FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
    ?
    STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
    ?
    JIM HORNE
    Commissioner of Education
    F. PHILIP HANDY,
    Chairman
    T. WILLARD FAIR,
    Vice Chairman
    Members
    SALLY BRADSHAW
    LINDA J. EADS, ED.D.
    CHARLES PATRICK GARCÍA
    JULIA L. JOHNSON
    WILLIAM L. PROCTOR, PH.D.
    August 25, 2003
    ?
    CONTACTS:
    Name:
    David C. Ashburn
    Email
    : David.Ashburn@fldoe.org
    Phone:
    850/245-0622
    Name:
    Ruthe R. Hardy
    Email:
    Ruthe.Hardy@fldoe.org
    Phone:
    850/245-0562
    MEMORANDUM
    TO:
    ?
    SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENTS
    FROM:
    ?
    JIM WARFORD
    SUBJECT:
    ?
    BEST Florida Teaching Salary Career Ladder Pilot Program—
    Request For Proposals/Applications
    This year, as part of Senate Bill 30A, the Florida Legislature created the Better Educated
    Students and Teachers (BEST) Act, which requires all school districts to implement a salary
    career ladder for classroom teachers beginning with the 2004-2005 school year. The Legislature
    also appropriated a total of $25 million in Aid to Local Governments from the Principal State
    School Trust Fund for the establishment of the Pilot Career Ladder Program—BEST. Districts
    prepared to implement the Salary Career Ladder Program, in accordance with the provision of
    Section 1012.231, Florida Statutes, during the 2003-2004 school year will be targeted for
    participation in this program.
    JIM WARFORD
    K – 12 Chancellor
    325 W. GAINES STREET • SUITE 514 • TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-0400 • (850) 245-0509 • www.fldoe.org
    Memorandum
    August 25, 2003
    Page Two
    I would like to extend to each of you an invitation to submit a district proposal/application for
    participation in the BEST Florida Teaching Salary Career Ladder Pilot Program.
    Attached you will find the Request for Proposal/Application which includes the following:
    •
    ?
    Form DOE 900
    •
    ?
    Attachment A – Statutory Requirements
    •
    ?
    Attachment B – Project Application (DOE 100A)
    •
    ?
    Attachment C – Budget Description Form (DOE 101)
    •
    ?
    Attachment D – Application for BEST Teaching Salary Career Pilot Program
    Narrative
    •
    ?
    Attachment E - Commitment Form
    •
    ?
    Attachment F - Scoring Rubric
    •
    ?
    Attachment G- Review Committee Selection Process
    These materials provide detailed information regarding the funding purpose, eligible applicants,
    state requirements, fiscal requirements, application review criteria and application procedures.
    Proposals/applications will be reviewed and recommended on a discretionary competitive basis.
    Approval of these early innovator school districts will be determined by the Commissioner of
    Education, and funds will be awarded only to those school districts that fully and most feasibly
    implement the spirit and intent of the Florida BEST Teaching Program.
    In order to be considered, the Department of Education must receive the completed
    proposal/application by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 1, 2003. The proposal/application
    must be received in substantially approvable form, which is defined to mean that it includes
    completed Attachments B, C, D and E with required signatures.
    One original and three copies of the completed proposal/application should be submitted to the
    Bureau of Grants Management, Florida Department of Education, 325 West Gaines Street, Room
    332, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400.
    We look forward to working with you on this very important initiative to enhance the teaching
    profession while focusing on our most important goal – increasing student achievement
    throughout Florida. If you have questions or need additional information regarding the program,
    you may reach one of the contact persons via email or telephone as indicated on this
    memorandum.
    Attachments
    Page 2

    Back to top