FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

JIM HORNE

Commissioner of Education

 

  

 

 

 

STATE BOARD 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.

  

 

CONTACT PERSON

NAME:

Lisa Kammel

PHONE:

(850)

488-5571

E-MAIL:

Lisa.Kammel@fldoe.org

 

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:

  

District School Superintendents

 

FROM: J.C.

Bowman

Director,

Choice

Office

 

DATE:

March 12, 2003

 

SUBJECT:

Voluntary Public School Choice Program Request for Proposals

 

  

$1.5 Million in Federal Funds Available

 

Please find attached a request for proposal for the

Voluntary Public School Choice Mentor

District Project

. In October 2002, the Florida Department of Education received a five-year

grant, including $2,650,766 available for the 2002-2003 school year, to implement a Voluntary

Public School Choice Program. The goals of the program are to reinstate, sustain and expand the

degree of high-quality public school choice programs, as well as to expand and replicate

successful implementation of public school choice throughout Florida and the nation. The main

objectives for this program are to provide a wide variety of educational choices for all students,

substantially impact students in low-performing schools by providing opportunities for them to

attend higher-performing schools, improve low performing and under-enrolled schools, and

increase student achievement.

 

The Florida Department of Education will meet the goals and objectives of the Voluntary Public

School Choice Program by funding veteran and novice school districts in public school choice

program implementation. School districts with documented success in implementation will have

 

 

 

325 W. GAINES STREET • SUITE 522 • TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-0400 • (850) 488-5011 • www.fldoe.org

 

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the opportunity to apply for funding to become a Mentor District. School districts in need of

guidance and assistance in developing and implementing a school choice program will have the

opportunity to apply to become a Mentee District. The attached request for proposal is

specifically for the Mentor District Project.

 

School districts with at least one full school year of successful public school choice

implementation are encouraged to apply for funding to become a Mentor District. Funds may be

used for:

•

maintaining, improving and expanding the current school choice program;

•

transferring tuition payments to public elementary schools or secondary schools that

students choose under the program;

•

providing transportation to students in the school choice program;

•

capacity-enhancing activities that enable high-demand public elementary schools or

secondary schools to accommodate transfer requests under the program;

•

executing public education campaigns to inform students and parents about the program;

and

•

other costs that are reasonably necessary to implement the program.

 

School districts awarded funds to become a Mentor District have the opportunity to participate in

the Voluntary Public School Choice Program and to receive funding for each of the five years of

the program. During year two of the program, Mentor Districts will be partnered with a Mentee

District of similar size and demographic make-up. Mentor Districts will provide guidance and

assistance to Mentee Districts in planning, or redesigning, and implementing their Voluntary

Public School Choice plan. The Mentor/Mentee partnerships may provide hands-on technical

assistance, job process shadowing opportunities, resource sharing, and other assistance as needed.

 

The Department of Education expects to fund approximately 10 Mentor District Projects through

the Voluntary Public School Choice Program. The budget period shall extend from the date

noted in the award letter through September 30, 2003.

 

The attached request for proposal and additional materials include detailed information regarding

the project background and purpose, application instructions, review procedures, and scoring

criteria.

 

Proposals will be reviewed and recommended on a competitive basis by a review panel composed

of individuals from the following areas: school choice, family involvement, student equity and

diversity, transportation, community education organizations, school improvement, and public

relations. To be considered for funding, applications must be received by the Department of

Education on or before 5:00 p.m. on April 19, 2003. Applications must be received in

substantially approvable form, the criterion for which includes:

 

•

The narrative and budgetary information requested in the RFP and attached forms; and

•

The original signature of the Superintendent/Agency Head and the date of board approval,

or a letter indicating that the application is to be considered at the next board meeting.

 

If you have any questions regarding this project, please do not hesitate to contact Lisa Kammel,

Program Director, Voluntary Public School Choice Program, at (850) 488-5571.