Improving Teacher Quality Grant Administration Meeting April 9, 2008 Massachusetts Department of Higher Education University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute

Improving Teacher QualityGrant Administration Meeting

April 9, 2008

Massachusetts Department of Higher Education

University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute

Massachusetts Department of Higher Education April 9, 2008 2

The Improving Teacher Quality Grant Program

Funded by Title II: Part A of theNo Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

The goal of this program is to improve student academic achievement through initiatives grounded in scientific research that provide high-quality training for

teachers.


ITQ Partnerships

Eligibility is limited to partnerships that, at a minimum, comprise:

(1) a private or public institution of higher education and the division of the institution that prepares teachers and principals;

(2) arts and sciences faculty; and

(3) a high-need local educational agency (LEA)


MA Improving Teacher Quality 2007 Awards

11

Proposals

Funded

5 Science4 Math

1 Science/Math1 Multi-Subject

4 in Boston PS2 each in Holyoke/Springfield

& Worcester PS1 each in Fitchburg, Lowell &

Southbridge PS

2008 funding: $970,000 for new and $300,000 for continuing grants


Science Grantees

American International College (SPS) Physics First! for Teachers

Boston University (BPS, CPS) Improving the Quality of Teaching Physics

Boston College (BPS, RPS) Providing In-Depth Teacher Prep in Science thru content training, PD, & access to inquiry based curriculum resources

Fitchburg State College (FPS, LPS) Science Content Institutes & Integrating Science Inquiry for Grades 5-12 Teachers

Wheelock College (BPS) Outdoor science: environmental Science Professional Development for Elementary Teachers


Math Grantees

Framingham State College (SPS) Elementary Math and Its Connection to Technology and Engineering Design

Lesley University (HPS) Lesley-Holyoke Math Partnership

Tufts University (BPS) Problem Solving with Discrete Math

UML (Lowell-Bartlett School) Enhancing Math Collaboration: School-University Initiative for PD


Mixed Subject Grantees

College of the Holy Cross (WPS) Summer Math and Science Teacher Professional Development Workshops

Clark University (WPS) Curriculum and Knowing Program


Today’s Discussion

Program management by DHE/Donahue Institute Project monitoring (site visits and email/phone)

Fiscal monitoring (expenditure reports 2X per year)

End-of-year Program Report-in spring’09

Project management by grantees Execution of grant projects Compliance with DHE monitoring requirements End-of-year report by 12/31


Monitoring Visits for Summer/Fall 08

(In preparation for Federal Audit in 2009.)

AICFitchburg State College

Lesley UniversityUML

Wheelock

Dates to be discussed later today.


Forms and Reporting

DHE Website for Teacher Quality Resources:

http://www.mass.edu/forinstitutions/prek16/tqforms.asp

ITQ Program Forms - Eileen

Evaluation Materials - Jean

On-line Reporting - Dave


Program

Management


ITQ Program Forms

*Program Administration Instructions

Contact Information Form (update as needed)

Expenditure Report Form(need to complete both mid-year and end-of-year)

Budget Amendment Request Form (if necessary (> 20%) and with 30 days notice)

Grant Extension Request Form (if necessary and before 12/1/08)


Program Administration Instructions

The Project Director needs to manage all administration and reporting requirements for this grant and assume the final

responsibility for meeting the terms and conditions set forth by the MDHE with respect to project and expenditure reporting.

The director must oversee the ITQ partnership’s fiscal agent, use the ITQ forms, and comply with DHE expenditure and end-of-

year reporting deadlines.

Payment Schedule:

50% in Jan.

40% “in middle” (after most of 1st payment is spent and 1st expenditure report is received)

10% at end (after receipt of 2nd/final expenditure report)


*NEW* Equitable Participation Requirement

http://www.ed.gov/nclb/choice/schools/privbenefits/index.html

An "equitable participation" requirement from Title IX of NCLB applies to the Improving Teacher Quality grants program.

Each grant project shall identify the nonprofit private schools that are located within the boundaries of the high-need LEA partner and “shall consult” with officials of these schools concerning design of and participation in the grant. You can ask LEA to help with this.

DHE will ask for evidence in the year-end report that an attempt was made to fulfill this requirement.


Evaluation,

Data Collection

and

Reporting


Donahue Institute Background

Is the public service and outreach arm of the UMass President’s Office.

Provides a broad range of services to federal, state, local public and non-profit organizations. Services include applied social science research and program evaluation.

Has experience evaluating statewide education initiatives for the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education and Department of Higher Education.

Has experience developing and implementing evaluation plans for professional development and other teacher-oriented activities at the local, regional, and state levels.


What We Do

The Donahue Institute has been contracted by the Department of Higher Education to provide technical assistance and support services to ITQ grantees as well as to generate a state-level evaluation report of the ITQ program.

To these purposes we have developed data collection and evaluation frameworks, features and forms.


Frameworks

Standard Logic Model of Professional Development:

PD and Related Support Activities

Growth in Participant

Skills / Knowledge

Improved Instruction

Improved Student

Outcomes


ITQ Evaluation has multiple components:

Features

Object of Evaluation

ParticipantsActivities

Project as a whole

Form of Evaluation

Data CollectionTesting / QuantitativeFeedback / Qualitative

Purpose of Evaluation

Formative – Related to improvementSummative – Related to outcomes


Forms

*Evaluation Plan Worksheet*

Anonymous Identifier Note

Knowledge Gains Reporting Form

Participant Data Collection Form

Professional Development Activity Information Form

Participant Feedback Form

Year-end Report: Format and Requirements


Online

Reporting

Click here to begin report


Online Reporting – Access


Online Reporting – Logging In

You need to set up a project reporting account before you can log in for the first time.

Username/ Password help is available. Information is sent only to the contact email address for the account.


Online Reporting – Main Menu

Report has multiple sections.

You can save your work without submitting it.

After you submit your report, you will no longer be able to edit it.

You can edit your Account Information if necessary.


Online Reporting – Activities

Submit Activities as they are completed.

Once you submit an Activity, you will no longer be able to edit it.


Next

1. Schedule Monitoring Visits

AIC, Fitchburg, Lesley, UML, Wheelock

2. Complete US DOE summary forms-electronic

3. Time to talk and share ideasby regionby content areaby project type

4. Questions from you?


Contact Information

MA Department of Higher Education:Eileen Lee (ITQ Program Director) (617) 994-6915

[email protected] Cogswell (Financial Info.) (617) 994-6907

[email protected] Stewart (Web Interface) (617) 994-6943

[email protected]

UMass Donahue Institute:Jean Supel (Research Manager for DHE Progams)

(508) 856-1210 [email protected]


Thank

You!

Documents

Improving Teacher Quality Grant Administration Meeting April 9, 2008 Massachusetts Department of Higher Education University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute