Approve Master District License Agreement with Trinity ELL, LLC, doing/business/as (d/b/a) "A+Rise" for Standards2Strategy Software (Curriculum and Instruction Division)

We request approval of the Master District License Agreement with Trinity ELL, LLC, d/b/a “A+Rise” for stand-alone software for distribution to all district teachers, administrators, and paraprofessionals to provide them to access standards and instructional strategies for English Language Learners.

The Standards2Strategy CD-Rom software is an integrated system which is aligned to national and Florida Sunshine State Standards. It is content-based; divided by grade level (K-12) benchmarks; targeting listening, speaking, reading, and writing proficiency levels for students acquiring the English language. It encompasses the English for Speakers of Other Language research of Lezotte, Stiggins, Marzano, and Pickering who focus on the “how” of instruction not just the “why” and foster teacher confidence in differentiating instruction for English Language Learners.

Trinity ELL, LLC has partnered with our district to produce, at no cost to the district, video vignettes demonstrating the implementation of the Standard2Strategy A+Rise software highlighting Hillsborough County Public Schools content area teachers instructing English Language Learners and our ESOL program. These vignettes will be used nationwide to demonstrate best practices and authentic instruction for English Language Learners through staff development designed for teachers, administrators, and instructional support personnel. Additionally, this collaboration has reduced the cost of district licensure for the Standard2Strategy A+Rise software.

All District Goals and Critical Success Factors

The first installment of $225,000 for the license fee is budgeted as a fixed line item in the Title III Grant, Programs for English Language Learner for 2007/2008. The agreement covers a three-year period with a provision for cancellation of the agreement in the event of non-availability of Title III Funds for future years.

An evaluation of the usage and effectiveness of the software will be conducted annually.