Approve Contract with Harcourt Assessment, Inc. for Proofreading and Transcription Services for Program for Visually Impaired Students - $28,000 (Exceptional Student Education)

Harcourt Assessment, Inc. has received grant funds from the Florida Department of Education for the delivery of testing materials and scoring services for the 2006/2007 Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test Norm-Referenced Test (FCAT/NRT.) Harcourt Assessment, Inc. seeks to enter into a contractor/subcontractor relationship with the School Board for the period September 8, 2006, through August 31, 2007 to fulfill the requirements of the contract awarded by the Florida Department of Education. The contract provides $28,000 to the District for the Florida Instructional Materials Center for the Visually Impaired to provide proofreading, editing, and transcription services for the Braille version of the FCAT/NRT materials, including the following:

• Provide third-party proofreading of both the contracted and uncontracted Braille version of the FCAT/NRT (Grades 3-10).
• Provide proofreading of the Braille Notes and the Braille Scripts for the FCAT/NRT (Grades 3-10).
• Transcribe the student responses onto regular-print answer documents.

The contract has been reviewed by the School Board attorney.

Goal 1 – The percentage of students scoring at Level 3 or higher on FCAT reading will increase a minimum of 5 percentage points.
Goal 2 – The percentage of students scoring at Level 3 or higher on FCAT mathematics will increase a minimum of 5 percentage points.

Harcourt Assessment, Inc. will pay the district $28,000 for services provided and the funds will be included in the divisional special revenue/federal programs budget. There is no additional cost to the District.