Hillsborough County Public Schools Information and Technology
Action Item

DATE: Tuesday, March 14, 2006
TO: School Board Members
FROM: MaryEllen Elia, Superintendent

SUBJECT / RECOMMENDATIONS

Approve the Technical Services Agreement to Create the Questions for the Elementary Battle of the Books Program.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The 2005-2006 Elementary Battle of the Books Program has 120 elementary schools participating. The battle process requires the creation of 1,600 different questions to serve 10,000 fourth graders. All questions are written with district level supervision.
There are three distinct sets of questions written to support the battle competitions. Multiple questions are written for each of the 20 books in sufficient numbers to allow for tie breakers and other unforeseen complications. The top scoring team at the school battle proceeds to the area battle. A harder set of battle questions is used for this level of competition. The top 7 teams from the area battles compete at the district battle. The questions written for the District battle are harder than those used at the school and area battles.
The author of the battle questions creates a matrix for objectively distributing questions to the three levels of competition. The matrix assigns the more difficult questions evenly as students progress from school to District competition. It also ensures that each school receives questions for each of the battle books.

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

Goal 1: The percentage of students scoring at level 3 or higher on FCAT reading will increase a mnimum of 5 percentage points.

FINANCIAL IMPACT (Budgeted: Yes)

The total estimated costs of the Battle, excluding books, is $20,000. Eighty percent of these costs are from donations. The cost of this contract is $3,500.00 funded by part 1 funds. In addition, the cost of books, which become part of each school's collection, totals $72,000.

EVALUATION

Battle of the Books results will be shared with the School Board as a recognition item honoring the school winners and the number of schools participating in this year's event.

SUBMITTED BY: Barbara Rooks, Media Supervisor Media K-5

Earl Whitlock
Manager Technology Services
813-272-4721
Jack E. Davis
Chief Information and Technology Officer
813-272-4600
4.01R
Hillsborough County Public Schools (Florida) * Mtg.#20060314_172 * Section E Item# 4.01R