Hillsborough County Public Schools Information and Technology
Action Item

DATE: Tuesday, May 20, 2008
TO: School Board Members
FROM: MaryEllen Elia, Superintendent

SUBJECT / RECOMMENDATIONS

Approve Agreements for Technical Services for Alternative Certification Program (ACP) Instructors for Training of ACP Teachers During the 2008 Summer 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. This training includes six courses that must be taken prior to completion of the program. New teachers join ACP throughout the majority of the school year. Therefore, ACP courses are offered throughout the year. ACP instructors are paid the board approved rate of $38.84 per hour plus fringe for the time they instruct participants.

ACP courses typically have 25-35 participants and vary in length from 18 to 60 hours. The six courses required by the ACP program are: Effective Classroom Management, Effective Teaching Strategies, Integrating Technology into Education, Reading to Learn, Teacher Induction, and Transition into Teaching.

Agreements for Technical Services have been prepared for the attached list of ACP instructors. These instructors complete a face-to-face training session prior to facilitating ACP courses. This allows them to effectively train participants and ultimately, increase student achievement. In order to continuously assign instructors as new teachers join ACP, permission is requested to add and delete ACP instructors as needed, not to exceed the budgeted amount of $32,000.

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

Critical Success Factors 3.b Recruit and retain highly qualified teachers and provide an ongoing mentoring program. 3.c Align professional development with teacher needs as reflected by student achievement data.

FINANCIAL IMPACT (Budgeted: Yes)

Funds in the amount of $32,000 are included in Staff Development budget, project 4502.

EVALUATION

ACP participants, instructors, and school administrators are surveyed annually to assess the success of the program. In addition, ACP office staff track the retention rate of teachers who complete the ACP program to determine the success of its components.

Additionally, the ACP office is working with the Assessment and Accountability Department to assess the impact of ACP teachers in the classroom using MAP data. This process is still in its initial phases.

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.#20080520_293 * Section A Item# 5.07