disabilities. To
accomplish this, WSPEI provides culturally responsive technical assistance, resources, and coaching
to parents, family members, educators, and others interested in parent‐educator partnerships for
children with disabilities. To promote meaningful family engagement, WSPEI seeks partnerships,
collaboration, and resource sharing with families, schools, higher education, organizations, and state
agencies.
Staff Selection
The agency shall assign staff to carry out the deliverables who:
• Have a demonstrated commitment to and experience in advancing equitable opportunities for
students with IEPs and students of color such as but not limited to:
o providing educators with anti‐racist and anti ableist resources and coaching them in the use
with students;
o facilitating conversations with school and district teams that explore potential bias among
meeting members related to race and ability.
• Have a demonstrated commitment to examining their personal biases in the areas of race and
ability, and to dismantling racist and ableist educational systems such as but not limited to:
o engaging in professional learning to support understanding ways one’s race, culture and
understanding of ability inform the supports and services provided to adults in districts and schools
including but not limited to; biases, stereotypes, prejudice and micro aggression;
o educating others about systemic racism and ableism and the need to dismantle them.
• Have the demonstrated skills and willingness to coach school and district teams through an
examination of race, racism, disability rights, and ableism such as but not limited to:
o building the capacity of adults in the system to address inequities based on race and ability by
leveraging coaching strategies as articulated in the Coaching Competency Practice Profile;
o coaching school and district teams in understanding and mitigating their biases related to race
and ability.
• Communicate in a manner consistent with DPI messaging, including messaging that is aligned with
DPI’s equity messaging and resources such as but not limited to:
o the need to teach about race and racism, as well as disability and ableism;
o the use of the Coaching Competency Practice Profile and the Model to Inform Equity to inform
supports for schools and districts.
o any other communications and messaging applicable to this agreement as directed by DPI.
State Performance Plan (SPP) Indicators
This project primarily supports the Wisconsin State Performance Plan Indicator 8. The project also
supports the following Wisconsin State Performance Plan Indicators: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11,12
13,14, 15, 16, and 17.
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Project Workplan and Report Schedule
Goal A Increase the implementation of coordinated improvement work for Family Engagement
to provide direct support to high needs districts. In coordination with Wisconsin DPI, CESA
coordinators will identify a district(s) to engage in family engagement assessment and
planning aligned to each district’s continuous improvement efforts. CESA coordinators
support continuous improvement in the area of family engagement by providing a WSPEI
stipend (see WSPEI stipend and family engagement assessment and planning document),
providing coaching to district family engagement leadership, and providing additional
family engagement resources based on individual district needs.
Activity 1 Family Engagement Assessment & Planning (FEAP) Including Home Visits & Literacy Learning
using a WSPEI Stipend: Building the Capacity of Educators and Families (Efficacy).
CESA coordinators will work in cohorts and support a Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3 school districts
with a WSPEI stipend for equitable family engagement assessment and planning with a focus
on students with IEPs (as described in WSPEI’s FEAP Logic Model) to facilitate opportunities to
change adult practice in meaningful and sustainable ways that are meant to
improve outcomes for those WI learners whose success and opportunities have been
historically predicted by race, ability, language, or economic status.
CESA coordinators will support continuous improvement and coach district teams (including
the special education director, school leadership, educators, and families) to build educator
and family efficacy using DPI approved resources (Dual Capacity‐Building Framework, Steven
Constantino’s 5 Principles Framework/Logic Model, Flamboyan Foundation Rubric and
resources, including Elena Agular’s The Art of Coaching Teams, Coaching for Equity curriculum,
Parent‐Teacher Home Visit model (PTHV), WSPEI Family Efficacy Building Program, literacy
learning, and other family engagement resources) to leverage family and student voice with a
focus on equity. (See WSPEI stipend for additional information and requirements).
WSPEI will support each team meeting (including educator cohort meetings) to measure
improvement cycles, document progress in the district’s family engagement plan for both
educator and family goals, and ensure completion of required stipend surveys and
components within the grant year. Growth will be measured using objectives and best
practice in the WSPEI Family Engagement Rubrics, beginning with Principle 1 and working
through Principle 5.
Coordinators will begin work by September 1st. All deliverables must be met by June 15.
Coordinators will use the WSPEI Individual Educator Capacity‐Building Survey, School‐Wide
Capacity Building Survey, and End of Year Narrative Summary.
Benchmark: 80% of educators will show growth in capacity to equitably engage families and
shifts in adult behavior. 80% of families will show growth in capacity to engage in their child’s
school and community as shared decision makers. CESA coordinators will submit and mid‐year
report by Feb 1 and end‐of year report by June 15. Statewide coordinators will develop a
report analyzing growth trends and give it to the DPI grant director by June 30.
SSOS: Implementation Related Report Requirement: Mid Year Report End of Year Report
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Activity 2 Leadership Cohorts Activity: WSPEI will host a virtual professional learning opportunity with
Dr. Steve Constantino. This Action‐Oriented Family Engagement LEA Cohort will attend an (8)
90‐min virtual sessions held October thru April (first Wednesday or Thursday of each month)
as part of the Family Engagement and Assessment Planning (FEAP) process. It will provide a
deep review and explanation of The Five Simple Principles ™ Model. Measurement tools are
provided to assess present level of performance with regard to the Five Principles. Baseline
data will be collected throughout the year‐long program.
Understand the concept of authentic family engagement and its relationship to achieving
desired student outcomes.
Learn the systemic causes of family disengagement and applicable solutions to re‐engage
families.
Improved understanding of the role that culture plays in shaping the conditions conducive to
authentic family engagement.
Review of the Five Simple Principles ™ tools designed to identify the strengths and
weaknesses of the present culture, communication protocols and relationships with all
families.
Identify proven policies and practices to improve family engagement across educational
settings.
An understanding of how to create measurable goals and objectives to effectively track the
progress of family engagement and its impact on student learning outcomes.
Benchmark: LEA cohort members will create a family engagement plan with the support of
WSPEI coordinators, attend all virtual sessions, and attend the virtual summit at the end of the
year. All coordinators will have 90% attendance in all virtual sessions, attend the virtual
summit, and support the action‐oriented family engagement cohort meetings and family
engagement plan.
SSOS: Implementation Related Report Requirement: Mid Year Report End of Year Report
Goal B Universal supports are improvement strategies available to all districts used to increase
the skills of families and school personnel to communicate positively and effectively
about children's education and improve LEAs structures of engaging families in culturally
responsive family engagement practices which broaden the scope and depth of families
engaged in the education of students with disabilities. Regional coordinators will support
Indicator 8 Parent Survey. Based on previous Indicator 8 survey data, WSPEI will develop
resources for families and educators that lead to improved state and district results on
Indicator 8 survey items as well as support LEAs and parents in the process of
implementation of the parent survey.
Activity 1 Family Information and Support (Statewide and Multi‐CESA Area Support) ‐ Supporting
Families of Students with IEPs:
All Statewide Phone Support Coordinators will provide general support to anyone (educators,
families of students with IEPs, and agencies) who contacts WSPEI through the toll free WSPEI
phone line or email address. In addition, the WSPEI Statewide Phone Support Coordinators
will provide contact information to callers who could benefit from regional/local support and
to callers that verbally consent provide the caller's contact information to the local WSPEI
coordinator.
WSPEI Coordinators will support all families when contacted through their CESA phone line or
email to the extent possible. All WSPEI coordinators will provide general and intensive
support and resources specific to families of students with IEPs, educators, and agencies
within their region.
Benchmark: All Coordinators will send out the Satisfaction survey to all those that they
support within 24 hours and send a reminder email with the survey a second time within a
week. 80% of survey respondents will report customer satisfaction. The summaries of contacts
with families and educators will be entered into the WSPEI Data system on a weekly basis.
Grant coordinator will prepare report for grant director quarterly showing trends