2013 in Review- IPads for all 6th, 7th graders, more highly paid administrators on Joplin Race to the Top request

(From October 26, 2013)

IPads for all sixth and seventh graders; an extra hour's work every day for classroom teachers, and more $50,000+ administrators are on the nearly $10 million wish list Joplin R-8 Administration compiled for its Race to the Top application.

The administrators indicate that they will seek a tax levy increase to continue to pay the teachers for the extra non-contract work time, which would be used for mentoring and meetings, after the Race to the Top grant period expires.

The money that would be needed to continue paying the 21st Century learning coaches and career path coordinators administrators are seeking would be absorbed into the district's budget when the federal money is spent, according to the application.




That would appear to be an accurate statement since the coaches and coordinators have already been added this year, despite the rejection of last year's Race to the Top request.

The portion of the Race to the Top request regarding the budget is printed in its entirety below, with no editing.

F. Budget and Sustainability

(F)(1&2) Budget for the project  (Including Identification of One-time and Reoccurring Expenditures and Sustainability)

Joplin Schools Race to the Top – District Application for Funding (CFDA 84.416)

Budget Justification

Project 1: Infrastructure Development (Including Project Management)

BUDGET NARRATIVE: 4 Years

PERSONNEL

1: Project Manager	Total Grant Request
Project Manager salary (1 FTE/yr for 4 yrs)	271,937
Project Manager benefits	40,760
Total	312,697

Use of funds and necessity to project:

The Project Manager will direct, coordinate and manage the project being proposed in this grant application. This “Manager” will have at a minimum a Master’s in education and commensurate experience. Administrative or curriculum/instruction background will be desired. The Project Manager will be responsible for the direct supervision and support, in collaboration with building principals and the Assistant Superintendent, of the project staff as well as the implementation, continuous improvement monitoring, staff development, fiscal management, oversight, timelines and daily operation as well as the planning and coordination of trainings and collection of formative and summative program evaluation data. Program manager will assure ongoing collaborative relationships with businesses, community agencies, the city, chamber and local entities as it relates to the development of the career pathways.

Proposed cost includes fringe benefits (sufficiency and reasonableness):

Base pay: The base salary for the Project Manager will be based on qualifications (experience and education) and will be comparable with the director/coordinator position salaries. The position will be in place for the full term of the grant. It is expected that this amount will be approximately $65,000/year (with an anticipated annual increase of 3%/year). This salary will be for a 220 day contract.

Benefits/fringe: Fringe Benefits include the district’s contribution to health insurance, life insurance, FICA, and district contribution to retirement. This is approximately 15% of the salary of a certified person.

Sustainability:

The funds are being requested for the 4 years of the project, but are not considered perpetually reoccurring. It is assumed that this role is one of start-up and implementation and that the roles and responsibilities can be integrated into the administrative structure. It will be the responsibility of the central office leadership team to ensure this integration. Once the reforms outlined in the proposal are the “way of doing business” then additional managerial resources will not be needed.

Project 2: Highly Qualified Staff Development – Provided by 21^st Century Learning Coaches and Career Pathways Coordinators

2. A. 21st Century Learning Coaches	Total Grant Request
21st Century Learning Coaches Salaries (7 FTE total - 4 High School and 3 Middle School)	1,903,538
21st Century Learning Coaches Benefits	285,321
Total	2,188,858

Use of funds and necessity to project:

The 7 personnel will provide job embedded staff development to all secondary teachers and other educators in order to support the development of their ability to provide personalized learning experiences designed to ensure that all leave high school career and college ready. This will include the development of the career pathways and the implementation of impactful use of data to monitor student progress and the use of technology as an effective and efficient teaching tool. It will be their role to build the capacity of educators, parents and the community to implement this new paradigm.

Proposed cost includes fringe benefits (sufficiency and reasonableness):

Base pay:

They will be paid per the salary schedule, which considers experience and education. The contracts will be 200 days. Each position will have a fringe cost of about 15%. There will be an anticipated annual increase of 3%/year.

Benefits/fringe: Fringe Benefits include the district’s contribution to health insurance, life insurance, FICA, and district contribution to retirement. This is approximately 15% of the salary of a certified person.

Sustainability:

The funds are being requested for the 4 years of the project. It is assumed that the coaches will build proficiency and capacity in teachers and administrators and will integrate the curriculum and technology into the system, thereby reducing the need for their support. After the grant period the Instructional Coaches will ensure ongoing support as the project transforms the educational environment. It will be the responsibility of the central office leadership team to ensure this integration. Once the reforms outlined in the proposal are the “way of doing business” then additional resources will not be needed.

2. B. 21st Career Pathways Coordinators	Total Grant Request
21st Career Pathways Coordinators Salaries (5 FTE ) for 4 years	1,359,685
21st Century Career Pathways Coordinators Benefits	209,800
Total	1,569,485

Use of funds and necessity to project:

The 5 personnel will develop the career pathways, including curriculum, course of study and competency scope and sequence. This will include the development of internships, work experience and other applied and “real world experiences” at the high school and middle school level. They will work as a member of the team with educators to insure seamless integration of the career pathways and core academic curricula. It will be their role to build the capacity of educators, parents and the community to implement this new paradigm.

Proposed cost includes fringe benefits (sufficiency and reasonableness):

Base pay:

They will be paid per the salary schedule, which considers experience and education. The contracts will be 200 days. Each position will have a fringe cost of about 15%. There will be an anticipated annual increase of 3%/year.

Benefits/fringe: Fringe Benefits include the district’s contribution to health insurance, life insurance, FICA, and district contribution to retirement. This is approximately 15% of the salary of a certified person.

Sustainability:

The funds for 5 FTE are being requested for the first 2 years of the project. It is assumed that the curriculum and model development will be completed at the end of that time period. It is anticipated that the coaching function will be assumed by business and/or other community partnerships at the end of the 2 years and then completely by the completion of the grant period.

2.C. Academic Advisement Time	Total Grant Request
Out-of Contract time stipends for all secondary teachers: 1 hr./day ($26/day) for 170 days for 200 teacher x 4 yrs.	884,000/yr
Total	3,536,000

Use of funds and necessity to project:

All teachers who participate (it will be expected that all teachers will) will be assigned student advisees. They will work with these students as much as possible, but at least 3 hr/week. The other two hrs/week will be teacher collaborative time. Teachers will log time and be paid from these logs. Teachers will be expected to monitor the progress of students and to collaboratively plan with other teachers, parents and students for “next steps” (need for reteaching, specialized instruction and/or supports, enrichment). They will be responsible for monitoring data and as necessary leading problem-solving teams. Collaborative time will be used to monitor the implementation of the model and to ensure continuous progress toward full implementation.

Sufficiency and reasonableness:

The hourly cost is based on current out-of-contract rate. The teachers who work with the students every day are the most logical to act as academic advisors (rapport has already been established and they understand the parameters of the learning environment. Because teachers are implementing so much simultaneously they need the extended time to be able to take on this extra duty.

Sustainability:

We anticipate that this will be an ongoing expense, though it might be possible to reduce it somewhat. It is anticipated that the district would have to seek a levy at the end of the grant period.

2.D. Contracted Services for 21st Century coaches, staff and other educators on developing and implementing facets of the proposed model (in district training provided by an outside trainer e.g. Persons from the ICLE)	Total Grant Request
20 days/$3,000/day x 4 yrs (provided by out-of-district consultant)	240,000
Total	240,000

Use of funds and necessity to project:

We will need to bring expertise into the district as we implement the model. Providing training in district maximized both the efficiency and effectiveness. We will use a train-the-trainer model, thus will be able to expand the impact.

Proposed cost includes fringe benefits (sufficiency and reasonableness):

Base pay: All federal, state and district regulations and policies will be followed as training is procured. Training costs will be as minimal as possible.

Benefits/fringe: Fringe Benefits include the district’s contribution to health insurance, life insurance, FICA, and district contribution to retirement. This is approximately 15% of the salary of a certified person.

Sustainability:

The need for professional development, while ongoing is determined annually, based on district needs and resources. While we know there will always be a need for outside training, the most expert our own people become, the more these costs are minimalized.

Project 3: Development of a 21^st Century Data Management System

3.A. Data Manager
Salary 1 FTE/yr for 4 years	271,937
Benefits	40,760
Total	312,697

Use of funds and necessity to project:

The Data Manager will performs specialized technical, administrative, and supervisory

work in the development of a data management system that significantly expands the capacity of the district to use data to make educational decisions and to manage complex instructional tasks (e.g. scheduling, resource allocation). It also includes the support, operation and coordination of the computerized student information management systems for the school district. Work involves providing coordination between current data needs and those of the future.

Proposed cost includes fringe benefits (sufficiency and reasonableness):

Base pay: The base salary for the Data Manager will be based on qualifications (experience and education) and will be comparable with the director/coordinator position salaries. The position will be in place for the full term of the grant. It is expected that this amount will be approximately $65,000/year (with an anticipated annual increase of 3%/year). This salary will be for a 220 day contract.

Benefits/fringe: Fringe Benefits include the district’s contribution to health insurance, life insurance, FICA, and district contribution to retirement. This is approximately 15% of the salary of a certified person.

Sustainability:

The funds are being requested for the 4 years of the project, but are not considered perpetually reoccurring. It is assumed that this role is one of start-up and implementation and that the roles and responsibilities can be integrated into the administrative structure. It will be the responsibility of the central office leadership team to ensure this integration. Once the reforms outlined in the proposal are the “way of doing business” then additional managerial resources will not be needed.

3.B. Development of Current Data Management System and/or Purchase of a New System
Purchased service for the development of data management system that will meet district needs or purchase of a new system. We are allocating $100,000/year for 4 years,	425,000
Total	425,000

Use of funds and necessity to project:

Our current student information management system will not meet our 21^st Century needs. Because we have already invested in the system we hope to be able to work with the company to retrofit the current system. We know, however, that we do not want systems that are not interoperable and will therefore seek out the system that will meet our needs as soon as possible, while still meeting our cost objectives.

Proposed cost includes fringe benefits (sufficiency and reasonableness):

We are budgeting$100,000 per year for the 4 years.

Sustainability:

Start-up and implementation are the primary cost factors. After that costs will be minimal.

Project 4: Technology to Enhance the Learning of 21^st Century Skills

4.A Purchase of IPads for 1to1 Initiative at the Middle School
1to1 devises for all students at the Middle School 2,000 IPads @ $500/devise	1,000,000
Total	1,000,000

Use of funds and necessity to project:

This will be a one-time purchase (in year 1) that will allow use to extend the 1-to-1 Initiative down to all middle school students.

Proposed cost includes fringe benefits (sufficiency and reasonableness):

2,000 IPads @ $450/devise

Sustainability:

This will be a one-time purchase. Cost of maintenance and other ongoing expenses will be absorbed by the tech department as they transition from the “computer lab” format.

4.B Additional Tech Support
Salary: Additional Tech Support 3 techs at $30,000/yr	360,000
Benefits	54,000
Total Mileage	414,000

Use of funds and necessity to project:

As the amount and complexity of technology has increased, the need for tech support is also increasing. In order to meet the added demands of this project additional tech support is required.

Proposed cost includes fringe benefits (sufficiency and reasonableness):

They will be paid per the salary schedule, which considers experience and education. The contracts will be 200 days. Each position will have a fringe cost of about 15%. There will be an anticipated annual increase of 3%/year.

Benefits/fringe: Fringe Benefits include the district’s contribution to health insurance, life insurance, FICA, and district contribution to retirement. This is approximately 15% of the salary of a certified person.

Sustainability:

We anticipate that this will be an ongoing expense, though it might be possible to reduce it somewhat. Students will be trained (We already have a group of students who provide tech support – the Eagle Squad. Expansion of this program addresses both this need and will fit into our Career Pathways program). It is anticipated that the district would have to seek a levy at the end of the grant period.

TOTAL GRANT REQUEST

9,998.737

 (More information from the Race to the Top request, including the lengths the Joplin R-8 School District is going to in its efforts to implement Common Core Standards (which is a necessity for any school district hoping to get RTTP funding) and a recounting of how the district found a "silver lining" in a funnel cloud, and how administrators helped keep Joplin together following the May 22, 2011, tornado, will be featured in an upcoming post.)