COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
P.O. BOX 2120
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120
SUPTS. MEMO NO. 169
December 20, 2002
INFORMATIONAL
|
TO: |
Division
Superintendents |
|
FROM: |
Jo Lynne
DeMary Superintendent
of Public Instruction |
|
SUBJECT: |
Announcement of Award Opportunity for Comprehensive School Reform Grant, Public Law 107-110 |
The Department of Education is pleased to announce a
fourth round of competitive grants under the U.S. Education Departments
Comprehensive School Reform (CSR) program. The purpose of the grant initiative
is to provide financial incentives for whole-school reform, specifically in
schools that are not succeeding in effectively teaching all children. The program offers an opportunity for
schools to implement reforms based on scientifically-based research and
effective practices. These grants are intended to stimulate a coordinated
effort by a school to increase student performance.
Eligible
Applicants. Up to 14 grants will be awarded for 2003-04. Eligible are Title I School Improvement
schools (elementary, middle, high) that have received an Accredited with Warning rating in English, mathematics, or both,
for 2002-03 and that have not previously received a CSR grant. Also, eligible
are Title I schools (elementary only) that have received a Provisionally Accredited/Needs Improvement rating because of pass
rates lower than the benchmarks in English, mathematics, or both, for 2002-03
and that have not previously received a CSR grant.
Conditions for Awarding CSR Grants. The following conditions
have been established for awarding CSR grants to individual schools.
(1)
Successful applicants will receive an award of
$75,000, renewable for two additional years, provided federal funds are
available.
(2)
Successful applicants will sign a Memorandum of
Agreement that will require schools to undergo a student achievement evaluation
review before being approved for second- and third-year funding.
(3)
The school division and school must consent to
receive the services of a CSR technical assistance provider to aid with program
implementation in each school. It is anticipated that the CSR technical
assistance provider will visit the school once each week. It will be the
responsibility of the school to build travel costs for the technical assistance
provider into the CSR operational budget. The CSR award has been increased to
accommodate anticipated costs associated with the use of a technical assistance
provider. The Department of Education will be responsible for selecting the
individuals, providing training, and entering into a contractual agreement for
their services.
(4)
Schools receiving grants must commit to sending a
central office representative, the principal, and other school representatives
to CSR workshops and institutes sponsored by the department throughout the
grant periods. The first such institute will be held in Roanoke, July 23-25,
2003, with follow-up workshops in November 2003 and March 2004.
National
School Reform Models. The U.S. Department of Education has identified 44 national school
improvement models that could provide opportunities for increased student
achievement, particularly in high poverty schools. Research on the models can
be found on the Internet at http://www.nwrel.org/scpd/natspec/catalog/index.html.
Through its own research, the Department of
Education has determined that 26 of the 44 models are aligned with Virginias
Standards of Learning. The list of 26 models is available on the departments
website at http://www.pen.k12.va.us/. Also on the website is a list of models
approved by the Board of Education. The website of the National Clearinghouse
for Comprehensive School Reform (NCCSR) found at www.goodschools.gwu.edu on the
Internet is another recommended source.
Pre-Award Technical Assistance Workshops.
A technical assistance workshop has been planned for representatives from
interested schools and divisions. It
will be held in conference rooms C, D, and E in the James Monroe Building, 101
North 14th Street, in Richmond on January 30, 2003, from 9 a.m. to
3:30 p.m. On-site registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. Lunch will be the
responsibility of the participant and will be available on-site.
Schools are encouraged to
send the principal, a lead teacher, a central office staff person, and others
who will be directly involved with the implementation of the CSR program. These
individuals will form the school team. (Title I coordinators have traditionally
assumed the responsibility for the CSR school program from the division level.)
To help us to anticipate attendance, please complete and return the attached
response form by January 17, 2003.
Application Submission and Contact Information.
The complete grant application packet will be sent under separate cover to the
Title I coordinator in your division in mid-January. It will also be on the Internet on the Departments website at http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Instruction/OCP/appforms.html.
School personnel are encouraged to begin the planning process prior to the
technical assistance opportunity.
Applications
from individual schools must be received at the Department of Education
by 4 p.m., Friday, March 21, 2003. Please
contact Bob Bourdeaux (mailto:rbourdea@mail.vak12ed.edu),
Diane Jay(mailto:djay@mail.vak12ed.edu),
or Brenda Spencer
(mailto:bspencer@mail.vak12ed.edu)
at (804) 371-8973 if you have questions.
Enclosure