Title: G1-Challenge Grants for Gifted Education Program

Recommendation:
I recommend that the School Board approve the submission of the Challenge Grant applications to the Florida Department of Education, 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.

Description:

The Florida Department of Education has allocated funding for the 2007-2008 Challenge Grant, Collaborative Curriculum Projects.  This grant is available on a competitive basis to schools serving students who are gifted.  Specific information and a request for applications was sent to all principals in the School District who supervise gifted programs. 

The Collaborative Curriculum Projects are intended to promote innovative redesign of instruction and improved gifted student performance through collaboration between gifted students, teachers, colleagues, mentors or community agencies.  Collaboration may be with general education classrooms, classrooms for students with disabilities, other gifted classes, other schools, or school districts, professionals in a particular field who are willing to become mentors and share expertise, colleges, universities, museums, and laboratories.

The goals of the individual grants must be to teach and promote scientific inquiry, integrate critical thinking with other disciplines and provide opportunities for students to present demonstrations to other students and members of the community.

Each district may submit a maximum of five applications.  A maximum of $10,000 will be awarded to each grant recipient.  Funds may be used to purchase materials and technology.  The following schools have requested Challenge Grant applications:  Loggers Run Middle School, South Olive Elementary School, Christa McAuliffe Middle School, Lakeshore Middle School, Tradewinds Middle School, and Banyan Creek Elementary School.  These applications are due in Tallahassee no later than January 26, 2007.  Due to the proximity of the January 07 Board meeting, the submission application request is being made at the December 2006 Board meeting.

Evaluation procedures  in each grant will include, but may not be limited to, pre and post tests, rubrics and checklists.  Sunshine State Standards will serve as the basis for the evaluation instruments.

Financial Impact:
Pending state approval, the financial impact to the special revenue - other funds budget is $10,000.  These funds will be placed in the individual school budgets.

For Additional Information, contact:
Ann Killets (akillets@palmbeach.k12.fl.us)
Brenda Magee, Ed.D.
Russell Feldman

Attachments (list):
Data Panels Various Years.xls