Hillsborough County Public Schools Curriculum and Instruction
Action Item

DATE: Tuesday, December 13, 2005
TO: School Board Members
FROM: MaryEllen Elia, Superintendent

SUBJECT / RECOMMENDATIONS

Approve Agreement for Technical Services with Keyboard Consultants for FCAT ITEM REVIEW Activities, Visually Impaired Grant - $23,000 (Curriculum and Instruction Division)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Florida Instructional Materials Center for the Visually Impaired (FIMC-VI) is funded by the Florida Department of Education (DOE), and the School District of Hillsborough County serves as the fiscal agent. The Center is responsible for providing materials' services to Florida's school districts statewide.

According to a schedule set by DOE, the consultant will conduct a total item review of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) in order to identify bias issues and suggest modifications of items in the braille version. The test items reviewed will include all grade levels of the FCAT Sunshine State Standards Test (SSS), the FCAT Norm-Referenced Test (NRT), and the FCAT Sample Tests.

Keyboard Consultants has successfully performed these functions to the satisfaction of DOE for the past five years. Keyboard Consultants has the necessary knowledge and experience with the Literary Braille Code, Braille Formats: Principles of Print to Braille Transcription (Textbook Code), Nemeth Braille Code for Mathematics and Science Notation and the Computer Braille Code.

ANNUAL DISTRICT GOAL(S) AND CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR(S)

Goal 1 - The percentage of students scoring at Level 3 or higher on FCAT reading will increase a minimum of 5 percentage points.

FINANCIAL IMPACT (Budgeted: Yes)

Funds of $23,000 are included in the district special revenue/federal programs budget, Project 1004 (Florida Instructional Materials Center - Visually Impaired.)

EVALUATION

SUBMITTED BY: Edward H. McDowell, Jr., General Director, Exceptional Student Education 
Suzanne A. Dalton, Supervisor, Florida Instructional Materials Center for the Visually Impaired

Michael A. Grego, Ed.D.
Assistant Superintendent, Curriculum and Instruction
(813) 272-4221
Gretchen Saunders
Chief Business Officer
(813) 272-4270
5.06
Hillsborough County Public Schools (Florida) * Mtg.#20051213_163 * Section E Item# 5.06