The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is accepting FY2027 applications for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Federal Special Education Entitlement Grant, Fund Code 0240. This federal IDEA Part B Section 611 program supports eligible Massachusetts public school LEAs serving students with disabilities ages 3 through 21.
Funding and deadline
Funding is provided through applicant-specific formula allocations. DESE states that FY27 Fund Code 0240 allocations will be posted on its Grant Allocations & Awards page when available; the governing page currently does not publish a statewide total or individual FY27 allocation table.
Applications are due Wednesday, September 30, 2026. The current DESE RFP page does not publish a submission time or time zone, so Atlas does not infer one.
Eligibility and fiscal requirements
Eligible recipients are Massachusetts public school LEAs with current, approved Special Education Conditions of Assistance: IDEA Part B Funding Certifications. Allocations are formula-based. IDEA maintenance of effort is an eligibility requirement: LEAs must budget qualifying local or state-and-local special education spending at the required level. This is not presented by DESE as a separate project-specific matching percentage.
Funds must support the excess costs of special education and related services and comply with IDEA, 2 CFR 200 and applicable EDGAR requirements. Relevant LEAs must reserve proportionate-share funds for equitable services to eligible parentally placed private-school and home-schooled students.
Directed uses and procurement controls
LEAs may voluntarily use up to 15% of IDEA Part B funds for Coordinated Early Intervening Services (CEIS). LEAs identified with significant disproportionality must reserve 15% across applicable IDEA Part B funds for Comprehensive Coordinated Early Intervening Services (CCEIS). In FY27, LEAs with a Needs Intervention determination for school year 2024-2025 must reserve at least 2% of their Fund Code 0240 allocation for the Making Money Matter initiative.
Goods and services cannot be procured before DESE receives and approves a substantially approvable application. The project period runs from approval through September 30, 2028, subject to the RFP’s obligation and liquidation rules.
Required forms and submission
Applicants must submit the FY27 Federal Grant Assurances signature pages and annual IDEA Part B Conditions of Assistance certifications. Applications are completed and submitted through the Grants for Education Management System (GEM$), with established Grantwriter, fiscal representative, and Superintendent/Chief Executive approval roles.
Atlas fit
Atlas Opportunity Score: 90/100. School Funding Score: 96/100. N9+ Fit: 20/100, conditional. The Nonagon N9+ is not automatically allowable under IDEA. A potential vendor pathway would require an eligible LEA to document a specific IDEA-allowable special-education or related-service need, confirm that the device and associated costs are allocable and reasonable, and follow applicable procurement rules. Dr. Miltie, LLC is not the eligible grantee.
Contact
Massachusetts DESE Federal Grant Programs, (781) 338-6230. Program source: FY2027 Fund Code 0240 RFP.