Accept and Contract with Harvard College Acting Through WIDE World (Business Division)

Hillsborough County Public Schools has received the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's Intensive Partnerships to Empowering Effective Teachers Grant. As outlined by the grant, the district will implement a more comprehensive model of data analysis.

This exempt instructional purchase with WIDE World offers educators six-session online courses, mini-courses, and in-depth programs of study with a focus on teaching for understanding, multiple intelligences, differentiating instruction, math, reading and writing, and the integration of new technologies and face-to-face workshops. WIDE World collaborates with school systems to support and engage teachers as instructional leaders and mentors within their school or district through highly customized, interactive, online and in-person professional development experiences that both teach and model best practices. WIDE World combines 30 years of research and practice to address the top educational challenge of the 21st century - helping schools implement sustained, systemic improvement in teaching practice and student performance. WIDE World will provide services to 50 schools in the district and their classroom teachers to improve the ability to interpret data to inform instruction. After completing a course called DATAWISE, teachers and administrators will take a second course, either Teaching for Understanding or Leading for Understanding, as appropriate.

* Align financial resources to support the district’s strategic goals, * Demonstrate best financial practices

This project is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's Intensive Partnerships to Empowering Effective Teachers Grant. The payment for the first phase (May 2010) of the project will be made on or before April 15, 2010 ($288,519). Payment for the second phase (September 2010) of the project will be made on or before August 15, 2010 ($186,720). Payment for the third phase (January 2011) of the project will be made on or before December 15, 2010 ($44,230).

An evaluation of effectiveness and implementation will be conducted by Staff Development.