Approve Agreement for Technical Services for Kagan Workshops; a Cooperative Learning Initiative to Support the SpringBoard Program (Student Services and Federal Programs)

Hillsborough County high school teachers will receive instruction on how to differentiate instruction and how to assess cooperative learning in the classroom when a group assignment has been made. Teachers in all core subject areas have asked for this assistance. This training will give teachers a new method of assisting students needing a less traditional approach to the delivery of the subject material.

SpringBoard will be used as the curriculum of choice. The train-the-trainer model will be used. Therefore, teachers in all 27 high schools will be given an opportunity to benefit from the Kagan training.

* Increase promotion rates at all grade levels and the percentage of high school graduates, * Demonstrate consistent and effective teaching methods, * Motivate students to become responsible learners, * Challenge and support all students with an appropriate curriculum

The cost of this agreement will be paid for using stimulus funds ($97,995.25).

One year from the date of the Kagan training, 40 teachers will be selected from the 250 trained to determine the effectiveness of the new approach. Student learning gains, retention of information, and the teachers ability to determine learning through assignments given to groups, will be the method of assessment. The timeline for the evaluation will be two school terms 2010/2011 and 2011/2012. The extended timeline is needed to assess both teacher and student performance.