The Commonwealth of Massachusetts offers this competitive grant to establish and promote rigorous, engaging, and standards-aligned digital literacy and computer science (DLCS) education in public schools for kindergarten through grade 12.

The CS Engage grant is intended to run until December of 2026, pending appropriation, and will provide funding for DLCS Planning and Implementation.

Through this grant, District Teams will take part in Planning Activities and, if approved for a continuation grant, Implementation Activities. Stay tuned for information on next year’s grant opportunities!

CS Engage Districts 2023-2024

  • Granby
  • Pittsfield
  • Hadley
  • Worcester
  • Lynn
  • Swampscott
  • Wakefield
  • Prospect Hill Academy
  • Provincetown IB
  • South Shore Charter, Norwell
  • Somerville

About the CS Engage program

During Planning Activities (Anticipated September to June 30, 2024), the District Team will:

  • Engage in an in-depth, facilitated process to develop a DLCS Implementation Plan for their district
  • Select DLCS high quality instructional material (HQIM) curriculum for a selected grade span (K–2, 3–5, 6–8, or 9–12) for SY2025
  • Plan for DLCS educator, administrator, counselor, and coach Professional Development (PD) during July and August 2024 (note: the funding for PD will be included in the CS Engage Implementation Grant)
  • Identify educators to attend an Intro to Computer Science workshop in April or June 2024

During Implementation Activities (If awarded a continuing grant and upon approval (no earlier than July 1, 2024) – June 30, 2025) district educators will:

  • Attend summer curriculum PD (up to 6 days) as well as school follow-up PD for select curriculum. Educators attending PD will receive stipends
  • Use funding to purchase classroom devices (excluding student computers) associated with the selected curriculum
  • Receive stipends or substitute reimbursement for up to two (2) curriculum planning days
  • Have the option of attending school year professional learning communities (PLC) as a support to their implementation efforts.

This grant is intended to a be a three-year grant, providing districts with the support and funding to develop and implement a DLCS Implementation plan. DESE recommends that the first year focus on middle grades (6-8) implementation. However, a district may opt to focus on another grade span (K–2, 3–5, or 9–12), provided they justify their selection.

More information is available from MA DESE: https://www.doe.mass.edu/grants/2024/126/