Fair Education Program Funding Guidelines Round 2 (2017)

Transcription

1 Fair Education Program Funding Guidelines Round 2 (2017) *Applications for this program must be submitted online via a NSW-only funding round that has been set up by Schools Plus on a third-party platform. The link to this round is located at the end of these guidelines. It is strongly recommended that schools read these guidelines in full before commencing with an application. 1. Purpose of Australian Schools Plus ( Schools Plus ) Schools Plus is a national education charity that improves the education outcomes of students facing disadvantage by increasing philanthropic support to their schools and school communities. Schools Plus has been granted Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR1) status a unique status for an education charity, which makes donations to schools through Schools Plus tax-deductible. More information is available at Schools Plus is managing the Fair Education Program, which is supported by the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation (VFFF). 2. About the Fair Education Program The Fair Education Program is an exciting initiative of Schools Plus and VFFF that is now into its second year of implementation. The aim of the program is to develop the capacity of School Leadership in disadvantaged schools in New South Wales to better engage families and communities in student learning. Through the Fair Education Program, Schools Plus and VFFF have a strong commitment to working together to facilitate philanthropic support for School Leadership in disadvantaged schools in NSW to improve family and community engagement in student learning. Participation in the Program is ideally suited to schools who have identified significant room for improving student outcomes and has prioritised improved family/community engagement as a key strategy to address this. The Program will build the capacity of School Leadership to design and implement evidence-based projects that aim to improve family and community engagement in student learning through: 1. Provision of leadership coaching to School Leadership each term throughout the life of the project by an expert coach. Coaching will focus on building strategic leadership capability and providing support to schools to successfully deliver long-term, strategic projects that aim to improve family and community engagement in student learning. 2. Three-year project funding for individual schools or school clusters, via a competitive application process, to facilitate the delivery of an approved project focused on improving family and community engagement in student learning. As part of the Fair Education Program, School Leadership teams will be expected to participate in one coaching session of 3-4 hours per term throughout the first two years of their project. These sessions will be delivered face-to-face initially in the first year, with future sessions delivered via a mix of face-to-face, video and teleconferencing as required. Fair Education participants are also expected to commit to participating in the annual Fair Education Program forum held in Sydney each year starting in Participants will come together to share their program experiences, success stories, and learnings to date with their peers, as well as hear from subject matter experts in the sector on the latest research evidence and practices. Travel and accommodation expenses for this annual event will be the responsibility of program participants. The Fair Education Program is supported by the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation. Page 1 of 8

2 3. Key Program Principles The five key principles that underpin the Fair Education Program are: 1. Disadvantage Supporting schools facing disadvantage with a score that sits below 1000 on the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) scale. Schools with no (zero) ICSEA values need to contact Fair Education to determine their eligibility, with the exception of special education needs schools which are eligible to submit projects. See the My Schools website for 2015 and/or 2016 ICSEA values. 2. Strategic fit Projects fit within schools strategic priorities, specifically, in improving family and/or community engagement in student learning. 3. Collaboration Projects encourage rapport, networking and establishing partnerships with families and/or community in student learning. 4. Evidence Projects use research, data and evidence to identify the need and inform the design of the project, and schools agree to gather and share evidence of project impact during and upon completion. 5. Sustainability Projects demonstrate a sustainable benefit to the school beyond the funding period, either because the learnings are integrated into school practices or future funding can be secured to continue delivery. 4. Funding Priorities The Fair Education Program will prioritise funding to individual schools, or clusters of 5-10 schools, facing disadvantage in NSW for strategic projects aiming to improve family and community engagement in student learning. Please note, school clusters may self-select as a group based on locality or project and may also form clusters across educational sectors. If your cluster is less than five schools, please contact the Schools Plus Education team on to discuss further. The second round of funding for the Fair Education Program will be distributed to selected schools in Term 4, Subsequent funding rounds for the Fair Education Program are planned and eligible schools will be notified of future rounds through Schools Plus communication channels. The types of projects the Fair Education Program may support include: Extension of existing whole-of-school initiatives that are having a proven impact. Replication projects where existing strategies are being tried in a new location or with a new target group. New projects that support the delivery of a strategy based on sound school-based evidence, data analysis or research. A strategic project is considered one which is: Identified in a school s broader strategic plan and endorsed by the School Leadership (i.e. does not rest with the Principal or one teacher). Has a clear need identified through analysis of school-based evidence and/or data. Designed as a solution to a defined opportunity or challenge in terms of planning, proposed activities, budget, measures of success and expected outcomes. Clearly articulates specific, measurable and achievable outcomes for improved family and community engagement in student learning. The Fair Education Program is supported by the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation. Page 2 of 8

3 5. Eligibility & Selection Eligibility Schools or school clusters wishing to submit project applications for consideration must meet the following eligibility criteria: A school located in NSW. A school with an ICSEA value below See the My School website for school 2015 and 2016 ICSEA values. For school clusters, all schools must have an ICSEA value below You have discussed your participation in the Fair Education Program with your Director Public Schools NSW/School Council/Board or equivalent in your sector. Selection The Assessment Panel will evaluate and select up to 15 total projects for the 2017 cohort using the Selection Criteria outlined in the table below. Please refer to these criteria for further guidance when developing responses in your application. Selection Criteria Demonstration of the School Leaderships commitment to carry out the proposed activity for three years. Demonstration of project rationale - the project purpose aligns with the: 1. Strategic priorities in the School Plan, or shared interest and commitment across a cluster of schools and; 2. Opportunities and challenges described by the school/cluster of schools. Demonstration of thorough project design and planning. Demonstration of effective monitoring and evaluation of project outcomes. Indicators and Supporting Evidence The project leadership team includes the School Principal and a diverse representation of School Leadership members and/or schools in a cluster who are actively involved in the delivery of the project. The purpose of the project is clear and of a high order. Provides evidence of how the project aligns to strategic priorities in the School Plan focused on improving family and community engagement in student learning. (A copy of the School Plan, or extract relevant to the project, must be attached as part of the application) Clearly describes why the cluster was formed and how it will function in an integrated manner. Clearly describes the key opportunities and challenges facing the school/cluster of schools. Articulates a clear and realistic project goal. Provides strong examples of how the project concept was informed by analysis and interpretation of school-based evidence. Identifies the key beneficiaries and clearly describes the flow-on effects of the project. Clearly identifies and describes the purpose and intended outcome for each high-level activity undertaken over the life of the project. Includes clear and realistic strategies to actively and meaningfully engage parents and the community in the project to better support student learning. Clearly describes what evidence will be required, and how it will be collected ongoing, to inform the delivery and progress of the project. Clearly describes how the project team will use the evidence collected to determine if the intended outcomes and purpose of the project have been achieved. The Fair Education Program is supported by the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation. Page 3 of 8

4 Demonstration of risk analysis and mitigation strategies. Identifies three key challenges for the project and clearly describes how the design of the project will address these challenges. Demonstration of project sustainability. Provides clear description of the key changes that will be in place, as a result of the project, to ensure future success and ongoing growth beyond the project s funding and coaching. Provides evidence of effective resourcing for the project (e.g. allocation of time/staff/school resources, etc.). Includes an itemised budget that clearly demonstrates how the funds will be used to meet the need and provides value for money. We also ask schools to make a commitment to the following as part of the selection process: 1. School Leadership is committed to sharing the results of their Fair Education project, including: success stories, key learnings and innovative practices; and possible participation in a Community of Practice. 2. School Leadership is committed to working in partnership with Schools Plus and the external evaluation team to contribute to ongoing program evaluation and sharing of the learnings. 6. Available Funding Individual schools are invited to apply for funding up to $70,000 over a three-year period; school clusters may apply for funding up to $250,000 over a three-year period. Applications from provincial, remote and very remote NSW schools are strongly encouraged. Project funding will be distributed in annual instalments by electronic transfer following receipt and approval of the annual Project Report and Project Plan for the following year. Funding instalments will be broken down into the following annual payments: Year One Year Two Year Three Individual Schools Up to $30,000 Up to $20,000 Up to $20,000 School Clusters Up to $100,000 Up to $75,000 Up to $75,000 Please use the amounts above as a guide when developing your project plan and budget. The Fair Education Program is supported by the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation. Page 4 of 8

5 7. Funding Exclusions There are a range of activities and projects the Fair Education Program is unable to support including: Buildings, libraries, office equipment, core curriculum we cannot fund projects that are core to government expenditure on schools, are fixed building structures or fixtures covered by Building Fund legislation or Library Funds, or are core curriculum activities. Academic research Retrospective funding - Schools Plus will not cover expenditure incurred before the funding has been distributed. Please note: Only one project per school or school cluster will be considered under this round. Any funding for equipment, resources or technology must strongly relate to project activities. 8. Timeframes Applications Applications for the Fair Education Program can be lodged online from 9:00 AM Monday, 06 March 2017 AEDT until 4:00 PM on Friday, 7 April 2017 AEST. Late applications will not be accepted. School clusters must submit one joint project application. However, the project must be under the auspices of a lead school which will take responsibility for managing the project. The lead school will be required to submit one project application on behalf of the cluster and include the school name and project contact details for each participating school in the cluster. Application Shortlisting and Support Following the close of the application period, initial shortlisting of applications will be undertaken by our panel. The strongest 26 applicants will be notified starting the week of April 24 th, 2017, and further consultation will occur by telephone with the Fair Education Program team. The Fair Education Program team will work with these 26 applicants to further develop their original application prior to final submission to an independent Assessment Panel. Shortlisted applicants will be required to submit their revised project applications online no later than 5:00 PM on Friday, 26 May 2017 AEST Application Assessment Final assessment of the shortlisted applications will be undertaken by an independent Assessment Panel comprising representatives from key education stakeholder groups and organisations. The Assessment Panel will consider responses to the Selection Criteria described above. Up to 15 projects will be selected for the 2017 cohort (approximately individual schools and 2-4 school clusters). Individual schools and Lead schools, on behalf of school clusters, will be notified via of the outcome of their applications during the week of June 26, Project Co-Design Following successful notification, the Fair Education Program team will work closely with successful applicants in Term 3, 2017, to: develop a three-year project plan and first year milestone plan as well as map out the coaching and mentoring support and logistics for Term 4 and beyond. The three-year project plan and milestone document will form part of the written Agreement with schools. The co-design workshop will require selected schools and school clusters to dedicate one full working day (5.5 hours) to meet face-to-face with the The Fair Education Program is supported by the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation. Page 5 of 8

6 Fair Education Program team. Schools will be contacted by the Fair Education Program team during the first week of Term 3, 2017 to finalise a schedule for the co-design activities. Project Commencement Agreements will be sent to selected schools early in Term 4, 2017 following receipt of the required planning documentation described above. Schools will be required to return the signed funding agreements along with the three-year project plan and milestone document developed during the co-design activities. Upon receipt of the signed Agreement and planning documents, Fair Education will distribute the annual funding amount to schools. Signed Agreements must be submitted no later than 5:00 PM, Friday, 27 October 2017 AEST. 9. Reporting Successful applicants will be required to provide a Progress Report and annual Project Report and Acquittal Statement each year for the life of the project. For your convenience, a diagram depicting the full program life cycle for projects commencing in 2017, including reporting timeframes and requirements, can be found in Appendix I. Please review this detailed diagram to better understand what will be required of your school over the life of your three-year project. Information you provide in these reports will be shared with key project stakeholders for the purposes of review and approval of annual payments as well as ongoing program evaluation. Templates will be made available by Fair Education to successful applicants prior to each due date. Reports will briefly cover key project areas including: progress and achievements to date, early results and how they were measured, key issues/risks/concerns, spending of funds to date, lessons learned and any good news stories you wish to share. 10. Requirements for the Fair Education Program Please note: 1. The application form includes the Terms and Conditions that apply to projects submitted under the Fair Education Program please read these and tick the box to indicate your acceptance. 2. Successful applicants will be required to sign an Agreement with Schools Plus, which will set out conditions including reporting requirements and evaluation activities so that achievements and lessons learned can be captured and shared with key project stakeholders. 3. The signed Agreement must be submitted with the three-year Project Plan and milestone document. A Project Plan template will be provided by Fair Education during the co-design period. The Project Plan and milestone document form part of your Agreement. 4. Once the signed Agreement and Project Plan is received, funds will be distributed to the school by electronic funds transfer. The Fair Education Program is supported by the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation. Page 6 of 8

7 11. Application Submission Schools Plus uses SmartyGrants, an online grant management system provided by the Australian Institute of Grant Management, to receive applications from schools. Register with SmartyGrants via the link provided below. This enables you to create, save and modify an application form over a period of time before submitting it by the due date. Print a blank application form before you start so that you can see what information you are required to submit. Please note that all applications must be supported by a copy of the School Plan, or relevant extract, and proof of banking details. Contact the Schools Plus Education Team, on , or via to faireducation@schoolsplus.org.au if you wish to discuss your project before applying. LINK: https ://s c hools plus.s ma rtyg ra nts.c om.a u/f a ire d2017 Remember to submit your application by the closing date 4:00PM Friday, 7 April 2017 AEST. The Fair Education Program is supported by the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation. Page 7 of 8

8 Appendix I: Full 3-Year Program Life Cycle