Request for Proposal Closing the Achievement Gap for African American Students Grant 2013-2015 Grant Application Due Date: November 22, 2013 Oregon Department of Education Office of Education Equity 255 Capitol Street NE Salem, OR 97310-0203
Closing the Achievement Grant- 2013-2015 Table of Contents I. Background and Legislative Intent... 1-3 II. General Information... 4-6 A. Purpose... 4 B. Type of Grant. 4 C. Grant Requirements... 4-5 D. Eligibility... 5-6 E. Use of Funds... 6 F. Reporting and Deliverables... 6 III. Application Process 6-8 A. Application Review and Scoring... 7 B. Timeline and Important Dates... 7 C. Instructions for Submission... 7 IV. Application Narrative... 9-10 A. Design Team... 9 B. School District Commitment and Support... 10 Appendix A: Application Cover Page.... 11 Appendix B: School District Assurances... 12 Appendix C: School District Profile... 13-14 Appendix D: Application Scoring Rubric... Appendix E: Application Budget Sheet... 15 16
Closing the Achievement Grant- 2013-2015 It is the policy of the State Board of Education and a priority of the Oregon Department of Education that there will be no discrimination or harassment on the grounds of race, color, sex, marital status, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, age or disability in any educational programs, activities, or employment. Persons having questions about equal opportunity and nondiscrimination should contact the Oregon Department of Education, 255 Capitol Street NE, Salem, OR 97310; Telephone (503) 947-5600; Fax (503) 378-5156.
I. Background Information In 2013, under the leadership of Governor John Kitzhaber, the Oregon Education Investment Board proposed key strategic investments to support Oregon s attainment of 40/40/20. Key to this work is a revitalization of the education profession and the establishment of a Network of Quality Teaching and Learning. Conceptualized and passed by legislature in HB 3233, the Network provides funding for a comprehensive system of support for educators that creates a culture of leadership, professionalism, continuous improvement and excellence for teachers and leaders across the P-20 system. Paramount to the Network is the expansion of and support for non-profit organizations who are supporting African American students. This grant is designed to create opportunities to increase academic outcomes for African American learners as well as to support strong links between home, school, and community. The background research related to the grant is provided in the following paragraphs. As of the 2011-2012 Oregon School Report Card data, the population of African American students in the state is 14,182. The total student population is around 561,000. While the number may appear small in relation to the total student population, there is a viable African American student community that is in need of continued and sustainable holistic supports. The statistics reveal a troubling picture regarding the academic achievement of African American students in Oregon. Based on data from 2011-2012 calculated over the course of two years, African American students are struggling in performance and graduation rates as measured by the Annual Measurable Objectives or AMO. The AMO Targets for students statewide were 70% for Performance and 95% for Participation. The Table 1 highlights the academic performance of African American students in English/Language Arts and Math grades K-12 for the 2011-2012 school year as compared to Hispanic and White students. Table 1 English/Language Arts Math AMO Performance Target African American 61.34% 42.32% 70% Hispanic 61.83% 48.51% 70% White 82.72% 68.78% 70% This data speaks to the academic gaps African American students are experiencing in statewide testing. The fact that the participation rate for African American students was 99% for ELA and 98% for Math indicates that students are taking the test but are challenged by other variables which impact final outcomes. The other troubling issue is related to graduation rates for African American students in Oregon. Table 2 below highlights the data from the 2011-2012 school year. The AMO graduation target was calculated at 67% for the four year cohort and 70% for the five year. It is evident that the graduation rates for students across the board in Oregon reveal significant gaps, but for African American students there is a marked variance in graduation rate. Table 2 4 Year Cohort 5 Year Cohort African American 51.7% 57% Hispanic 56.5% 61.9% White 70.1% 69.3% Oregon Department of Education Page 1
With such data driving the need to purposefully design support systems that will increase achievement for African American students, the Office of Education Equity is committed to moving forward. The OEIB adopted Equity Lens is the perspective through which the Office of Education Equity considers the creation of strategic opportunities for students of color. The Equity Lens provides twelve beliefs that fuel opportunities to bolster success for diverse student populations across the state. The five beliefs most pertinent to the work of this grant are highlighted below: We believe that everyone has the ability to learn and that we have an ethical responsibility and moral responsibility to ensure and education system that provides optimal learning environments that lead students to be prepared for their individual futures. We believe that the students who have previously been described as at risk, underperforming, under-represented, or minority actually represent Oregon s best opportunity to improve overall educational outcomes. We have many counties in rural and urban communities that already have populations of color that make up the majority. Our ability to meet the needs of this increasingly diverse population is a critical strategy for us to successfully reach our 40/40/20 goals. We believe that resource allocation demonstrates our priorities and our values and that we demonstrate our priorities and our commitment to rural communities, communities of color, English language learners, and out of school youth in the ways we allocate resources and make educational investments. We believe that communities, parents, teachers, and community-based organizations have unique and important solutions to improving outcomes for our students and educational systems. Our work will only be successful if we are able to truly partner with the community, engage with respect, authentically listen and have the courage to share decision making, control, and resources. We believe the rich history and culture of learners is a source of pride and an asset to embrace and celebrate. This grant opportunity recognizes the strength of non-profit community based organizations in Oregon who are supporting African American children. They exhibit the necessary focus, commitment, and passion for African American students but also have data that shows significant, sustainable outcomes. Research suggests that when stressful, non-supportive, negative influences filter into the lives of African American students, an increase risk for troubled outcomes exists (Hanlon et al., 2009). Community based organizations can respond to an urgent need for quality preventive interventions which reduce risk factors and enhance protective factors (Hanlon et al., 2009). Programs specifically designed to provide academic, social, and emotional support to African American students can expose them to new and unique experiences through interactions with knowledgeable, caring, and concerned adults (McLaughlin et al., 1994; Freedman, 1993). The pressing issue of the opportunity gap for students of color, and in this case African American students, is one that community-based organizations are poised to address. The focus on building student success through wrap-around services, such as family, parenting, tutoring, and/or mentoring programs, create a solid foundation for students who are struggling to make connections in their schools and neighborhoods. Slavin and Madden (2001) suggest that Oregon Department of Education Page 2
culturally consistent instruction and high quality instruction are two key ways to close academic gaps for African American students. This grant opportunity seeks organizations who understand the unique needs of African American students and who can create collaborative practices around: Strengthening ties between home, school, and community Creating space for active parent participation Innovative programming that focuses on closing opportunity gaps for African American students Training and/or professional development for parents, educators, and interested community entities on closing gaps for African American children Literacy initiatives for closing gaps for African American students Designing and utilizing curriculum that is culturally responsive in an effort to specifically address the academic needs of African American students Potential for becoming an exemplar program focused on this work The greatest benefits of supporting community organizations working specifically with African American students include: motivating community and families around issues connected to their children, increasing the potential for more organizations to focus attention on African American student achievement, making strong, lasting connections between home, school, and community, increasing academic achievement and educational aspirations for African American students, and helping to close opportunity gaps for African American students. The goal is to have an increase in African American student academic achievement and graduation rates by at least 20-30 percentage points, respectively, in the 2014-2015 school year and beyond. Contacts: Markisha Smith, Education Specialist, Closing Achievement Gaps Office of Learning-Equity Unit (503) 947-5669 markisha.smith@state.or.us or Rudyane Rivera-Lindstrom, ELL Education Specialist Office of Learning-Equity Unit (503)0947-5617 rudyane.lindstrom@state.or.us Oregon Department of Education Page 3
II. General Information A. PURPOSE The Closing the Achievement Gap for African American Students Grant of 2013-15 is intended to support Oregon non-profit organizations (grantees) to design, implement, improve, expand or otherwise revise programming and services for African American students in Oregon. The grantees can be supported in all stages of programming including: a) Planning b) Implementation c) Program evaluation B. TYPE OF GRANT Based on the availability of state resources this one-year grant program begins October, 21 2013 and ends July 15, 2015. ODE will review progress reports and performance data to determine future/ continued program funding. Between $50,000-$100,000 will be available in this application period. Grants will be funded based on detailed information submitted by grantees on the budget template provided in this application. Grantees must assert their intent to continue these programs and/or services for at least two years beyond the grant funding through a sustainability plan. Additionally, grantees must secure assurances that the programming and/or services will continue after the grant period has ended. C. GRANT REQUIREMENTS Grantees will: a) Establish a collaborative leadership team and process. The team must include parents and/or community representatives, program directors, program staff, and educators. b) Involve the community in the process. (Parents, local businesses, non-profits, etc.) c) Collaborate to develop a design blueprint, budget and calendar of activities. d) Use grant funds to provide stipends, professional development, activities, programs, needed materials, as well as to cover related travel costs. e) Participate in a community of practice networking with other grantees awarded the Closing the Achievement Gap for African American Students Grant. f) Design (or revise) blueprints that are research-based in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of programs for African American students. g) Use student and school district data to document the impact on student achievement and other identified outcomes. h) Participate in scheduled grant meetings and training events. Travel possible. i) Communicate with other grantees regarding achievements and areas of improvement of program models through the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the grant. This Oregon Department of Education Page 4
information can be shared via website posting and/or presenting at statewide and regional professional development opportunities. j) Host visits for other interested non-profits seeking to learn about programming to support African American students. a) The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) will: Provide grantees access to expert coaching and/or other on-site assistance to support planning and design. Facilitate a network of the grantees participating in the grant program. Share reflections on successes and areas of needed improvement based on program models. D. ELIGIBILITY The Closing the Achievement Gap for African American Students Grant: This is a competitive grant. Non-profit community organizations may apply for the grant based on the eligibility criteria listed below. Applications must demonstrate community support and commitment, and readiness to design, implement, improve, expand or otherwise revise programming for an established nonprofit organization serving African American students. Community Support: Grantees must be willing to build and maintain a collaborative leadership team, engage in developing community consensus, and conduct internal and external outreach to build common understanding throughout the community. Student Demographics: Grantees must demonstrate that they have sufficient numbers of African American learners in order to maintain and sustain their programming for the K- 12 population it is designed to serve. This means that the majority of the population, over 50%, served must be African American students. Staff Capacity: Grantees must demonstrate that they have sufficient staff to cover the programming for the Closing the Achievement Gap Grant in the first two years. They must also demonstrate that they have a detailed plan for ensuring they have sufficient staff to cover programming in subsequent years. Parent Support: Grantees must be willing to communicate with parents as an active part of the collaborative leadership team when considering programming and initiatives tied to the grant. Closing Achievement Gaps: Grantees must demonstrate the ability to use researchbased curriculum designs that meet the academic needs of African American students in a goal to close achievement gaps. Student academic outcomes should show steady increase over the grant period and beyond. Grant selection will also take into consideration the following: Grantees should ensure that all guidelines and requirements are met before submitting applications. Applications not meeting all requirements by the deadline will not be considered for funding. Please note that ODE staff will not grant permission to Oregon Department of Education Page 5
applicants to change the criteria established in the application. This includes extending the date and time that applications are due. Grant awards will take into consideration the geographic location of non-profit organizations to ensure representation throughout the state. Commitment of parents and community members in use of grant funding is required. Grant awards will give preference to organizations that have documented success in improving educational outcomes for African American students. E. USE OF FUNDS a) Funds should be used for costs associated with planning, implementation, and program evaluation, with a focus on organization capacity to sustain efforts. Grantees must be able to spend the funds within the grant timeline according to acceptable accounting procedures. Funds may be used for the following: Stipends/compensation for certified and classified staff aligned to project goals Professional development aligned to project goals Consultation services aligned to project goals Project/program evaluation expenses not to exceed 7% of the total proposed budge Travel reimbursements for individuals attending meetings, conferences, or other professional development activities aligned to the project goals Administrative costs not to exceed 5% of the total proposed budget Curriculum Development Distance Learning Buy or prepare supplemental materials Continuation of program strategies Support for arranging and hosting site visits from other interested organizations b) Funds will be available upon receipt of the grant award and must be expended by July 15, 2015. F. REPORTING AND DELIVERABLES The Oregon Department of Education will provide a template for an interim and final grant report. ODE will also provide a budget worksheet template for grantees to outline details related to fund expenditures. Funds will be released based on the information provided on the budget worksheet. Grantees are required to submit a final report prior to receiving their final request for funds. Oregon Department of Education Page 6
III. Application Process A. APPLICATION REVIEW AND SCORING Applications will be reviewed and scored by a team of ODE staff and external stakeholders. The review will be based on specific criteria listed in this RFP and scored using the scoring rubric provided in Appendix D. Final recommendations by the review committee will be based on the reviewer scores. The review committee may request further clarification on use of funds and specific activities related to the application. B. TIMELINE AND IMPORTANT DATES Completion Dates October 21, 2013 November 22, 2013 November 25-29, 2013 December 2, 2013 June 2, 2014 June 30, 2015 July 15, 2015 August 15, 2015 Activities Release of Request for Proposal (RFP) Applications due to ODE by 5:00 PM PDT Applications reviewed and scored Applicants notified of award Interim Progress Report due End of grant report due Last date to expend funds on grant activities Last date to draw funds C. INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMISSION Format: 12-point font, Times New Roman Double spaced 1-inch margins on the sides, top, and bottom of 8½ by 11 paper 4 page narrative maximum, including A and B (excluding cover page, assurances, bibliography, budget template, and school district profile) No faxed applications Numbered pages Organization: Page 1: Cover Page (Appendix A) Page 2: Assurances (Appendix B) Page 3: School District Profile (Appendix C) Application Narrative A and B (not to exceed 4 pages) Bibliography Budget Narrative (Appendix E) Oregon Department of Education Page 7
An electronic version of the completed application including a scanned copy of the signed Statement of Assurances, in Rich Text (RTF), Word (.doc or.docx), or PDF format must be received by 5:00 pm on November 22, 2013. It is the applicant s responsibility to contact Markisha Smith to verify receipt of documents. Please use the Secure File Transfer Process outlined below to submit the electronic version of the grant application. Secure File Transfer Process An electronic version of the complete application must be submitted to Markisha Smith (markisha.smith@state.or.us) using the Secure File Transfer system available on the ODE district website: https://district.ode.state.or.us/apps/xfers/. Follow the instructions provided at the bottom of the page to complete the submission of the file. Contact the ODE helpdesk at 503-947-5715 if you need assistance with the Secure File Transfer Process. In addition, a hard copy of the original signed Statement of Assurances should be mailed by November 22, 2013 to: Oregon Department of Education Office of Education Equity 255 Capitol Street NE Salem, Oregon 97310-0203 Attention: Markisha Smith Envelopes must be plainly marked: Request for Application-Closing the Achievement Gap African American Students Grant An electronic version of the Grant Application, must be received by 5:00 PM on November 22, 2013 Oregon Department of Education Page 8
IV. Application Narrative 2013-2015 Closing the Achievement Gap for African American Students Grant Application Instructions: Complete Sections A and B below. Expand the boxes as needed. The number of pages for the combined sections may not exceed 4 pages. SECTION A: COLLABORATIVE DESIGN TEAM List the names, title, and roles of the collaborative design team for this grant. The design team must include program directors, program staff, parents, educators, and other community partners. Name Title Role Oregon Department of Education Page 9
SECTION B: Application Questions Instructions: Answer the following questions using specific examples whenever possible. 1. What is your organization s mission and vision statement? Briefly describe the programming you offer that supports your mission and vision. 2. Why are you applying for the Closing the Achievement Gap for African American Students Grant? What other grants/programs have you used as a resource to support this work? 3. Please describe how your program currently addresses services targeted for African American students. 4. How would your organization leverage/support/reallocate resources (e.g., fiscal, personnel, technology, training, coaching, materials, etc.) to assist in the planning and design programming this year, as well as for the future implementation of your program? You will need to complete the budget worksheet to accompany your application as well. 5. What do you anticipate as potential barriers for the collaborative design team in this process? How will the organization address those barriers? Are there any unique characteristics of your organization that need to be considered? 6. Please provide a brief outline of an action plan for your project that includes goals, related outcomes, activities, and indicators of success/needed improvement. Goal: a broad, overall statement from which related outcomes are written. Ex. Ensure that African American students have academic supports that contribute to their academic success. Outcome: An objective that is specific and measurable. It describes what should be known or done. Ex. African American students participating in the tutoring program will demonstrate a 70% increase in their academic subject grades. Activity: Describe ways in which the outcomes will be met. Ex. Tutors will create specific academic plans with students to target subject area gains. Indicator: Describes how and when you will know whether the outcomes have been met. Ex. Students will compare academic plans to academic grades and show a significant increase. 7. Briefly describe your plan for continuing the programming, services, or resources funded through this grant beyond the grant period. How do you anticipate sustainability of the programming, services, or resources for at least two years beyond this grant? Oregon Department of Education Page 10
Please type or print Organization Name: Director/CEO/Founder: E-mail: Mailing Address: Appendix A Closing the Achievement Gap for African American Students Grant 2013-2015 Application Cover Page City: State: Zip: Telephone Number: Project Director: FAX: E-mail: Mailing Address: City: State: Zip: Telephone Number: FAX: Grant Fiscal Agent (Name & Title): E-mail: Mailing Address: City: State: Zip: Telephone Number: FAX: Oregon Department of Education Page 11
Appendix B Organization Assurances Organization Name: The organization assures: 1. Adherence to the expectations stated in the application. 2. Participating project directors and/or project staff will be released to participate in planning and design activities. 3. None of the moneys received through this grant will be used to replace expenditures for required programs that are the responsibility of the sponsoring agency. 4. The organization will participate fully in all agreed program evaluations and continuous improvement processes with the Oregon Department of Education. 5. The organization agrees to abide by all terms of its grant application. The Oregon Department of Education must approve any modifications to the application in writing. 6. The following fiscal and program reports will be submitted to the Oregon Department of Education by their respective due dates: Interim Progress Report due June 2, 2014; Final Report due June 30, 2015. 7. Grant recipients must commit to providing all of the requested reports and deliverables in order to receive the funds. 8. The organization will be required to share strategies, models, evaluation information, and lessons learned with other organization involved in this work. 9. The undersigned have read the application packet, understand the requirements of the organization s participation and commit their support. Director/CEO/Founder Signature Date Project Director Signature Date Grant Fiscal Agent Signature Date Represented Project Staff Signature Date Oregon Department of Education Page 12
Appendix C Organization Profile Complete the following table as applicable. Add rows as needed. Please remember that the data must indicate that 50% or more of the student population served is African American. Organization Name Number of Staff Support at Each of the Following Levels High Schools Middle Schools Elementary Schools Other (specify type--e.g. Parents) Number of Directors at Each of the Following Levels High Schools Middle Schools Elementary Schools Other (specify type--e.g. Parents) High School Level Data Schools Represented Student Count % African American Students % Free & Reduced Lunch % SPED Gender TOTAL Middle School Level Data Schools Represented Student Count % African American Students % Free & Reduced Lunch % SPED Gender TOTAL Oregon Department of Education Page 13
Elementary School Level Data Schools Represented Student Count % African American Students % Free & Reduced Lunch % SPED Gender TOTAL Other Populations (Parent, English Learners, etc.) Specify Population Population Count % Ethnic/ Minority Students English Learners Count Gender TOTAL Oregon Department of Education Page 14
Appendix D Closing the Achievement Gap for African American Students Grant Rubric Applicant: Project Title: Evaluator Initials: Narrative Elements and Criteria 1.Organization Description: Mission and Vision Statement (5 points) The mission and vision statement clearly identify the purpose of the organization. The programming supports the mission and vision statement. The organization mission and vision statements, along with the described programming is focused on supporting students of color. 2.Current Programming (5 points) Description of current programming that addressing the needs of African American students. Programming strengths and areas for improvement are described. 3.Potential Barriers (5 points) Description of potential challenges in the collaboration and implementation of programming/activities/project. Clarity provided regarding the unique characteristics of the organization that need to be considered. 4.Action Plan (10 points) The program/activity/project goal is stated. The anticipated outcomes are linked to the goal, detailed, and measurable. The activities to meet the outcomes are specific, creative, and purposeful. Indicators are linked to goals, outcomes, and activities and allow room for development and/or growth. The sustainability plan is clearly described. 5.Budget (5 points) Budget narrative matches budget items Budget narrative explains what budget items are and their purpose Proposed budget is reasonable Budget items are allowable based on RFP guidelines Additional Elements and Criteria (2 points) Application is complete Contains completed cover page Assurances signed by appropriate parties Organization profile Complete design team Proper format and organization Minimally Meets All Criteria Satisfactorily Meets Some Criteria Clearly Meets All Criteria (0-1 pts) (2-4 pts) (5pts) (0-1 pts) (2-4 pts) (5 pts) (0-1 pts) (2-4 pts) (5 pts) (0-3 pts) (4-7 pts) (8-10 pts) (0-1 pts) (2-4 pts) (5 pts) (0 pts) (1 pt) (2 pts) Points Awarded Oregon Department of Education Page 15
Appendix E Proposed Budget Worksheet Title of Project: Project Start Date: November 25, 2013 Project End Date: July 15, 2015 A. Staff Salaries Benefits In-State Travel Professional Development Other B. Students In-State Travel Supplies Other C. Supplies and Equipment Office Supplies (phone, copier, etc.) Closing the Achievement Gap for African American Students Grant LOCAL* IN-KIND & OTHER SOURCE* TOTAL Instructional Supplies Equipment (less than $300) Other D. Indirect/Overhead Indirect Cost @ 5% maximum E. Other (Include explanation) COLUMN TOTAL *Matching funds from other sources are not required. Oregon Department of Education Page 16