Hillsborough County Public Schools Curriculum and Instruction
Action Item

DATE: Tuesday, May 19, 2009
TO: School Board Members
FROM: MaryEllen Elia, Superintendent

SUBJECT / RECOMMENDATIONS

Approve Grant Application to the Florida Department of Education and, if Approved, Accept Funds for Adult Education and Family Literacy, Adult General Education, 2009/2010 (Curriculum and Instruction Division)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

We request approval to submit a grant application to the Florida Department of Education for Adult General Education programs for supplemental, performance-based funding in the amount of $1,180,556 to enhance, improve, and expand the delivery system of educational services for adults 16 years of age and older. The purpose of the funding is to assist adults who desire to complete a secondary education diploma or its General Educational Development (GED) equivalent, who seek to benefit from job training and retraining programs, who seek to obtain and retain productive employment, who wish to participate more fully in the educational development of their children, or those who wish to learn to read, write, and speak English as a second language. The targeted population benefiting from requested funding will include: educationally disadvantaged adults, under-educated adults, immigrant adults including migrant farm workers, limited English proficient adults, adults and children participating in family literacy, adults in the workplace, minority adults, adults with disabilities, and institutionalized, incarcerated, and/or homeless adults.

Supplemental funds will support and enhance the integration of reading, math, science, and adult basic literacy skills into classroom instruction and teacher inservice training that supports the district’s strategic goals, the statewide “Just Read, Florida!” initiative and Florida's Next Generation Strategic Plan. Grant funds will be used to supplement the district’s Adult Education and Family Literacy programs through the employment of resource teachers and paraprofessionals who will enhance the instructional delivery and learning opportunities for the targeted population and provide inservice training for adult education instructors. Funds will also be used to fund a portion of the salary of an accounting clerk to manage the grant budget. Instructional materials purchased with supplemental funds will include textbooks, teaching materials, classroom resources, educational software, computer equipment, and online GED curriculum. Funds will also be used to provide county bus passes for travel to classes and GED testing sites for students with transportation and/or financial hardships.

Continued on attachment.

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

All Strategic Objectives

FINANCIAL IMPACT (Budgeted: Yes)

If approved, grant funds of $1,180,556 will be included in the divisional special revenue/federal programs budget. All direct and indirect costs are included in the grant budget.

EVALUATION

Evaluation measures required by the grant are determined by the Florida Department of Education. The annual state performance report will be completed in October 2010 and shared with all stakeholders.

SUBMITTED BY: Elsa A. Tuggle, Director, Adult and Community Education
 Karine E. Johns, Supervisor, Adult Education

Wynne A. Tye
Assistant Superintendent, Curriculum and Instruction
(813) 272-4221
Gretchen Saunders
Chief Business Officer
(813) 272-4270
A 5.17
Hillsborough County Public Schools (Florida) * Mtg.#20090519_351 * Section A Item# 5.17