The U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) awarded $9,598,710 to Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) for the District’s MSAP grant project. The purpose of the program is to support magnet schools that are part of an approved desegregation plan. The awarded amount for Year Two of the three year project is $3,285,470. Of this total amount, $164,630 is for project services rendered by the USF. The schools targeted in this grant are Lincoln Elementary, Dowdell Middle, Ferrell Middle, Sligh Middle, Blake High, Hillsborough High, Lennard High, Leto High, and Middleton High. The Project Director for this grant is the District’s Supervisor of Magnet Schools and Programs. Faculty and staff from USF College of Education’s Anchin Center, through the Tampa Bay Educational Partnership, a formal partnership between the District and the University, are providing training in culturally competent classroom and school site leadership to assist teachers and administrators in gaining the specialized skills necessary to be effective leaders and instructors at diverse schools. Training topics include 1) creating and fostering a “learning culture” in the school and community, 2) using achievement data to eliminate cycles of academic failure, 3) fostering innovation, accountability, and results in the classroom, and 4) effectively communicating the value that individual schools bring to the community (see Attachment A, Scope of Work). Year Two of the project began October 1, 2008, and ends September 30, 2009.

Under the terms of the grant, HCPS is responsible for project evaluation. A copy of the annual reports and final evaluation report will be provided to HCPS Office of Assessment and Accountability. The anticipated date for the annual report for Year Two is December 30, 2009.