DCPS E-Agenda

1. APPROVE THE CONTINUATION OF THE HOME INSTRUCTION PROGRAM FOR PRESCHOOL YOUNGSTERS (HIPPY) FOR 2002-2003, PURSUANT TO A CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE DUVAL COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD AND THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA, IN THE AMOUNT OF $40,000.

This agenda item requests approval of a sub-contract between the University of South Florida Board of Trustees and the Duval County School Board for the continuation of a family literacy program for young children and families.

The Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) is a national model program that provides weekly training for parents through home visits to support the development and enhancement of early literacy skills in young children and parenting skills of adults. HIPPY is a home-based program that provides 30 weeks of family literacy intervention. Monthly family group meetings are also held at designated school sites. A pre- and post-assessment is administered to each child to determine differences in developmental levels from the beginning to the end of the intervention period.

Allocated funds will support the continuation of services in four school communities, including West Jacksonville Elementary School and Hollybrook Homes (a residential complex near West Jacksonville), Love Grove Elementary School, North Shore Elementary School, and Woodland Acres Elementary School. The program will serve a minimum of 60 families.

Because of the successful implementation and continued growth of the HIPPY program, HIPPY USA now requires that a full-time “coordinator” be assigned to work with the program. This requirement was included in a Final Report of the Duval County HIPPY Site Visit, conducted in the spring of 2002. In order to serve as a program “coordinator,” HIPPY USA also requires that the employee complete a week of national training. In anticipation of future growth of the Duval County HIPPY program, two HIPPY staff associates completed this training in 1999. Thus, it is now possible to meet the necessary staffing requirement, and to continue with successful implementation of this program without any additional expense of time and funds to complete the required national training course. Furthermore, the next national training opportunity will not be available until, at least, December 2002.

Funds to implement the 2001-2002 HIPPY program were not received until March 2002. Yet, 60 families were served until the end of the academic year (May 2002). As a result of a very short program implementation cycle, many of the families will continue participation at this time, and additional new families will be recruited. Also, permission has been obtained from the University of South Florida’s State HIPPY Technical Assistance and Training Office to carry forward unused funds from 2001-2002 in the amount of $40,028. Therefore, the program has been able to continue implementation since August 7^th, the beginning of the 2002-2003 academic year for students. Total funding to implement the 2002-2003 HIPPY program will be $80,028.

An evaluation of the HIPPY program in Duval County Public Schools and a copy of the 2002-2003 sub-contract with the University of South Florida are available for review in the Early Education Programs office located on the third floor of the School Board Administration Building.

The contract period is from October 1, 2002 to June 30, 2003.