Approve Renewal Subscription and License Agreement with The Gale Group, Inc., (“Gale”) to Provide Access to Gale Group Online Databases, 2007/2010 - $324,300 (Curriculum and Instruction Division)

We are requesting approval of the Gale Group Subscription and License Agreement to provide students and staff the capability to search, download, view, and print information to assist them to complete reports for subjects across the curriculum, and involve families in supporting literacy in their homes. The Gale Group databases contain full text information from Gale reference books and periodicals and can be accessed by students through the Internet from home or school.

This agreement is for a period of three years beginning August 12, 2007, renewable annually. The vendor will also provide to the school district monthly usage statistics for each school. The district has subscribed to these databases for the past three years with excellent usage statistics. Students and staff made an average of 100,000 searches per month from home and school during the 2006/2007 school year.

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

Funds of $324,300 ($108,100 per year, for three years) are included through the categorical state library media funds, Project 4505.