Title: 5.  CONTINUATION AGREEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY TRAINING AND ASSISTANCE CENTER FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT'S STANDARD BEARER SCHOOLS FOR THE 2007-08 SCHOOL YEAR - WITHDRAWN

Requested Action:

THAT THE DUVAL COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD APPROVE CONTINUATION OF AN AGREEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY TRAINING AND ASSISTANCE CENTER FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT'S STANDARD BEARER SCHOOLS FOR THE 2007-08 SCHOOL YEAR IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $125,000 FROM GENERAL OPERATING FUNDS (TO BE JOINED WITH $375,000 OR MORE FROM COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS).

THAT THE DUVAL COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD AUTHORIZE THE BOARD CHAIRMAN AND THE SUPERINTENDENT TO AFFIX THEIR SIGNATURES TO THE AGREEMENT UPON APPROVAL AS TO FORM, AND AUTHORIZE ANY AMENDMENTS NEEDED TO FULLY IMPLEMENT THIS AGREEMENT.

Summary Explanation and Background:

Approval of an agreement with Community Training and Assistance Center, Inc. would allow them to continue providing technical assistance to the Superintendent's Standard Bearer Schools to accomplish the following.

1.      Identifying and addressing the causes—rather than the symptoms—of prevailing levels of student achievement at the schools, and focusing school improvement planning (and central administrative support) on those causes.

2.      Engaging each school community at all 27 schools in analyzing the organizational conditions that are affecting student achievement. This will involve all school administrators, all teachers, 30% or more of the parents, and students in grades K-8.

3.      Disaggregating and analyzing the data on student achievement, and developing appropriate presentational formats, so that they can drive and inform school improvement planning.

4.      Implementing a multi-step planning and development process to link school and learning needs, their causes, and school actions and initiatives.

5.      Using school improvement plans to identify those recurring issues—across multiple school sites—that require District intervention.

6.      Establishing functional linkages between curriculum and instruction, family and community engagement, professional development, communications and development services to ensure effective, coordinated central administrative responsiveness to the instructional and organizational needs of the Superintendent’s Standard Bearer Schools.

7.      Orienting and increasing the capacity of principals, school teams and central administrative units to ensure higher student achievement is sustained.

Upon approval of the agreement, the Community Training and Assistance Center will continue work with the Superintendent’s Standard Bearer Schools as part of a four-year plan.  The expansion timeline for this plan will continue through 2009-10 adding 25 schools each year until a total of 100 schools are served. The district will seek other funding sources, such as national grant opportunities for educational funding and financial commitments from local businesses, to support this initiative.  The contract with the Community Training and Assistance Center will include specific criteria that must be met to continue each year.

New Century Commission Recommendation/OPPAGA Recommendation/Council of Great City Schools Recommendation:
N/A

Attachments (list):
SuptStandardBearerSchools_2007-08.doc

Financial Impact (Including HR/headcount/Source of Funds):

$125,000 from general operating funds; $375,000 or more from local contributions for second year implementation. Funding for two subsequent years will be submitted to the Board for approval.

For Additional Information, contact:

Jim Williams, Chief Officer, Superintendent’s Standard Bearer Schools
924-3450

Amy Lingren, Acting Chief Academic Officer - 390-2128