Wisconsin Technology Initiative School Innovation Grant Request for Proposals With funding from the TOSA Foundation, the Wisconsin Technology Initiative (WTI) seeks to enhance student academic achievement, 21 st -century skills, attendance, and engagement through the effective use of interactive classroom technologies in K 12 schools and preservice teaching institutions. The WTI Innovation Grant provides funding for classroom interactive technologies, and is designed to achieve the following specific goals: 1. Leverage students innate curiosity and passion for technology to increase their achievement and their engagement with a rigorous, accountabilitydriven, standards-based curriculum; 2. Provide professional development to teaching staff on the effective use of interactive classroom technologies to increase student achievement and engagement; and 3. Evaluate the degree to which the interactive technologies appraise the impact of the proposed project on student achievement and engagement, alignment of the curriculum with common core standards, and studentteacher collaboration 1
SCOPE OF GRANT Like the other WTI Grants, the WTI Innovation Grant is a 10% match grant available to any K-12 School District or educational institution. The total available dollar amount of the grant is $25,000 and there will be 10 grants awarded in each round. ELIGIBILITY All Wisconsin school districts and educational institutions are eligible for the grant. To apply, applicants must: 1. Have in place a documented plan for teacher professional development in the use of interactive classroom technologies; 2. Have in place a current Department of Public Instruction approved library media and technology plan that covers acquisition and maintenance of and required professional development for instructional technology; 3. Require and fund professional development on the effective use of interactive classroom technologies, meeting these specific criteria: a. Provide professional development to collaborative teams. These teams may consist of, but are not limited to administrators, classroom, English learner and special education teachers, library media specialists, and technicians; b. Require grant recipient teachers to complete a minimum of 30 hours of professional development within two years of award; c. Require teachers to participate in a statewide WTI professional learning community; and d. Requireteachers to develop and share instructional strategies and interactive lessons with embedded opportunities for student assessment utilizing learning response systems. 4. Host visitors and provide mentors to preservice teachers who will observe and participate in pedagogical strategies that integrate interactive classroom technologies into the curriculum; and 5. Pay the costs of installing, supporting (sustaining), and maintaining the interactive classroom technologies. 2
APPLICATION CONTENT A complete proposal consists of a proposal cover sheet (attached), a proposal narrative, and required attachments. Proposal Narrative The proposal narrative is limited to 2,500 words or six single-spaced pages, organized as follows: Vision Describe your school district s vision for using interactive classroom technologies as a vehicle for enhancing student achievement and engagement. Current Practice 1. Describe your current use of interactive classroom technologies (e.g., SMART Boards, Promethean Boards, Moodle, audio/video systems, document cameras). Address the five Eligibility requirements set forth above providing documentation as needed and appropriate. 2. Describethe technology support services you currently provide, including professional development for teachers and other instructional staff. 3. Describe any current collaboration with area teaching colleges and universities to provide learning opportunities to preservice and in-service teachers. 4. Describe the greatest challenge your district/institution has faced in implementing interactive classroom technologies and the steps taken to address that challenge. 5. Describe current Community involvement projects and initiatives in place between your district/school and your community at large. Examples of such could be engagements with PTO, PTA, Education Foundation, or Private Foundation organizations. 6. For those that have previously received grants from WTI only. Please provide a recap of the successes and lessons learned through the implementation of your previous award. Include video testimonials from both teachers and students along with best practices identified and realized. 3
Design of the Proposed Grant Describe your district s plan for using WTI funding to effectively integrate interactive technologies in the classroom. Specifically: 1. Describe how your students will specifically use the technologies granted and how the results of this will be assessed and measured. 2. Describe how your district/institution will provide ongoing professional development to teachers and other instructional staff in the effective use of the technologies. Will incentives be offered? How will the professional development be linked to the common core standards? 3. Describe your district s/institution s plans for collaboration with area teaching colleges and universities to provide learning opportunities to preservice and in-service teachers. 4. Describe your district s plan for evaluating the impact of the proposed project on student achievement and engagement, alignment of the curriculum with common core standards, and student-teacher collaboration. 1. Implementation spreadsheet: Required Attachments School Teacher/room Grade/subject Eqt. requested Cost 2. Timeline showing stages of development, culminating at the grant completion process. 3. Scanned Copy of DPI-approved technology plan approval letter 4. Scanned copy of signature form (attached). 4
SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS Email copies of the complete proposal by Friday April 20th to: Mike Kerr mikerr@cisco.com Mail a hard copy of the completed signature page only to: Cisco Systems, Inc. Attn: Mike Kerr 2310 Crossroads Drive, STE 4000 Madison, WI 53718 KEY CONTACTS SPECIFICS REGARDING THE GRANT: Mike Kerr, WTI Executive Director: mikerr@cisco.com FOR RESELLER CONTACTS OR MANUFACTURER QUESTIONS Promethean -Jim Hewitt jim.hewitt@prometheanworld.com SMART Technologies Ken Kirkley kenkirkley@smarttech.com 5
PROPOSAL COVER SHEET Contact information District/Institution name: Primary contact(s): Mailing address: Phone: Email: Grant Specifics: Amount of grant: Amount and source of district matching funds: 6