B6.01 - Approve the Agreements for Technical Services (ATS) Which Provide Services to Florida Instructional Materials Center for the Visually Impaired (FIMC-VI) (Climate and Culture)

We request approval of ATS #20135-ATS-IV with Allison O’Day, #201424-ATS-IV with Candle Shore Inc., #20141-ATS-IV with Donna Pastore, and #20143-ATS-IV with VisTech Consulting, LLC. for FIMC-VI. A synopsis of each vendor providing services is outlined in Attachment A.

Since 1972, the Florida Department of Education Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services (FLDOE/BEESS) has continued to support FIMC-VI with federal IDEA Part B and IDEA trust appropriations to meet the instructional needs of Florida’s students with visual impairments. As defined by Florida Statute 1003.55, FIMC-VI will produce, procure, distribute, recirculate, and house specialized materials including statewide assessments for students who are blind, visually impaired, and deaf-blind. FIMC-VI provides accessible instructional materials and other supports to approximately 3,000 Florida students with visual impairments in public, private, and homeschool programs.  

FIMC-VI also supports the FLDOE Bureau of K-12 Assessment by providing expert analysis and assistance in the provision of high-quality braille statewide assessments. FIMC-VI is currently in the second year of a Board approved Cooperative Agreement (2018-2021) with the Bureau of FLDOE K-12 Assessment for the expert item reviews and proofreading of all braille versions of the Florida Standards Assessments, End of Course Exams, and the Florida Standards Alternate Assessments.  

Hillsborough County Public Schools have served as FIMC-VI’s headquarters for 48 years. FLDOE has consistently praised our district for the services provided to the state. Having FIMC-VI located in Hillsborough County provides our students immediate access to specialized instructional materials.   

Students who are blind, visually impaired, and/or deaf-blind require accessible instructional materials and assessments for equitable access to learning. Accessible standardized assessments, and textbooks in braille and large print are cost, time, and labor intensive to procure or produce. FIMC-VI ensures students with visual impairments have high-quality and accessible instructional materials and statewide assessments in the proper formats.

Since 1972, FIMC-VI has served Florida’s students with visual impairments, their teachers and families.  As a discretionary project of the FLDOE/BEESS, FIMC-VI has met or exceeded all grant deliverables.

FIMC-VI will continue to provide accessible standardized assessments and instructional materials in a timely manner to students who are blind, visually impaired, and deaf-blind. FIMC-VI will continue to support the FLDOE Bureau of K-12 Assessment by providing expert analysis and assistance in the provision of high-quality braille statewide assessments.

* Improve the high school graduation rate

* Improve Student Achievement

* Provide a student-centered learning environment that engages every child

That the Board approve the ATS' #20135-ATS-IV with Allison O’Day, #201424-ATS-IV with Candle Shore Inc., #20141-ATS-IV with Donna Pastore, and #20143-ATS-IV with VisTech Consulting, LLC. for FIMC-VI.

Kimberly Workman, General Director, Exceptional Student Education, kimberly.workman@sdhc.k12.fl.us, (813) 273-7025
Tracye H. Brown, Chief of Climate and Culture, tracye.brown@sdhc.k12.fl.us, (813) 272-4879

Funds not to exceed $192,293 will be available in the divisional special revenue/federal programs budget, FIMC-VI. For tracking purposes, the project numbers specific to this agenda item are 3539 and 0017.