Approve Five-Year Grant Application to U.S. Department of Education and, if Approved, Accept Funds for High School Smaller Learning Communities, 2006-2007 through 2010-2011 - $8,875,000 (Technical and Career Education)

School districts across the nation that have high schools with over 1,000 students are invited to apply for grant funds to plan, implement, or expand small, safe, and successful learning environments. In this 5-year grant to create smaller learning communities, the Division of Curriculum and Instruction proposes to initially implement 9th grade “houses” to help students successfully transition from middle to high school and then to phase in smaller learning communities for 10th, 11th, and 12th grade levels. Ten high schools will participate: four current Smaller Learning Community (SLC) implementation sites (Chamberlain, East Bay, Leto, and Wharton) previously awarded federal SLC funds will continue the implementation of SLC strategies and six additional high school sites (Armwood, Gaither, Jefferson, King, Riverview, and Robinson). A grant orientation meeting was conducted where school principals were provided major components of the grant. Each site was requested to submit a letter of intent to participate.

In each of the five years, the grant will support a project manager, teacher training, consultant contracts (curriculum development, expert-in-field coaching and facilitative training), site visits to successful smaller learning communities and national conferences, materials and supplies, in-county travel, out-of-county travel (Washington, DC grantee leadership training), an accounting clerk, secretarial assistance, and district indirect costs.

All District Goals and Critical Success Factors.

If approved, grant funds of $8,875,000 will be included in the divisional special revenue/federal programs budget. Indirect costs are included in the grant budget.

As per grant requirement, an independent third-party evaluator submits a formative and summative report for each year of the five-year grant period to the U.S. Department of Education. The results of the evaluation will be shared with all stakeholders.