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 21st 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 21st 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 21st 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 21st 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.)
And the hiring continues. There are even more job positions being created even as the bank account is being emptied. They just don't care what they do to the public so long as they look good.
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