Approve Renewal Agreement for Technical Services with Erin McGaffney to Serve as Project Manager/Web Designer for Project ELECT (Educating Learners to Engage in Civics Today) - $30,209 (Curriculum and Instruction Division)

We request approval to renew the Agreement for Technical Services with Erin McGaffney to continue to serve as Project Manager /Web Designer for Project Educating Learners to Engage in Civics Today (ELECT) through March 30, 2009. Ms. McGaffney will oversee ongoing Project ELECT activities including, but not limited to the following:

• Developing and coordinating professional development training
• Coordinating school-based civic activities
• Coordinating the production of “Democracy Rules,” a TV series produced by the Education Channel
• Coordinating the production and distribution of an interactive CD-Rom to contain civic education resources for district K–12 social studies teachers
• Serving as liaison with the University of South Florida and coordinating the evaluation of the grant

The district received the $2,040,147 grant for the purpose of promoting civic education by creating a civic education support structure, infusing culturally competent teaching strategies, and increasing both teacher and student civic knowledge. The grant period is from October 1, 2007, through March 30, 2009.

Goal 1 - The percentage of students scoring at Level 3 or higher on FCAT reading will increase a minimum of five percentage points.

Funding of $30,209 is included in the divisional special revenue/federal programs budget, Project 1425. Project ELECT is funded by the United States Department of Education Grant Competition To Improve Public Knowledge of and Support for Democracy.

Under the terms of the grant, the University of South Florida will evaluate the project. Student achievement will be measured by administration of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) for civics and by district-level government examinations. Pre and post-workshop teacher content knowledge will be measured by the NAEP and teacher confidence in their ability to teach civics by the Teacher Efficacy Scale (TES). Copies of the final evaluation will be provided to Hillsborough County Public Schools Office of Assessment and Accountability and Project Director, Dennis Holt, by the final evaluation date of June 30, 2009.