Hillsborough County Public Schools Business
Action Item

DATE: Tuesday, March 9, 2010
TO: School Board Members
FROM: MaryEllen Elia, Superintendent

SUBJECT / RECOMMENDATIONS

Approve Agreement for Technical Services with Sherrill O’Brien for Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) Transcribing Activities, Visually Impaired Grant (Curriculum and Instruction Division, Florida Instructional Materials Center for the Visually Impaired – FIMC-VI)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

FIMC-VI assists the Florida Department of Education (DOE) by transcribing individual student response from braille into print for both the contracted and uncontracted braille versions of the 2010 FCAT.

In collaboration with FIMC-VI, the consultant will transcribe the student answer documents from braille into print of the FCAT retake tests; the Spring FCAT administration, which will include the FCAT reading and mathematics for grades 3-8; FCAT science for grades 5 and 8; and FCAT writing for grades 4, 8, and 10. The consultant will also transcribe the student answer documents Comprehensive English Language Learning Assessment (CELLA), if the districts have not completed the transcription. The contractor has successfully performed this function to the satisfaction of DOE and the FCAT contractor for the past nine years.

FIMC-VI is a statewide resource center assisting Florida’s 67 school districts with the specialized materials needs of blind and visually impaired students. FIMC-VI operates under DOE through an annual agreement with The School Board of Hillsborough County, Florida.

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

* Increase promotion rates at all grade levels and the percentage of high school graduates

FINANCIAL IMPACT (Budgeted: Yes)

Funds of $9,000 are included in the divisional special revenue/federal program budget, Project 1717, FIMC-VI. All expenditures for this activity are reimbursed by the DOE and FCAT Administration Contractor.

EVALUATION

SUBMITTED BY: Joyce L. Wieland, General Director, Exceptional Student Education
 Suzanne A. Dalton, Supervisor, FIMC-VI

Wynne A. Tye
Assistant Superintendent, Curriculum and Instruction
(813) 272-4221
Gretchen Saunders
Chief Business Officer
(813) 272-4270
A 5.05
Hillsborough County Public Schools (Florida) * Mtg.#20100309_395 * Section A Item# 5.05