Hillsborough County Public Schools Curriculum and Instruction
Action Item

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

SUBJECT / RECOMMENDATIONS

Approve Agreement for Technical Services with Performance Learning Systems, Inc. the K-3 Reading Coach Project Institute - $7,000 (Curriculum and Instruction Division)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

We request approval of the Agreement for Technical Services with Performance Learning Systems, Inc. for the services of Stephen Barkley to provide two eight-hour sessions on building coaching capacity and providing coaching and conferencing skills to those who will provide coaching, mentoring, and professional development to educators at their elementary school sites. This workshop will serve to provide the necessary communication skills needed to create open communication for one-on-one coaching as well as group discussion and planning with professional learning communities.

On June 16 and June 17, 2008, Stephen Barkley will provide two full-day coaching skills sessions for all Cadre Nine elementary reading coach candidates, Mort Elementary reading camp teachers, members of the Cadre One Model Coach School teams, assistant principals, and principals to provide strategies for working within a school site to provide coaching and professional development follow-up for educators at their school sites.

As part of our new Model Coaching School Initiative, eight elementary schools will be invited to continue their knowledge building and communication skills as a continuation of the work they started with Mr. Barkley in March of this school year. In order to build more capacity within coaching throughout the district, new coaching candidates as well as the teachers they will be working with this summer at Mort Elementary, will be invited to the two-day workshop. Schools will continue to participate in this initiative through the 2008/2009 school year by participating in collaboration sessions with other model schools. Elementary staff members will provide onsite progress monitoring and support for schools as well as coordinate methods of sharing successful implementation through professional development sessions and site visits to model schools.

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

Goal 5 – The district will close the FCAT achievement gap by a minimum of ten percentage points as reported by No Child Left Behind.

FINANCIAL IMPACT (Budgeted: Yes)

Funds of $7,000 are available from the K-12 Comprehensive Reading Plan budget, Project 4526. The fee includes all expenses, materials, and the 25 Cadre Nine participants will receive workbooks valued at $35 each ($875 total).

EVALUATION

2009 FCAT reading scores for students of participants will be analyzed to determine effectiveness of training.

SUBMITTED BY: Barbara B. Hancock, General Director, Elementary Education 
Cheryl Jones, Supervisor, Reading First Grant

Michael A. Grego, Ed.D.
Assistant Superintendent, Curriculum and Instruction
(813) 272-4221
Gretchen Saunders
Chief Business Officer
(813) 272-4270
A 5.35
Hillsborough County Public Schools (Florida) * Mtg.#20080520_293 * Section A Item# 5.35