Hillsborough County Public Schools Information and Technology
Action Item

DATE: Tuesday, January 15, 2008
TO: School Board Members
FROM: MaryEllen Elia, Superintendent

SUBJECT / RECOMMENDATIONS

Approve Agreements for Technical Services for Alternative Certification Program (ACP) Coaches for Mentoring/Coaching of ACP Teachers During the Spring 2008 Semester (Information and Technology Division)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In 1998, the Florida Department of Education approved the implementation of Hillsborough County Public Schools’ Alternative Certification Program to allow teachers who did not major in education to complete their certification requirements. One of the benefits of the program is the assistance of an ACP Coach who provides coaching, feedback and additional support to participants. New teachers join ACP throughout the school year. Some ACP teachers do not need to be mentored for the entire school year; therefore, mentors may be reassigned to work with other ACP participants.

ACP Coaches are paid $65 per coaching/mentoring session for up to eight visits per participant. These sessions include observations, feedback, travel to sites, email and phone conversations. Coaches work with 15-35 participants depending upon their availability and the number of new participants joining the program.

Agreements for Technical Services have been prepared for the attached list of ACP Coaches. These mentors complete a face-to-face training session and an online course covering the best practices of mentoring. This allows them to effectively coach ACP participants and ultimately, increase student achievement. In order to continuously assign mentors as new teachers join ACP, permission is requested to add and delete ACP mentors as needed, not to exceed the budgeted amount of $150,000.

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

Goal 3, Success Factor 2: Recruit and retain highly qualified teachers and provide an ongoing mentoring program. Goal 3, Success Factor 3: Align professional development with teacher needs as reflected by student achievement data.

FINANCIAL IMPACT (Budgeted: Yes)

Funds for paying coach contracts are contained in Staff Development Project 4029. These funds are derived from fees paid by participants when they join ACP. Expenses for these ACP mentors/coaches will not exceed $150,000.

EVALUATION

ACP participants and school administrators are surveyed annually to assess the success of the mentoring process. ACP coaches are surveyed as well to gain feedback based upon their opinion of the mentoring process. In addition, the ACP office tracks the retention rate of teachers who complete the ACP program to determine the success of its components.

SUBMITTED BY: Chuck Fleming, Director, Staff Development

Jack E. Davis
Chief Information and Technology Officer
(813) 272-4600
Gretchen Saunders
Chief Business Officer
(813) 272-4270
A 5.07
Hillsborough County Public Schools (Florida) * Mtg.#20080115_285 * Section A Item# 5.07