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The Safe and Supportive Learning Environments grants, also knows as Trauma-Sensitive Schools, provides grants up to $36,000 for schools to adopt strategies to become trauma sensitive.
Beginning with the 2006-07 school year, grants are awarded on a five-year cycle with continuation grant award amounts being reduced by 20 percent each year. For more information about the grants, see the 2006-07 Request for Proposal at the Department of Education’s website.
This grant program resulted from MAC's TLPI successfully advocating for an amendment to the Education Reform Act (MGL ch. 69 sec. 1N). This law established a two-part grant program. Section (b), "Safe and Supportive Learning Environments," addresses within the ”regular education classroom the educational and psycho-social needs of children whose behavior interferes with learning, particularly those who are suffering from the traumatic effects of exposure to violence.” The grant program operates with an advisory committee of parents, noted trauma experts, educators, and advocates. TLPI is a member of the advisory committee. Section (a), "Alternative Education," of this new law provides alternative education with higher educational standards and stronger assurances for students who have been suspended and expelled from school. MAC has been working actively to reduce the harshness of Massachusetts school expulsion laws (unfair zero tolerance policies with inadequate due process and disproportionately high rates affecting students of color). This grant program provides a step toward enabling students to be educated while removed from school and to have an opportunity to return.
The following school districts received grants under the two programs for school year 2006-07: 23 Districts Received
Trauma Sensitive Schools Grants for FY2006-07
5 Districts Received NEW Grants Academy of Strategic Learning Charter School, Amesbury
Boston Public Schools, Edwards Middle School
Boston Day and Evening Academy
Ludlow Public Schools
Peabody Public Schools
| 18 Districts Received Continuing Grants Amherst-Pelham Regional School District Athol-Royalston Regional School District | Barnstable Public Schools | | Chicopee Public Schools | | Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School District | | Fitchburg Public Schools | | Framingham Public Schools | | Lowell Public Schools | | Mashpee Public Schools | | Methuen Public Schools | | New Bedford Public Schools | | North Central Charter Essential School (Fitchburg) | | Orange Public Schools | | Quincy Public Schools | | Smith Leadership Academy Charter Public School | | Somerville Public Schools | | Springfield Public Schools | Triton Regional School District (Newbury, Rowley, Salisbury)
| | 11 Districts Received FY2006-07
Alternative Education Grants
| 3 Districts Received NEW Grants Greenfield Public Schools Wareham Public Schools Worcester Public Schools
8 Districts Received Continuing Grants Framingham Public Schools | | Hampshire Regional School District (Middle and HS only; Goshen, Chesterfield, Westhampton, Southampton, Williamsburg) | | North Adams Public Schools | | Peabody Public Schools | | Quincy Public Schools | | Salem Public Schools | | Westport Public Schools | | Weymouth Public Schools |
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