Acronym soup: Education terms grant writers need to know
A quality, competitive grant proposal needs to spell out all acronyms
C.S. Woolley said, “You can’t take over the world without a good acronym.”
As a frequent federal and community foundation grant peer reviewer, however, I cannot count all the times that I read through a pile of grant proposals full of acronyms that are never explained.
Do not assume the reader will understand all the acronyms you include and remember that reviewers are often exhausted after a full day of work facing several grant proposals to read. Make their lives easier by always spelling out acronyms, especially the first time they show up in the narrative. Consider acronyms such as “E.D.” which can mean Executive Director, Emotionally Disturbed, or something else.
Never assume your grant application reviewer will know what your acronyms mean; always spell them out. Image: Unsplash
Here are some commonly used acronyms in the field of education that you should know:
IHE-Institution of Higher Education
LEA-Local Education Agency
LD-Learning Disability
IDEA-Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
HS-High School
HOH-Hard of Hearing
HI-Hearing Impaired
IEP-Individualized Education Program
LRE-Least Restrictive Environment
MDT-Multidisciplinary Team
MS-Middle School
STEM-Science, Technology, Engineering, Math
STEAM-Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math
SPED-Special Education
WISC-Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children
TESOL-Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
SST-Student Study Team
SSAE-Student Support and Academic Enrichment (Title IV, Part A)
ESSA-Every Student Succeeds Act
21st CCLC-21st Century Community Learning Centers
SLD-Specific Learning Disability
ADHD-Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
ADD-Attention Deficit Disorder
AD-Advanced Placement
ABA-Applied Behavior Analysis
ADA-Americans with Disabilities Act
BOE-Board of Education
DOE-Department of Education
ARD-Admission Review Dismissal
ASL-American Sign Language
CFR-Code of Federal Regulations
DSM-Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
EL-English Learner
ELL-English Language Learner
EDGAR- Education Department General Administrative Regulations
ERIC-Educational Resources Information Center
ESL-English as Second Language
FAPE-Free Appropriate Public Education
SD-School District
FPW-Fire Prevention Week
NFPA-National Fire Protection Association
Now, go write that winning grant proposal for the DOE supporting STEM, STEAM, LEAs, SDs, IHEs, and FAPE. Remember to follow the DSM, EDGAR, ESSA, IDEA, and CFR guidelines while celebrating FPW via the NFPA.
