Improving Teacher Quality State Grants Application

INFORMATIONAL LETTER: NO: 102
POLICY CODE: DDA

TO: Superintendents of Schools
Please share with Curriculum Coordinators, Middle School Principals, Junior High School Principals, and High School Principals.

FROM: Susan Gendron, Commissioner

DATE: May 5, 2008

RE: Improving Teacher Quality State Grants Application

The Maine Department of Education is pleased to announce the availability of grants to increase the percentage of highly qualified teachers and to increase the content expertise of teachers in high need Local Education Agencies (LEAs). The Maine Department of Education invites proposals that contain validated ways of addressing the complex issues surrounding the teaching and learning of reading and writing across content areas in grades K - 12, and supporting students as they move along the continuum of handling more complex and sophisticated reading material. Proposals must reflect an understanding and identification of the needs and issues involved, as well as the local educational, political, economic, and social context in which the needs exist. In addition, proposals must have well-defined goals and activities that promote interaction among faculty, teachers, and others, particularly those teachers who do not meet the definition of “highly qualified”. The proposals should cost-effectively meet the needs of a significant number of teachers.

The Improving Teacher Quality competitive grant has specified that particular partners be involved. The objective is to combine the strong disciplinary expertise of the college of arts and sciences faculty and the instructional/pedagogical expertise of the college of education faculty in order to improve student achievement in a high need LEA through professional development. The grants provide funding for one year with the opportunity for funding for four additional years at approximately $345,000(total) per year. These grants are made available to eligible partnerships consisting of, at a minimum, one high need LEA, one Institute of Higher Education (IHE) teacher and principal preparation division and one college of arts and sciences. Additional partners may include other LEAs, educational training organizations, another IHE, a non-profit cultural organization, an entity carrying out a pre-kindergarten program, a teacher organization, a principal organization, or a business. These grants are made available through the Improving Teacher Quality State Grants, Title II, Part A of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. (CFDA # 84.367A)

The following LEAs have been determined to be eligible as high need for this grant period:

SAD 13 Bingham
SAD 14 Danforth
SAD 19 Lubec
SAD 45 Washburn
SAD 59 Madison
Augusta
Beals
Harmony
Machias
Pembroke
South Aroostook CSD
Vanceboro

Application packages will be mailed to Superintendents and Principals of eligible LEAs by May 2, 2008. A complete application package will be available on our website on May 2, 2008. It is estimated that up to three partnerships may receive funding. The deadline for submitting a proposal is 2 p.m. on July 21, 2008. Partnerships will be notified of awards by July 30, 2008.

A grant information workshop will be held via the ATM system on Thursday, May 15, 2008 between 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. If you would like to be an interactive site or receive a broadcast transmission, please respond via e-mail to: barbara.moody@maine.gov no later than May 9, 2008. Check with your site coordinator to make sure your site is available during this time. The originating site will be room 103A in the Burton Cross State Office Building in Augusta. If you would like to attend this grant information workshop in Augusta, please email: barbara.moody@maine.gov no later than Friday, May 9, 2008.

Since the Improving Teacher Quality Grant is a competitive process, questions cannot be answered on an individual basis. All questions must be submitted in writing to Barbara Moody, Title II Coordinator at barbara.moody@maine.gov . All questions and answers will be posted on the following web page so that all potential applicants may receive the same information: http://www.maine.gov/education/nclb/titleii.htm . The deadline for submitting questions is July 11, 2008. Please check the web page frequently to view new questions and answers.