Teaching and Learning Action Item

DATE:	Tuesday, June 25, 2019
TO:	School Board Members
FROM:	Jeff Eakins, Superintendent
SUBJECT / RECOMMENDATIONS
Approve the Purchase of Countdown and Blast Foundations Materials from Really Great Reading Company LLC (Office of Teaching and Learning)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Countdown and Blast Foundations are scientifically researched, foundational reading materials to be used to supplement Tier I implementation materials in 450 high needs kindergarten and first grade classrooms. The product supports phonemic awareness, phonics concepts, and word attack skills in an explicit, systematic, and multi-sensory manner embedded within the English Language arts instruction. Both programs were piloted in the kindergarten and first grade classrooms at Clair Mel and Thonotosassa Elementary Schools. The students at Clair Mel demonstrated significant growth in phonological awareness and phonics in kindergarten and first grade measured by i-Ready fall 2018 to i-Ready spring 2019. In Grade 1, the Clair Mel students showed a 13 percent gain beyond the district average in phonological awareness. The proposal includes kindergarten and first grade classroom materials for instruction and assessment along with 26 full-day and/or half-day implementation workshops. In accordance with the Florida Department of Education Purchasing Policy 6A-1.012(11)(b), the requirement for requesting competitive solicitations for commodities or contractual services from three or more sources is hereby waived as authorized by Section 1010.04(4)(a),  F.S., for the purchase of educational services and any type of copyrighted materials including, without limitation, educational tests, textbooks, and printed instructional materials where such materials are purchased directly from the producer, publisher, or the owner of the copyright.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES
• Improve the high school graduation rate
FINANCIAL IMPACT (Budgeted:  Yes)
Funds will be available in the 2019/2020 K-12 Comprehensive Reading Plan Categorical budget: $552,014. For tracking purposes, the project number specific to this agenda item will be 4526.
EVALUATION
A formal evaluation will be completed using fall, winter, and spring i-Ready data along with district formative data to determine the rate of growth on foundational subtests that measure phonemic awareness, phonics, and word attack skill levels.
SUBMITTED BY:  Lynn Dougherty-Underwood, Director, Literacy

Deborah Cook		Gretchen Saunders
Chief Academic Officer, Teaching and Learning (813) 272-4221		Chief Business Officer (813) 272-4270
		C 6.10
Hillsborough County Public Schools (Florida) * Mtg.#20190625_926 (Board Meeting) * Section C Item# 6.10