Welcome to the Math Science Partnership RFP Technical Assistance Session

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Welcome to the Math Science Partnership RFP
Technical Assistance Session

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Session Agenda

• An Overview of MSP
• Cultivating Relationships-Understanding Cultures
• Developing a Real Partnership
• Voices From the Field
• Evaluating Your Partnership
• Needs Assessment
• Closing Remarks and Challenge

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History of the MSP Program

• Originally conceived with Eisenhower Funds
• Now Title II Part B of the Elementary and
  Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
• Separate from the National Science Foundations
  Math Science Partnership Grant Program
• PRISM
• Size of individual state awards is determined
  through a formula based on each states student
  population and poverty rates

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MSP Program Purpose

• To improve teacher quality and effectiveness
  through partnerships to increase student academic
  achievement in mathematics and science.

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Secondary Goals

• Improve dialogue between K12 and IHE
• Improve dialogue between K12 teachers
• Be a Catalyst for Change in K12 and IHE
• Provide Opportunities for Collaboration between
  STEM and Education faculty

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Partnerships must include

• The science, technology, engineering, or
  mathematics department (STEM) at a 2 or 4 year
  institution of higher education and
• A high-need local educational agency
• One or more school systems, at least one of which
  must meet the high-need criteria
• High-need is determined by the free and reduced
  lunch percentage - 35 or higher

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Partnerships may also include

• The unit responsible for the preparation of
  teachers (typically the college of education)
• Additional LEAs (may or may not meet the
  high-need requirement), charter schools, public
  or private schools, or a consortium of schools
• A business
• A non-profit education-oriented organization or
• An organization of demonstrated effectiveness in
  improving the quality of math/science teachers.

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GaMSP Project Criteria, 2012-2014

• Aligned to the Mathematics Content in the Common
  Core GPS and/or Science Content in the Georgia
  Performance Standards (and Framework for K-12
  Science Education)
• Active and well-defined partnership between STEM
  faculty and schools/districts
• A MINIMUM of 80 contact hours each year

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GaMSP Project Criteria contd...

• Focus on teachers of grades K-12 math or science
  or both
• Participating LEAs can be involved in another
  mathematics/science reform initiative.
• Funds must be used to supplement and not to
  supplant.
• LEAs with successful programs that need to be
  expanded and validated are encouraged to apply.
• Proposals must clearly articulate how these
  projects will integrate with each other to
  develop a positive/useful PD experience for
  teachers.
• Research-based design

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Core Program Requirements

• Full Partnership
• Cohort-based projects same teachers for 2 years
• Required project assessment instruments
• Required external evaluator for each project
• Semi-annual and annual performance reports
• Minimum of 80 hours of training/teacher/year
• May be summer institutes, summer workshops, or
  coursework through out school year
• A summer institute is 60 hours of intensive
  content training with 20 hours of follow-up
  training/support
• So in 2 years, teachers will have a minimum of
  160 hours of professional learning strong focus
  on content!

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MSP Program Partnership Requirements

• Project Management Team
• Project Director (Fiscal Agent)
• Project Leaders
• Classroom Teacher
• Shared Project Facilitation
• Performance Reports
• Mid-year to GaDOE due around March
• End-of-year to US Dept. of Education end of
  October
• Continuation Application for year 2 to GaDOE -
  summer
• Georgia MSP Team Participation
• US Dept. of Education Conference (annual)
• GaDOE bi-monthly Elluminate sessions (never over
  an hour) and work sessions

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Characteristics of Partnerships

• Commitment Partnership members should
  demonstrate commitment to project goals and
  projected outcomes unique to its proposal.
  Commitment is illustrated by each partners clear
  description of the expertise, time, and resources
  it will provide to support the goals of the
  partnership. Commitment is also evidenced by the
  descriptions of anticipated benefits included in
  each partners Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
  While matching funds are not required, in-kind
  support is highly desirable and preference will
  be given to proposals in which partners
  contribute their own resources, including the
  coordination of other applicable grants, toward
  the projects success.
• Sustainability Partnerships must provide a
  clear description of long-term plans to use
  project data to determine its impact on teaching
  and learning and to support the continuation of
  the project model beyond the duration of the
  grant.
• Capacity Proposals must describe specific and
  achievable plans to recruit, serve, and retain a
  teacher cohort group with increased ability to
  improve student achievement in tested mathematics
  and science content areas. Further, proposals
  must provide a detailed description of the people
  and institutional resources available to conduct
  the projects activities and how the expertise of
  each will contribute to the achievement of the
  projects goals.

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Cultivating Relationships

• Who do you know?
• Beginning a partnership is a challenge
• Capitalize on previous or existing partnerships
  and provide resources and training as necessary
• The P in MSP is just as important as the M and S!
  

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Effective Partners

• Obtain early commitment and endorsement from
  management and staff
• Establish early and direct involvement between
  staff of ALL partnering organizations
• Understand the needs of each organization
• Create a shared vision and set clear expectations
  for what all partners want to achieve
• Help write the proposal

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Effective Partners

• Incorporate realistic goals into the planning
  process
• Clearly define roles and responsibilities
• Promote open dialogue and communication!!!
• Provide tangible benefits for all partners
• Encourage flexibility, creativity, and
  experimentation
• Respect the constraints of the IHE and K12
  environments

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Consider the WERSST

• Why do you want to be partners? Why is it
  important to each of you?
• Expectations What do you each expect to put in
  and get out of the partnership?
• Resources What resources will each of you
  provide?
• Skills What skills will each of you bring?
• Shared Responsibility What can you do
  collaboratively in terms of program design,
  implementation, and evaluation?
• Time How much time will each of you devote ?

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Involving People in the Work

• Challenge Getting individuals to do the work
  given that they have full-time work
  responsibilities
• Solution Three ways to involve individuals in
  the work -
• Fitting it into their approved work load
• Compensation
• Appealing to their altruism

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Adopted Policy

• Board of Regents Policy 803.17. Work in the
  Schools
• Board of Regents' approval of University System
  of Georgia institutions to prepare teachers
  includes the expectation that state colleges and
  universities with a teacher preparation mission
  will collaborate with the K-12 schools.
  University System institutions that prepare
  teachers will support and reward all faculty who
  participate significantly in approved efforts in
  teacher preparation and in school improvement
  efforts through decisions in promotion and
  tenure, pre-tenure and post-tenure review, annual
  review and merit pay, workload, recognition,
  allocation of resources, and other rewards.
  Participation in teacher preparation and in
  school improvement may include documented efforts
  of these faculty in
• Improving their own teaching so as to model
  effective teaching practices in courses taken by
  prospective teachers.
• Contributing scholarship that promotes and
  improves student learning and achievement in the
  schools and in the university.
• Collaborating with public schools to strengthen
  teaching quality and to increase student
  learning.
• The Chancellor shall issue guidelines, to be
  published in the Academic Affairs Handbook, which
  serve to encourage formal institutional
  recognition and
• reward for all faculty in realizing the
  expectations embodied in this policy.

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Organizational Cultures

• Challenge Achieving the goals, given the
  uniqueness of each partner
• Solution Utilize various levels of leadership
  and allow for flexibility in how the work is
  accomplished. Recognize the contributions of
  each partner. Dont always meet at your place. ?
  

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Breaking Down Cultural Barriers

• Challenge Finding the common ground between
  higher education and K-12 faculty in the
  partnership
• Solution Taking the time to learn about the K-12
  and Higher Education cultures through real work

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Successful Partnerships NeedGreat Leaders

• Find key personnel to facilitate the partnership
  work with expertise and knowledge in content,
  teaching, and learning. Find people with
  collaborative and leadership skills (this applies
  to personnel at institutes of higher education
  and in the school systems)
• There has to be buy-in and involvement from
  individuals who have the power to make things
  happen.top leadership!

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Voices From the Field (Higher Ed)

• Part of our responsibility in higher education is
  to partner with K-12 to improve education
  opportunities for both teachers and students
• Involving ourselves with teacher training impacts
  a large number of students rather than just
  visiting a class for one hour for some activity

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More voices

• The cultures (Higher Ed K-12) are very similar
  but speak different languages
• Really good partnerships are built on the right
  mix of personalities
• There has to be mutual respect, trust, and a
  really good sense of humor
• At heart, I think we all have a passion for the
  things we study and a keen desire to communicate
  that to the world around us. Unfortunately, since
  the audiences are different, jargon gets in the
  way

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PRISM Partnership Rubric
Indicators Beginning Emerging Developing Accomplished
Vision and Goals Partners are together due to the nature of their work, but do not share a common vision and are concerned only with their own individual goals. A shared vision emerges as partners work together, but the focus is still on individual goals. Partners recognize the value added of a shared vision and collaborate on some common goals. Partners hold a shared vision and collaboratively develop and implement common goals.
Communication The purpose of communication is to share individual needs. Most communication focuses on sharing individual needs however, some discussion takes place related to a shared vision and common goals. Communication promotes progress toward achieving a shared vision and common goals. Communication is both consistent and deliberate, and is seen as an important component of the success of the partnership.
Decision-Making Most partners are represented by those with no authority to make changes therefore, decisions are made apart from common goals. Some partners are represented by those with limited authority to make small decisions that may contribute to common goals. Most partners are represented by those with limited authority to make decisions that promote individual or organizational goals, but are less committed to making decisions toward common goals. Partners with authority represent their organization to make collaborative decisions that meet common goals.
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Criterion B Commitment and Capacity of Partnership Criterion B Commitment and Capacity of Partnership Criterion B Commitment and Capacity of Partnership Points Awarded Points Awarded Points Awarded Points Awarded
Guiding Questions Does the project management team have the expertise to implement and sustain a math and/or science professional learning program? Is there evidence that mathematicians, scientists, and/or engineers as well as any teacher training faculty are playing major roles in the design and delivery of the proposed program? Are the roles of all partners clearly identified? Does the work plan engage all partners in meaningful ways? Is there evidence that the partners share goals, responsibilities, and accountability for the proposed work? Does the governance structure describe communication, decision-making, and fiscal responsibilities among the project partners? Guiding Questions Does the project management team have the expertise to implement and sustain a math and/or science professional learning program? Is there evidence that mathematicians, scientists, and/or engineers as well as any teacher training faculty are playing major roles in the design and delivery of the proposed program? Are the roles of all partners clearly identified? Does the work plan engage all partners in meaningful ways? Is there evidence that the partners share goals, responsibilities, and accountability for the proposed work? Does the governance structure describe communication, decision-making, and fiscal responsibilities among the project partners? Guiding Questions Does the project management team have the expertise to implement and sustain a math and/or science professional learning program? Is there evidence that mathematicians, scientists, and/or engineers as well as any teacher training faculty are playing major roles in the design and delivery of the proposed program? Are the roles of all partners clearly identified? Does the work plan engage all partners in meaningful ways? Is there evidence that the partners share goals, responsibilities, and accountability for the proposed work? Does the governance structure describe communication, decision-making, and fiscal responsibilities among the project partners?
Exceeds Standard Strong evidence of the number and quality of staff to carry out the proposed activities Qualifications are provided for key partners staff and appear to be exceedingly strong. Meets Standard Adequate number and quality of staff to carry out the proposed activities Qualifications of key partners staff are described and appear to be acceptable. Below Standard Little evidence of the number and quality of staff to carry out the proposed activities Qualifications of key partners staff are described but appear to be limited K-5 6-8 9-12 Avg.
Shows long term commitment of partners Institutional resources are given in detail Shows commitment of partners Institutional resources are given acceptably Shows somewhat limited commitment of partners Institutional resources are given but without detail
Project is likely to impact a high percentage (gt50) of teachers in need Project is likely to impact an acceptable percentage (25-50) of teachers in need. Project is likely to impact a limited percentage (lt25) of teachers.
Reviewer Comments Reviewer Comments Reviewer Comments
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Designing A MSP Project
Stage 1 Identify Desired Results What do my
teachers need to know and be able to
do? Professional Learning Needs Assessment ?
Project Goals and Objectives
Stage 2 Determine Acceptable Evidence (Qualitativ
e and Quantitative Assessment) What tools will
show whether my teachers know it and/or can do
it? (to assess teacher progress toward desired
results)
GaMSP
Stage 3 Plan Learning Experiences
Instruction What will need to be done to help my
teachers learn the required knowledge and
skills? (to facilitate teacher success leading to
desired results)
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The Needs Assessment

• Identify and prioritize baseline professional
  learning needs of teachers
• Disaggregate by grade level and content area
• Identify specific gaps or weaknesses in teacher
  content knowledge.
• Must be determined using a current (within the
  past 12 months) quantitative and qualitative
  content-driven assessment of teacher professional
  learning needs
• Include a description of the methods used to
  collect this information.
• Include the current status of student achievement
  in mathematics and/or science
  for the targeted grades
• Disaggregate student data in table form by
• gender,
• ethnicity,
• socio-economic factors,
• English language learners (ELL), and
• disability
• The results of the teacher and student needs
  assessments must be used in the establishment of
  the goals and objectives for the proposed
  project.

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Possible Data to Include in Needs Assessment

• Surveys
• Focus group interviews
• Classroom observations/CLASS Keys/Walk Throughs
• Teacher content knowledge assessment results
• Student achievement data state tests, local
  benchmarks

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Resources for Needs Assessment

• Appendix A of the RFP
• http//www.horizon-research.com/
• Released test items (NAEP, TIMSS, etc) can be
  used to create a content assessment
• http//assessment.aaas.org Science Assessment
  Questions

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Think about your challenges

• Imagine that there are no barriers. How would you
  address your challenges?
• Could a partnership help you address them?
• Would a MSP grant help you address this challenge?

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Closing Remarks

• Begin with the end in mind (use the rubric
  included).
• Tomorrow at 10, I will host another Elluminate
  Session, Part 2, to discuss the work plan,
  assessment, budgets.
• No password is needed for this session.
• Face-to-Face Training Sessions are Scheduled
• Register with me at abuice_at_doe.k12.ga.us, and I
  will send you detailed directions, room s, etc.
• June 27, 2012, 9 a.m. 1p.m., GaDOE, Atlanta, GA
• July 13, 2012, 9 a.m. 1 p.m., State Offices
  South at TIFT College, Forsyth, GA

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Contact Information

• Contact Amanda Buice, MSP Program Specialist at
  GaDOE
• 404-657-8319
• abuice_at_doe.k12.ga.us
• MSP website
• www.gadoe.org
• Then type in MSP in the search box
• QA