Download ELLs - New York City Department of Education

Office of English Language Learners
ELL Success Incentive Grant RFP
Fall 2008
English Language Learners Success Incentive Grant
The New York City Department of Education invites all schools with English Language Learners (ELLs) to
participate in the ELL Success Incentive Grant application process. The goal of the ELL Success Incentive
Grant is to improve ELL achievement so that these students are prepared to succeed, graduate on time, and
thrive in higher education settings and meaningful careers. Schools are encouraged to review Comprehensive
Education Plans, which include CR Part 154, Language Allocation Policy (LAP) and Title III plans, to identify
ELL-related areas in need of more funding and improvement. The New York City Department of Education
has committed $7 million to the ELL Success Incentive program to support schools that 1) present a strong
commitment and fiscal resources aligned to effectively serve ELLs, 2) exhibit areas where there is a welldocumented need for more funding, and 3) submit a powerful plan that will accelerate the path to excellence
for ELLs as per the Blueprint for ELL Success (Appendix).
This ELL Success Incentive Grant is grounded in the core principles of Children First – leadership,
empowerment, and accountability – supporting the capacity-building efforts of schools to create strong ELL
programs. Through Children First reforms, schools are now better equipped to improve their students’
achievement. Principals have greater discretion over their resource allocation, staff selection, and student
programming; student-level data is more readily available than it has been in the past; and innovative schoolbased structures such as the inquiry teams, which use data to identify how to best change instructional
practices to accelerate student learning and empower schools to make informed, strategic decisions to
improve their schools.
The challenges ELLs face are complex and varied; therefore, novel and deep solutions matched to student
needs are required to improve their academic achievement. Only a comprehensive, coherent, and sustained
approach that is targeted to the particular needs of each student will work. For school leaders who have
thoughtfully allocated their fiscal and human resources to increase ELL performance, but have identified
additional needs, we are offering the ELL Success Incentive Grant. This grant is the result of collaborative
efforts with the New York City Council, and a host of advocates and partners. Through this $7-million grant,
the DOE reinforces the City’s commitment to assist schools with dramatically improving ELL programs and
services.
This RFP outlines the process to apply for targeted funding for ELL improvement. Grants will support school
plans that employ successful, research-based practices that establish innovative programs that serve ELLs.
In creating funding plans, School Leadership Teams are encouraged to use data from Progress Reports,
Periodic Assessments, Quality Review recommendations, CEPs, and LAPs, while seeking the guidance of
School Inquiry Team(s) and School Support Organizations (SSOs). Using these resources, schools should
create coherent plans that not only address the specific needs of ELLs in their schools, but detail ways to
significantly improve their performance.
NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OFFICE OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS •
52 CHAMBERS STREET, 210 • NEW YORK, NY 10007 • 212.374.6072 •
SCHOOLS. NYC.GOV/ACADEMICS/ELL
NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
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Purpose
This grant supports schools that have aligned fiscal resources to provide core and supplemental services for
English Language Learners (ELLs) and have identified new needs among their ELLs above and beyond the
mandated services. Grant-funded programs will raise the academic achievement of ELLs through rigorous
instruction and high-quality support. Instructional programs must accelerate both English language
development and content skills to prepare ELLs for subsequent academic, career, and social opportunities.
Priority Areas
Schools receiving the grant must plan new or enhanced programs in at least one of the following areas for
ELLs:
1) Enriched support for struggling ELLs, especially
a) Students with Interrupted Formal Education (SIFE)
b) Long-term ELLs (LTEs)
c) ELLs in years 4–6
d) Newcomers, and
e) Special Education ELLs
2) Augmented parent options
a) Create a new Transitional Bilingual Education program.
b) Create a new Dual Language program.
c) Enhance existing bilingual programs.
3) Enhanced teacher quality
a) For all teachers of ELLs, provide professional development on literacy and academic language
development through programs such as the Quality Teaching for English Learners (QTEL) institutes.
b) Provide rigorous ongoing professional development to content area teachers on research-based
practices to improve the delivery of instruction to ELLs in monolingual programs.
c) Enhance collaboration/team-teaching between content area teachers and ESL/bilingual teachers.
d) Expand ELL and bilingual teacher recruitment and hiring in small schools.
Special Considerations
Strong applications that show 2:1 Contract for Excellence funding aligned to the grant funding
request will receive 20 additional points. Special consideration will be given to those applications that
prioritize collaboration across learning communities on a campus and/or develop or reinstate program models
in support of native language literacy (e.g., Dual Language, Transitional Bilingual Education, and Heritage
Language programs) at a school or campus.
Awards
Schools awards will start at $30,000 and not exceed $100,000. All grant awards are contingent on the
appropriation of additional tax levy funding and the New York State Education Department’s approval of the
Department’s Contract for Excellence.
Requirements and Parameters
Schools applying must:
o Demonstrate a need to improve programs and services for ELLs.
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NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Use funds to supplement existing ELL programs and services provided through the Fair
Student Funding Formula, Contract for Excellence, Title I and Title III.
Use funds to expand services for ELLs other than core mandated CR Part 154 services.
Obtain appropriately certified teachers to support implementation.
Identify members of a planning team who will meet regularly on the implementation and
execution of grant activities.
Leverage their internal resources and the support offered by networks and SSOs to improve
their ELL programs.
Engage the Inquiry Team in the work.
Have at minimum a weekly period (45 minutes) embedded in the school day for collaborative
planning/professional development focused on ELLs.
Complete a grant application, including a description of student and parent support programs
and opportunities for teacher professional development.
Attach CR Part 154 and Title III as well as the LAP plans.
Agree to serve as a demonstration site for schools seeking to implement similar school-based
practices.
Agree to be a part of the ongoing evaluation of the ELL Success Incentive program.
Additional Supports
In addition to the ELL Success Incentive Grant, schools have the opportunity to access ELL supports such as:
o The Academic Intervention Grant for SIFE and LTEs provides funding, professional
development, and technical assistance to schools with 20 or more SIFE/LTEs so that schools
can create instructional models to accelerate language and academic learning for these
students. Schools may be eligible for a start-up grant ($100,000), continuation grant
($50,000), or demonstration site grant ($75,000). Grant recipients also work with the CUNY
Graduate Center on ongoing research and diagnostic assessments of SIFE.
o The Campaign for Middle School Success improvement grants targeted to reduce the
achievement gap in the middle grades and to improve student achievement so that all
students are prepared to succeed in high school, graduate on time, and thrive in college and
careers.
o Research, resources, and academic interventions offered by the Office of English Language
(see “Programs and Services” sub-channel at http://schools.nyc.gov/Academics/ELL).
Application Process and Timeline
The following timeline reflects the key dates and milestones throughout the application period as well as the
planning and implementation cycle.
ELL Success Incentive Grant Timeline
September 10, 2008
Schools with ELLs are invited to apply for the
ELL Success Incentive Grant announced in
the Principals’ Weekly.
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NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
ELL Success Incentive Grant Timeline
School Teams Attend One Two-Day Session
October 2 and 3, 2008
October 6 and 7, 2008
October15 and 16, 2008
October 20 and 21 , 2008
Planning Sessions:
 Schools leadership teams attend planning
and grant writing sessions that provide
schools with: the latest research on ELLs;
an overview of the Language Allocation
Policy (to inform ELL planning); and the
Blueprint for ELL Success.
 District ELL Compliance and
Performance Specialists (ELL CPSs) are
available to provide technical assistance
and planning support.
November 3, 2008
Grant applications are due and must be sent
electronically to [email protected]. No late
submissions will be accepted.
Applicants will be notified of grant review
status.
Support for grant recipients:
 ELL CPSs will support schools’ start-up
and implementation of planned activities.
 Onsite professional development from
Central ELL Specialists is available to all
sites for a fee.
November 14, 2008
November, 2008-June, 2009
Grant Narrative
Part A: Student Programs
Current program: Describe your current ELL population, providing an analysis of demographic and
performance data on ELLs and ELL subgroups (e.g., SIFE, LTEs). Describe how you are currently serving
this population. Clearly delineate all funding sources that support core and enhanced programs and services
for ELLs. Also, based on the data, provide an assessment of high-needs areas to raise the academic
achievement for ELLs in your school. Limit your description to two pages or less. Do not repeat areas covered
in your attached plans (CR Part 154, LAP, Title IlI).
Table 1. Office of ELLs Interventions
(for more information these programs, visit
http://schools.nyc.gov/Academics/ELL/ProgramsServices)
Achieve 3000
Award Reading English
Destination Math
Imagine Learning
Reading Instructional Goals for Older Readers (RIGOR)
Proposed program: Based on your
school’s needs assessment for ELLs,
describe your proposed program. Your
description must include, but should not
be limited to, program structure,
duration, times per week, hours per day,
before/after school and/or Saturdays,
program areas to be addressed, grades
targeted, and chosen academic
NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
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interventions for literacy and mathematics (see Table 1). Include, as appropriate, the establishment or
expansion of guidance support. Descriptions should be aligned to core services described in your school’s CR
Part 154 grant applications and language allocation policy plans; however, information for this application
should describe enhancements and supplemental services to these core programs. Limit your description to
half a typed page.
Part B: Professional Development and/or Teacher Quality
Plan: Describe the activities that will enhance teacher quality. Describe the professional development that will
take place at the school and in collaboration with professional development providers to build the school’s
capacity to work with the target population.
Table 2. Professional Development Available from the Office of ELLs in 2008-09
Quality Teaching for English Learners (QTEL) Five-Day Institutes (Building the Base, ELA, Beginning ESL, Math, Science,
Social Studies, Spanish) and Leadership
ELL-I Literacy Institute (eight days)
Middle School Math Institute
Science Institute
Dual Language Technology Enrichment Institute
LAP and Demystifying ELL Data Institute
LAP and Looking at Student Work Institute
QTEL Curriculum Enhancement Institute
ELL Writing Institute (five days)
Closing the Achievement GAP- SIFE/Long-term ELL Institute (four days)
MAPPS
Some professional development options available from the Office of ELLs (Table 2) in which your school may
participate are listed above. Provide a list of topics (e.g., inquiry groups, collaborative planning,
intervisitations), professional texts, meeting times, number of participants, and other relevant information.
Limit your description to one typed page.
Part C: Parent Involvement
Describe how the grant will be used to enrich parent options or experiences at your school. Limit your
description to one typed page.
Part D: Staffing
List the teachers who will work under the grant. Include name (last, first), license, title, grant responsibilities,
and relevant professional development in which the teacher has already participated (e.g., QTEL Building the
Base).
Part E: Program Objectives, Activities and Evaluations
Objectives should address priority areas based on a needs assessment—services for struggling ELL (with
attention to SIFE and LTEs), increasing program choice options and/or teacher quality as well as expanding
student supports, enhancing instructional resources, and strengthening parent involvement. Objectives must
be appropriate for the academic and linguistic needs of the target population. Also, they must be Specific,
NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
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Measurable, Achievable, Relevant/ Realistic, and Time-bound (SMART). In addition, objectives and activities
must be aligned with the priority areas of the program, and include the following elements:
o
o
o
Time frame (e.g., by June 2009, by the end of second quarter, after six months)
Targeted skill area (e.g., math, speaking, reading, and writing in English or the native
language)
Measurable growth targets
Describe the specific activities that will be implemented to meet each project objective. Activities must be
clear, concise, and relevant to the program. Include activities that are appropriate to students' ages, grade
levels, and language proficiencies, and ensure that all activities are aligned with plans in the grant narrative.
Describe the plans for administering pre- and post-assessments at the beginning, mid-way, and end of
program. Evaluation designs that use qualitative and quantitative data are ideal in gauging program
effectiveness. Techniques for the qualitative analysis may include, but are not limited to, portfolio
assessments, student interviews, student work folders, surveys, questionnaires, and teacher observations.
School teams should identify evaluation tools to measure student outcomes of the target population as well as
techniques to assess the quality of the program. This information must be consistent with the proposed
program objectives and activities.
Table 3. Examples of SMART Objectives
Objective 1: SIFE and LTEs with a 90% participation rate during school year 2008-09 will accelerate their
academic learning in all content areas by 10 percentage points (measured on quantitative assessments)
through smaller classes with quality instruction, technology, various supporting activities and services, and/ or
extended-day/Saturday programs..
Activities:
Evaluation and Expected Outcomes:
Objective 2: School team members and teachers of ELLs will spend a minimum of 40 hours on planning and
ongoing high-quality professional development covering strategies and methodologies specifically designed to
support the accelerated academic/language learning of SIFE/LTEs during school year 2008-09. These
professional development activities will include the QTEL Institute as well as inquiry teams (data reviews,
lesson studies, curriculum enhancements) and classroom intervisitations.
Activities:
Evaluation and Expected Outcomes:
Objective 3: Parents of ELLs will be engaged in a minimum of 20 hours of meaningful activities related to the
academic learning of their children during school year 2008-09.
Activities:
Evaluation and Expected Outcomes:
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NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Part F: Budget
On the budget worksheets, list all expenditures requested for the ELL Incentive Grant Application. All costs
must be directly related to the proposed program objectives. Attach worksheets to grant narrative with
appropriate signatures.
Budget Worksheet A:
BUDGET: Personnel
Activity
Objective 1
Objective 2
Objective 3
Objective 4
Objective 5
Objective 6
Subtotal
Description of Item
$ Amount
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NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Budget Worksheet B:
BUDGET: OTPS (Other Than Personnel Services)
Activity
Description of Item
$ Amount
Objective 1
Objective 2
Objective 3
Objective 4
Objective 5
Objective 6
Summary budget from Personnel and OTPS
Personnel
$ Amount
OTPS
Subtotal
Grant Total
BUDGET: Signature Page
Authorized Signature:___________________________________________________________________
(Principal)
For DOE Use Only:
District:_____________________________
School:_________________________
Grant Amount: _______________________
Approved:___________________________
Date: __________________________
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NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
STATEMENT OF ASSURANCES
The applicant hereby assures the New York City Department of Education Office of English Language
Learners (ELLs) that:
a)
Funds received under this grant will be used for the education of ELLs.
b)
All facts, figures, and representations made in this application, including all exhibits and attachments
hereto and hereby made as part of this application, are true and correct.
c)
This application may be submitted to the New York City Department of Education for funding
consideration because the undersigned has endorsed the proposed objectives and activities, and
supports the project's implementation and evaluation.
_____________________________________________________________________________
District
School
_______________________________
Name of Principal
__________________________________
Signature of Principal
Completed applications must be submitted to the Office of English
[email protected] as per the deadline set at the grant-writing session.
Language
_________
Date
Learners
at
Application Deadlines:
Only applications meeting all the requirements and submitted before
the deadline will be considered for funding.
Contact Person:
Maria Santos, Executive Director
NYC Department of Education
Office of English Language Learners
52 Chambers Street, Room 210
New York, New York 10007
(212) 374-6072
NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
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APPENDIX: BLUEPRINT FOR ELL SUCCESS
The Office of English Language Learners (ELLs) continues to implement Children First reform
initiatives that bolster a more rigorous and responsive education for ELLs. By building on the
momentum of the Chancellor’s seven ELL directives (2003), and refining initiatives to help schools
meet comprehensive accountability measures, the Office is creating a stronger, more supportive
staffing infrastructure, rigorous professional development, coherent programs, better materials and
resources, and comprehensive parent outreach. Our Blueprint for ELL Success includes the
following directives for each school:
I. Improve instruction for ELLs by aligning all programs for ELLs to state standards and to a
coherent and comprehensive core curriculum in all academic subjects by:
A. Using the citywide language allocation policy (LAP) to refine program models and
create instructional improvements.
B. Incorporating high expectations for ELLs in the school’s mission.
II. Accelerate performance for ELLs by:
A. Building and enriching first language literacy.
B. Adopting and implementing strategic student supports with integrity.
III. Improve programmatic services and parent options by:
A. Creating and enriching bilingual service models.
B. Aligning and strengthening fiscal and human resources.
IV. Achieve unprecedented performance gains for ELLs by:
A. Creating an inquiry leadership team (e.g., principal, coaches, parent coordinators,
School Accountability Facilitator) for ELLs.
B. Establishing and supporting ongoing professional learning communities of content
area and ESL/bilingual teachers focused on ELLs.
1. Establish at minimum a weekly period (45 minutes) embedded in the school
day for collaborative planning/professional development focused on ELLs.
2. Analyze and use multiple data sources to inform instruction and program
services for ELLs.
3. Create common assessments and lessons with scaffolds for ELLs.
4. Establish measurable student performance targets and observable practice
shifts in ELL teaching and learning.
V. Sustain promising practices and close the achievement gap by:
A. Establishing a strong school-site infrastructure for ELLs and a sustained ELL
improvement priority.
B. Adopting the principles of Quality Teaching for English Learners (QTEL) in every
classroom.
NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
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C. Engaging parents in strong and meaningful learning experiences through sessions
such as MAPPS, a native literacy course, and/or an ESL course.
D. Partnering with community groups, universities, and parents.
E. Making plans and results transparent.
NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
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APPENDIX: THE FIVE PRINCIPLES OF QUALITY TEACHING
FOR ELLS
1. Sustain academic rigor in teaching ELLs by promoting deep disciplinary knowledge and
developing central ideas of a discipline in all their interconnectedness and interrelationships.
Central to this principle is the development of students’ capacity to use higher-order thinking
skills, by teaching them how to combine facts, synthesize and evaluate ideas, and generate
new meanings and understandings.
2. Hold high expectations in teaching ELLs: Engage students in high-challenge and highsupport activities that provide multiple entry points to address the academic and linguistic
heterogeneity of the classroom.
3. Engage ELLs in quality interactions: This principle refers to the enactment of interactions
that are sustained, deep, and build knowledge in relevant aspects of the discipline being
taught.
4. Sustain a language focus in teaching ELLs: Explicitly develop disciplinary language,
discussing how language works and the characteristics of different genres and subjectspecific discourse.
5. Develop a quality curriculum for ELLs: A curriculum with long-term goals and
benchmarks that is problem-based and requires sustained attention beyond a single lesson.