HCPS FL Logo Student Services and Federal Programs
Action Item
DATE: Tuesday, July 31, 2012
TO: School Board Members
FROM: MaryEllen Elia, Superintendent
SUBJECT / RECOMMENDATIONS
Approve the Annual Service and Support Agreement with Pearson Digital Learning for the Waterford Early Learning and Successmaker Reading and Math Programs in 63 Title I Schools for the 2012/2013 School Year (Student Services and Federal Programs Division) 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Pearson Digital Learning provides programmatic and technical support for its Waterford Early Learning and Successmaker products in 63 Title I Schools.  In an effort to minimize the yearly support/service costs for individual schools, and maximize the effectiveness of each school’s implementation, the district consolidates all schools under Pearson’s Partnership Plus agreement.  During the 2011/2012 school year over 200 days of training were provided to classroom teachers and 385 technical support issues were resolved through this Partnership Plus agreement. The consolidated approach to this service and support agreement saved the school district over $400,000 off of the retail cost of these services.  All service and support is provided on site in an effort to build the knowledge and capacity of the school staff for the products.  As a result of this capacity building effort, we are able to reduce the cost for technical support for the 2012/2013 school year.  This agreement represents a cost savings of $47,215 as compared to last year. 
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES
• Challenge and support all students with an appropriate curriculum
FINANCIAL IMPACT (Budgeted:  Yes)
The impact to the Title I Part A budget will be $318,665. 
EVALUATION
Two key studies were conducted during the 2011/2012 school year to assist in determining the impact of Waterford Early Learning and Successmaker as supplemental interventions. The first study focused on Kindergarten Readiness at Title I Renaissance Schools.  One year after the implementation of Waterford Early Learning in our district’s Head Start classrooms, incoming Kindergarten students at our district’s Renaissance Schools showed a 19 percent increase in “Demonstrating” readiness as measured by the Early Childhood Observation System (ECHOS) and a 10 percent increase based on the Florida Assessment for Instruction in Reading (FAIR).  This increase in readiness coincided with the implementation of Waterford Early Learning in our district’s Head Start Program.  A second study looked at Successmaker’s ability to accurately predict student FCAT scores in Reading and Math based on a student’s attainment of courseware target levels.  An On Target Analysis of the 2011 FCAT scores showed that Successmaker accurately predicted 94 percent of third grade students, 95 percent of fourth grade students, and 96 percent of fifth grade students who would score at level 3 (proficiency) on the Math FCAT.  Successmaker accurately predicted 90 percent of third grade students, 90 percent of fourth grade students, and 86 percent of fifth grade students who would score at level 3 (proficiency) on the Reading FCAT. 
SUBMITTED BY:  Jeff Eakins, General Director, Federal Programs
Gwendolyn L. Luney, Assistant Superintendent   Gretchen Saunders
Student Services and Federal Programs
(813) 272-4879
  Chief Business Officer
(813) 272-4270
    A 5.12
Hillsborough County Public Schools (Florida) * Mtg.#20120731_510 (Board Meeting) * Section A Item# 5.12