Approve Agreement for Technical Services with Robert Dorn Consultants to Deliver Teacher Training in Newly Revised Sunshine State Standards for Language Arts (Curriculum and Instruction Division)

We are requesting approval of the Agreement for Technical Services with Robert Dorn Consultants to develop and co-present a 30-hour training on the newly revised Sunshine State Standards for Language Arts. Training will be provided to 40 high school language arts teachers between July 16, 2007, through July 20, 2007, from 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at Hillsborough High School. The consultant will provide a thorough examination of the standards, model lesson and best practices, and facilitate the teachers' active participation in planning effective lessons to meet the new benchmarks. In addition, the teachers who participate in this training will provide support at their own sites as teachers transition toward meeting these new standards.

Goal 1 - The percentage of students scoring at Level 3 or higher on FCAT reading will increase a minimum of 5 percentage points.
Goal 4 - The percentage of students scoring a score of 4.0 or higher on FCAT writing will increase a minimum of 5 percentage points.
Goal 5 - The District will eliminate the FCAT achievement gap by a minimum of ten percentage points as reported by No Child Left Behind.

Funds of $1,350 are included in the staff development budget for Secondary Education, Project 4502.

May 2008. Student responses to semester and final exam questions specific to the new standards will be analyzed, and feedback will be provided to teachers and department heads. Based on the feedback, instructional delivery and curriculum materials will be modified.