Recovery High School Program is sponsored by Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. This opportunity supports mission-aligned projects and measurable outcomes.

FY2026 Fund Code 0791: Recovery High School Program - Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs Educational Collaboratives Department of Elementary and Secondary Education DESE Budget Inter-District School Choice School Finance Regulations Chapter 74 Nonresident Tuition FY2026: Recovery High School Program The goal of this state-funded competitive grant is to support the implementation of Recovery High School (RHS) Programs (RHS) administrative and programmatic costs, as set forth in M.

G. L. c.

71, § 91 . Operated in partnership with a public school or educational collaborative, RHS programs offer Massachusetts students with a substance use disorder an alternative educational option in which they engage students in a process of growth and development to support their recovery while still working towards their high school diploma.

These programs work with students to co-design plans and pathways that are personalized to each student's needs and goals.

This grant supports the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's (Department's or DESE's) Educational Vision , specifically efforts to "cultivate systems to support the whole student and foster joyful, healthy, and supportive learning environments so that all students feel valued, connected, nourished, and ready to learn."

Priority will be given to applicants that: address the expectations in the Massachusetts Recovery High School Framework ; have a full-time leader to oversee the implementation of the grant to ensure the continued development and growth of Massachusetts RHS programs which includes, but is not limited to, outreach and communication to local schools and communities to continue to build awareness of these programs and establish partnerships; have an intentional educational structure within the program which includes a rigorous academic course of study, authentic contextual learning experiences, caring adults to provide guidance and advising; and social, emotional and learning supports designed to prepare students for college and career; incorporate trauma-informed and trauma-sensitive strategies and practices; use a culturally responsive approach to Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and articulate strategies to strengthen social emotional competencies; demonstrate the use of High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) ; offer detailed plans which describe ways to access community-based supports when students are not in school; drug test students at random intervals, and when there is suspicion of relapse, in order to inform individual recovery plans and goals; and provide clinical supervision to all staff on a regular basis and as needed.

Massachusetts public school districts, educational collaboratives, or Community Based Organizations (CBO) in partnership with a Massachusetts public school district, are eligible to apply. The Department seeks to fund up to five (5) programs across the Commonwealth to facilitate student enrollment in different geographic regions of the state.

State Line Item 7061-9607 Grant awards are contingent upon the grantee being able to certify that it will comply with the Massachusetts General Laws, including G. L. c.

40A, § 3A, the MBTA Communities Act. A total of approximately $2. 6 million is expected to be available (pending appropriation in the state budget).

The maximum amount for which a proposed RHS program can apply is $525,000. This RFP is the governing document for these grant funds. Funding is contingent upon availability.

All dollar amounts listed are estimated/approximate and are subject to change. If more funding becomes available, it will be distributed under the same guidelines that appear in this RFP document. Additional funding to support students attending RHS programs is provided by the student's home district.

Home districts of enrolled students at RHS programs are required, under M. G. L.

c. 71, § 91 , to transfer the state average foundation per pupil budget to the RHS program. Funds must be used in alignment with the purpose and priorities outlined and as described in an approved budget, budget narrative, and required program information that is submitted to the Department.

Upon approval (No Earlier than 7/1/2025)* – 6/30/26 (subject to appropriation) Pending budget appropriation, two years of continuation funding will be available, for a total grant period of three (3) years — Fiscal Year 2025-2026 (FY26), FY27, and FY28. Continued funding in year two (FY27) and year three (FY28) will be contingent upon implementing grant requirements in year one (FY26).

Office of Student and Family Support Proposals must be received at the Department by 5:00 p. m. on the date due.

*Competitive grant applications are considered submitted when the grant application is submitted by the Superintendent or their designee through the "LEA Superintendent / Chief Executive Approved" step in GEM$. In order to be considered for competitive funding, applicants must submit a grant application through the LEA Superintendent Approved stage by the due date and time listed in the RFP.

All responses must be submitted through proper steps and received by the due date/time listed above. Failure to do so will result in disqualification. Responses not received on time will not be reviewed.

Applicants applying after the due date may be notified their application was received late and will not be reviewed. Applications must be submitted as directed in the Submissions Instructions below. Failure to do so may result in disqualification.

If you need assistance with submitting your application, please reach out to the contact person listed on this funding opportunity. All required forms and information must be submitted directly into DESE's Grants for Education Management System (GEM$) system. See Submission Instructions below for details.

The following are required to be entered or uploaded directly into GEM$: Drug Testing Policy and Procedures Out-of-School Support Procedures Community Based Organizations (CBO) are required to submit a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between CBO and partnering District(s) Additional Information and Requirements: Questions may be submitted to achievement@mass. gov on a rolling basis through Monday, April 28, 2025 .

Questions and responses will be posted regularly in GEM$. Each approved program is required to participate in the following: scheduled leadership meetings with the Department, and site visits conducted by the Department requiring, in part, RHS programs to self-asses their programs based on expectations found in the Massachusetts Recovery High School Framework .

To support students with disabilities who are attending RHS programs, there is an administrative advisory entitled: Recovery High Schools and Students Eligible for Special Education . The FY26 FC 0791 Recovery High School Programs will be submitted in our GEM$ system . GEM$ is a cloud-based fiscal and program management grant system that will eventually phase out the use of EdGrants.

Grants for Education Management System (GEM$) New organizations that do not have an established LEA with DESE skip to Step 3. Step 1: Establish and assign proper roles before the grant due date/time. Grant Submission at the LEA level requires roles to be established for Grant writer for the specific fund code, LEA fiscal for financial review/approval, and Superintendent/Chief Executive sign off.

All roles should be established prior to the grant due date and all appropriate forms should be either uploaded to GEM$, maintained at the LEA level or sent in to the DESE RFP contact as described on the individual forms. The user guidance documents and forms are found on the GEM$ homepage under DESE Resources. These forms can be accessed without logging in to the system.

Step 2: Submit the grant through all LEA steps in GEM$.

There are three LEA steps a competitive grant must be submitted by the due date and time to be considered for funding: LEA Fiscal Representative Approved LEA Superintendent / Chief Executive Approved Competitive grant applications are considered submitted once the grant application is submitted by the Superintendent or their designee through the "LEA Superintendent / Chief Executive Approved" step in GEM$.

In order to be considered for competitive funding, applicants must submit a grant application through the LEA Superintendent Approved stage by the due date and time listed in the RFP. Please plan accordingly. The Superintendent / Chief Executive Approved Step allows for the organization lead to review and approve the grant application.

Removing the requirement for the Part I Standard Contract Form, this step signifies Superintendent /Chief Executive sign off. Any grant budget changes requiring signature, will re-execute this step when amended signifying the organization lead is approving these changes. Step 3: (If applicable) New organizations request temporary organization access.

New organizations are entities that have not been established as an LEA in GEM$. Entities that do not have an organization established in GEM$ must contact the DESE Program Unit issuing this grant at a minimum 5 business days prior to the grant due date for temporary organization access. Temporary Access will need to be created by DESE before you can then assign the proper roles and submit the grant as outlined in Steps 1 and 2.

Failure to provide DESE with GEM$ Temp Organization Access Request at least 5 business days prior to the due date may result in not meeting the submission due date listed above. DESE cannot accept or review applications after the due date. Last Updated: April 15, 2025 This link will take you to an external website which may or may not be accessible and WCAG 2.

1 compliant