Lake County Educational Services Center Distance Learning Program | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is the Lake County Educational Services Center Distance Learning Program (P14AC00372)?

It was a National Park Service (NPS) discretionary funding opportunity offered as a cooperative agreement to support new distance learning programming at the James A. Garfield National Historic Site (JAGA). The goal was to create and deliver educational programs that could reach classrooms anywhere in the United States, provided schools had the necessary distance learning equipment.

2) Which NPS site was supported by this opportunity?

The project supported distance learning programming at the James A. Garfield National Historic Site (JAGA).

3) What was the main purpose of the project?

The central idea was to build and deliver distance learning educational programs connected to JAGA, expanding educational reach beyond onsite visitors and allowing participation from classrooms nationwide (as long as schools had the required distance learning equipment).

4) Was the project also intended to strengthen partnerships?

Yes. A key purpose was to deepen and formalize an existing partnership between JAGA and the Lake County Educational Services Center (LCESC), strengthening ties with local schools and the broader education community.

5) What kinds of activities were included in the scope of work?

The work focused on creating, testing, and operating distance learning offerings. It also included a major staffing component through recruiting and hiring Teacher Ranger Teachers (TRTs) to help develop and present educational content connected to the Garfield site.

6) How many Teacher Ranger Teachers (TRTs) were planned under the agreement?

The project included recruiting and hiring three (3) Teacher Ranger Teachers (TRTs).

7) What was the role of the Teacher Ranger Teachers (TRTs)?

TRTs were intended to help develop and present educational content connected to JAGA. They were also expected to gain hands-on interpretive experience by providing programs and working in the Visitor Center, helping integrate distance learning into day-to-day park education operations.

8) What responsibilities were assigned to LCESC under the agreement?

LCESC was described as the key partner handling much of the operational and technical work. Responsibilities included recruiting TRT candidates and assisting JAGA in selection, participating in evaluation of the program and staff performance, providing technical assistance for distance learning sessions, training JAGA staff and TRTs on equipment use, providing training related to national Common Core curriculum standards, and purchasing peripheral equipment on JAGA's behalf.

9) What responsibilities were assigned to JAGA/NPS staff?

JAGA staff would supervise the TRTs and oversee development and delivery of the distance learning programs. JAGA created position descriptions and performance plans for the TRTs and would train them in site-specific historical and interpretive content so programming accurately reflected the Garfield story and site resources.

10) Did the opportunity involve purchasing equipment?

Yes. LCESC would purchase, on JAGA's behalf, the peripheral equipment needed to help the distance learning system work reliably in practice.

11) Was technical training included as part of the project?

Yes. LCESC would provide technical assistance for setting up and running distance learning sessions and would train both JAGA staff and the TRTs on using the distance learning equipment.

12) Was curriculum alignment addressed in the project?

Yes. LCESC would provide training related to the national Common Core curriculum standards that schools were adopting at the time.

13) Why did NPS not pursue full and open competition for this award?

The notice stated that NPS emphasized LCESC's specialized technical and educational support as well as practical and community-based benefits of working with this specific local partner. Reasons included keeping federal spending within the local community, leveraging LCESC's ability to recruit local teachers for TRT roles, using LCESC's established relationships with area schools to identify pilot classrooms, relying on staff familiarity and personal connections to JAGA, and LCESC's proximity to the site for quick onsite support for technical or equipment problems.

14) What was the funding amount for this opportunity?

The opportunity anticipated a single award with total estimated funding of $35,000.

15) What were the award floor and ceiling?

Both the award floor and the award ceiling were set at $35,000.

16) Was cost sharing or matching required?

No. The opportunity stated there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.

17) How many awards were expected?

A single award was anticipated.

18) What type of funding instrument was used?

The funding opportunity was offered as a cooperative agreement.

19) What was the activity category for this opportunity?

The activity category listed was education.

20) What CFDA listing was referenced?

The notice referenced CFDA 15.944 (Natural Resource Stewardship).

21) Who was eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants were limited to nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, excluding institutions of higher education.

22) Could institutions of higher education apply if they were nonprofits?

No. The eligibility statement excluded institutions of higher education.

23) When was the opportunity posted?

It was posted on April 21, 2014.

24) What were the application closing dates?

The original closing date and the final closing date were both April 28, 2014.

25) When was the opportunity archived?

It was archived on May 28, 2014.

26) Where could the distance learning programs be delivered?

The programs were intended to reach classrooms anywhere in the United States, as long as schools had the necessary distance learning equipment.

27) Who was the listed grants management contact for this opportunity?

The listed grants management contact was Katie Schroeder, Grants Management Officer.

28) How could the grants management contact be reached?

The phone number provided for the grants management contact was 402-661-1640.

29) What was the intended benefit for local teachers?

The project aimed to provide local teachers an opportunity to step into a different kind of teaching role by serving as TRTs and delivering park-based programming to remote classrooms.

30) How was the distance learning initiative intended to fit into JAGA operations?

It was intended to be integrated into day-to-day park education operations. TRTs would provide programs and work in the Visitor Center, rather than the distance learning effort being treated as a separate standalone project.