Hillsborough County Public Schools Student Services and Federal Programs
Action Item

DATE: Tuesday, August 5, 2008
TO: School Board Members
FROM: MaryEllen Elia, Superintendent

SUBJECT / RECOMMENDATIONS

Approve Settlement Agreement with the State of Florida’s Department of Juvenile Justice, as part of the Safe Schools and Students Program, Grant #Q8911 (Student Services and Federal Programs Division)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) awarded $100,000 to Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) for the Safe Schools and Students grant-funded project, Promotion of Wellness, Empowerment and Responsibility for Girls (POWER for GIRLS), which targets delinquency prevention. This project was implemented between January 1, 2008, and June 30, 2008, and provided mentoring, counseling services, in home assessments, referral services, parent education and support services, volunteer support services, and life enhancement groups for targeted at-risk girls, ages 5-15. Services were provided by Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Tampa Bay. The original agreement was signed by the School Board Chair on February 7, 2008, and fully executed by the Department of Juvenile Justice on March 10, 2008. Regulations of the Department of Juvenile Justice require that a settlement agreement between the two organizations be executed in order for HCPS to receive funds for services rendered prior to the agreement being fully executed (January-February, 2008), in the amount of $16,400.

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

GOAL 5 - The District will eliminate the FCAT achievement gap by a minimum of 10 percentage points as reported by No Child Left Behind.

FINANCIAL IMPACT (Budgeted: No)

Funding for Project POWER for Girls is provided by the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, Safe Schools and Students Program (Grant #Q8911). HCPS is the fiscal agent for the project and funds reside with the District.

EVALUATION

Under the terms of the grant, HCPS is responsible for facilitating the project evaluation. HCPS and Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Tampa Bay will coordinate the collection of assessment data to the outside evaluator for the grant. The outside evaluator will provide a copy of the annual evaluation report to HCPS office of Assessment and Accountability. The anticipated date for project evaluation for the 2007-2008 school year is September 30, 2008.

SUBMITTED BY: Lynn R. Fell, Grants and Research Operations Officer

Gwendolyn L. Luney
Assistant Superintendent, Student Services and Federal Programs
(813) 272-4879
Gretchen Saunders
Chief Business Officer
(813) 272-4270
A 5.09
Hillsborough County Public Schools (Florida) * Mtg.#20080805_297 * Section A Item# 5.09