Recommendation to Accept the Funding Support Awarded by the Youth Opportunities Grant Competitive Funding Program in Support of Hillsborough County Public Schools Executive Internship Program (Career and Technical Education)

The Youth Opportunities Grant is a grant competition sponsored by the state of Florida's Workforce Investment Agency (WIA). The purpose of the grant is to increase the availability of services with significant positive impact for high risk youth who are identified as one or more of the following: deficient in basic literacy skills, school dropout, homeless, runaway, foster child, pregnant or parenting teen, juvenile offender, or requiring additional assistance to complete an educational program or secure and hold employment. Additionally, students served may include up to five percent of the general high school senior student population. The funds awarded through this competition to the School District of Hillsborough County are in the amount of $450,000. These funds were requested on behalf of the district’s Executive Internship Program.

The Executive Internship Program prepares high-risk youth for successful placement in, and completion of, an internship experience through mentoring and coaching activities, technology resources support, professional networking activities, instructional activities, and a multi-agency support system. Funds will provide the following: transportation, registration for training programs, project evaluation and management personnel, travel to colleges/universities, technology resources, and other internship support materials and resources. The project period is from December 2009 through December 2010. Additional information is attached.

All Strategic Objectives

Grant funding of $450,000 will be included in the divisional special revenue/federal budget.

Program data collection and analysis for formative and summative evaluations will be conducted and a final program report completed by January 30, 2011.