Title: G2-Reading First Continuance Grant for Phase II Schools

Recommendation:
I recommend that the School Board approve the Reading First Phase II Continuance Grant in the amount of $2,655,115 to provide funding for the existing Reading First coaches at 28 schools and authorize the Superintendent or designee to sign all documents and contracts related to the grant which are required for implementation of the grant activities for FY07 beginning July 1, 2006 and ending June 30, 2007.

Description:

The reapplication of the Reading First Continuance Grant will continue to provide funding in FY07 for reading coaches at the original  28 schools that met Reading First criteria according to the state system of accountability. Funds secured from the grant are in the amount of $2,655,115. The original grant period began in the last quarter of FY05. This is the second year of the grant. Funding will continue for a total of six years pending annual DOE approval and will be based on a 10% declining funding model.

The funds will be used to:
•  purchase intervention programs that have been identified by Florida Center for Reading Research (FCRR) as meeting Reading First criteria for addressing the needs of K-3 students in the areas of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
•  provide all participating K-3, ESE, and ESOL teachers with an opportunity to attend the Just Read, Florida! Summer Teacher Academy. This academy is held for teachers who have not attended a teacher academy in previous years.
•  provide funding for a Reading First Instructional Specialist, a Reading First Grant Analyst, and a Reading First Resource teacher.

The objective of the continuation of the Reading First Grant is to provide funding for the reading coaches at the participating schools. The Reading First coach will continue to:
•  work closely with teachers to ensure full implementation of the intent of Reading First including modeling lessons and coaching teachers in classroom organization.
•  provide training for K-3 teachers in Reading . They will also be responsible for organizing the administration and reporting of the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) state assessments as required by the Reading First Grant.
•  assist with the organization and management of the 90-minute uninterrupted reading block.
•  facilitate the organization of DIBELS administration and collection and assist teachers in understanding and interpreting the data collection.
•  conduct follow-up to monthly professional development and quarterlies
•  attend all state and district professional development.
•  distribute, collect, and interpret implementation rubric.

The Reading First Grant will be evaluated in terms of increased K-3 reading performance on the spring Outcome Measures assessments mandated by the Florida Department of Education. The Outcome Measures assessments include the SAT-10, the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT), the Gate MacGinitie Test and the DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) assessment.

In FY05, the Florida Department of Education sent an eligibility list with criteria for the selection of schools that were eligible to participate in the Reading First grant. The following elementary schools met the criteria to participate in the Reading First Grant for FY06: Barton, Belle Glade, Cholee Lake, Diamond View,  Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, Egret Lake, Forest Park, Grove Park, Jupiter, K.E.C/Canal Point, Lincoln, Melaleuca, Northboro, Pahokee, Palmetto, Pine Grove, Pleasant City, Roosevelt, Rosenwald, Village Academy, West Riviera, Westward, Wynnebrook, Corebridge, Lakeside Academy, Noah's Ark International, Palm Beach Maritime, and The Imagine School.

Due to the large number of pages, a copy of the grant will be in the Board Minutes Office for your review.

Financial Impact:
The financial impact to the district is $2,655,115 to support and maintain the Reading First project in 28 schools. All grant related expenditures and contracts are authorized for payment up to the amount of revenue.

For Additional Information, contact:
Ann Killets (akillets@palmbeach.k12.fl.us)
E. Wayne Gent
Denise Doyle

Attachments (list):
RF Phase II Attachments May 2006.pdf
Q&AG2.doc