| New Business - Grants |
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Title: Recommendation: I recommend that the School Board approve the Reading First Grant reapplication in the amount of $2,238,210.00 to provide the funding to continue providing reading coaches at 21 schools for FY06. Description: Ø The reapplication of the Reading First Grant will continue to provide funding for the additional reading coaches for FY06 at the original 21 schools that met Reading First criteria according to the State system of accountability. Reading First Coaches, together with existing Reading Coaches, will provide training for K-3 teachers in Reading. They will also be responsible for organizing the administration and reporting of the required State assessments that are part of the Reading First Grant. Ø In FY04, the Florida Department of Education sent an eligibility list with criteria for the selection of schools that qualified to participate in the Reading First Grant. The following 21 elementary schools were selected at that time and continue to participate in the Reading First Grant project for FY06: Allamanda, Benoist Farms, Berkshire, Boca Raton, C.O. Taylor/Kirklane, Coral Sunset, Crosspointe, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Galaxy, Heritage, Indian Pines, Lantana, Meadow Park, North Grade, Orchard View, Plumosa, Seminole Trails, U.B. Kinsey/Palmview, Charter School of Boynton Beach, Glades Academy, and Joseph Littles-Nguzo Saba Charter. Ø The objective of the reapplication for the Reading First Grant is to continue to provide additional reading coaches for the 21 elementary schools listed above with low-performing K-3 students. The reading coach will continue to: § assume role as lead learner, § facilitate the organization of the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy (DIBELS) team and reporting of student data, § facilitate the DIBELS administration and collection; assist teachers in understanding and interpreting the data collection, § attend all State and District professional development sessions, § conduct follow-ups to State summer academies and monthly District professional development sessions, § work closely with teachers to ensure full implementation of the intent of Reading First including but not limited to modeling lessons and coaching teachers in classroom organization, § distribute, collect, and interpret implementation rubric, and § assist in developing a Reading First Model Classroom at their school site. Ø Reading First funds will be used to purchase intervention programs that have been recognized by FCRR (Florida Center for Reading Research) as meeting Reading First criteria for addressing the needs of K-3 students in the areas of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Ø Reading First funds will be used to send all participating K-3, ESE, and ESOL teachers to a State mandated four-day summer reading academy. Ø Reading First funds will be used to hire a Reading First teacher-on-assignment to manage and implement the grant. Ø This grant will be evaluated in terms of increased K-3 reading performance as measured by an outcome assessment that will be mandated by the Florida Department of Education. Ø The funds secured from this grant reapplication are in the amount of $2,238,210.00. The original grant period began in the last quarter of FY04. 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. Financial Impact: For Additional Information, contact: Ann Killets (akillets@palmbeach.k12.fl.us) E. Wayne Gent Denise E. Doyle Attachments (list):
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