Approve Retro Agreement for Technical Services for Robert Dorn Consultants for Services Associated with Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) State Teacher Quality Grant, PR/Award #290-2259A-0C001 (Curriculum and Instruction Division)

The Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) awarded $454,384 to HCPS to implement the Teacher Quality grant, which provides teachers access to research-based professional development addressing Next Generation Sunshine State Standards (NGSSS). The consulting firm will provide a liaison for year one of the project, which began on July 6, 2009, and will continue through September 30, 2009, to work in collaboration with district staff to serve as the Program Manager for the Florida Teacher Quality Grant: Project Improving Networks for Valid & Effective Standards Training (INVEST). The liaison will be responsible for the day-to-day operation of the grant to ensure that all goals, objectives and deadlines are met. The liaison will facilitate collaboration between the grant’s partnering organizations, which include personnel from the University of South Florida’s (USF) College of Arts and Sciences, district personnel from the School Board of Pasco County, and supervisors and content experts from HCPS. This collaboration will result in the development of training modules for K-12 language arts and social studies teachers pertaining to the NGSSS.

Funding for this project is provided by the FLDOE, PR/Award # 290-2259A-0C001 in the amount of $23,397.67. HCPS is the grant’s fiscal agent and project funds reside with the district.

Under the terms of the grant, an external evaluator from USF, contracted by HCPS, will evaluate the project, providing annual reports to HCPS and the FLDOE. Copies of the annual reports and the final evaluation report will be provided to the District Office of Assessment and Accountability.