web viewrequest for application . regional promise grant. 2015-2017. grant application due date:...

Request for Application

Regional Promise Grant

2015-2017

Grant Application Due Date: October 20, 2015

Oregon Department of EducationOffice of Learning

255 Capitol Street NESalem, OR 97310-0203

5/6/2023 1:32 PM

Table of Contents

I. Background and Legislative Intent............................................................................................. 1-2

II. General Information..................................................................................................................... 2-6

A. Purpose.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

2-3

B. Type of Grant...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

3

C. Eligibility..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

3-4

E. Use of Funds........................................................................................................................ 4-5

F. Reporting and Assurances................................................................................................... 5-6

III. Application Process………………………………………………………………….……… 6-9

A. Timeline and Important Dates............................................................................................. 7

B. Required Application Section............................................................................................ 7-8

C. Format and Application Instructions for Submission.......................................................... 8-9

IV. Application Narrative .................................................................................................................. 10-16

V. Appendix …………………………..……………………………………………….……… 17-37

Appendix A: Definitions.............................................................................................................

Appendix B: Required Documentation – List and Forms....................................................…

Appendix C: Budget Worksheet..............................................................................................…

17

18-21

22

Appendix D: Scoring Rubric – New Grants................................................................................

Appendix E: Scoring Rubric – Continuation Grants...............................................................…

23-31

32-37

It is the policy of the State Board of Education and a priority of the Oregon Department of Education that there will be no discrimination or harassment on the grounds of race, color, sex, marital status, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, age or disability in any educational programs, activities, or employment. Persons having questions about equal opportunity and nondiscrimination should contact the Oregon Department of Education, 255 Capitol Street NE, Salem, OR 97310; Telephone (503) 947-5600; Fax (503) 378-5156.

5/6/2023 1:32 PM

tel:(503)%20947-5600

tel:(503)%20378-5156

I. BACKGROUND and LEGISLATIVE INTENT

In 2013, under the leadership of Governor John Kitzhaber, the Oregon Education Investment Board proposed key strategic investments to support Oregon’s attainment of the 40/40/20 goal. One of the focused strategies is to expand collaboration between education sectors - similar to the Eastern Promise model.1 The support for these collaborative efforts was intended to foster a college-going culture in Oregon, improve the alignment between K-12 and post-secondary institutions on learning outcomes and expectations, improve academic preparation and transition, to cross-train faculty and staff in the development and assessment of curricular proficiencies, and to increase the opportunity for students to participate in college-level courses while in high school. The intent was conceptualized and passed by the 2013 legislature in House Bill (HB) 3232. Specifically, HB 3232 directed the Department to distribute monies to consortia to design and offer individualized, innovative and flexible ways of delivering content, awarding high school and college credit, and providing developmental education for students in high school or in the first two years of post-secondary education. During the 2013-2015 biennium the grant supported 5 consortia. Each consortium advanced a slightly different collaborative-educational model based on changing relationships across education sectors, building alignment, and fostering awareness and knowledge of post-secondary opportunities for students. The 2015 legislature provided continued support for this work in HB 5016.

The Regional Promise grant made possible by HB5016 is available to consortia of school districts, education service districts, and public post-secondary institutions. The purposes of the grant are to improve alignment across education sectors and increase student success.

The expansion of consortia programs has the potential to significantly decrease the opportunity gap for students of color, English learners, students experiencing poverty, and students with disabilities across the state and move us closer to the 40/40/20 goal, with the understanding that the success of every child in Oregon is directly tied to the prosperity of all Oregonians. Expanding Regional Promise models can increase the alignment of high school curriculum with post-secondary expectations, while preparing students for post-secondary experiences. By preparing students earlier in their academic careers, we increase the likelihood that a larger number of students will be prepared to enroll and succeed in post-secondary education.

All Regional Promise Grant sites will be expected to incorporate and adopt the principles of Oregon’s Equity Lens; through this perspective the Oregon Department of Education considers the creation of strategic opportunities for educational equity and excellence for every learner in Oregon. The Equity Lens provides twelve core beliefs that fuel opportunities to bolster success for diverse student populations across the state. The beliefs most pertinent to the work of this grant are highlighted below:

We believe that everyone has the ability to learn and that we have an ethical and moral responsibility to ensure an education system that provides optimal learning environments that lead students to be prepared for their individual futures.

1 Eastern Promise http://www.eastern-promise.org/

Oregon Department of Education Page 1

http://www.eastern-promise.org/

We believe that our community colleges and public universities have a critical role in serving our diverse populations, rural communities, English language learners and students with disabilities. Our institutions of higher education, and the P-20 system, will truly offer the best educational experience when their campus faculty, staff and students reflect this state, its growing diversity and the ability for all of these populations to be educationally successful and ultimately employed.

We believe that the students who have previously been described as “at risk,” “underperforming,” “under-represented,” or minority actually represent Oregon’s best opportunity to improve overall educational outcomes. We have many counties in rural and urban communities that have populations of color that make up the majority. Our ability to meet the needs of this increasingly diverse population is a critical strategy for us to successfully reach our 40/40/20 goals.

We believe that resource allocation demonstrates our priorities and our values and that we demonstrate our priorities and our commitment to rural communities, communities of color, English language learners, and out of school youth in the ways we allocate resources and make educational investments.

We believe that communities, parents, teachers, and community-based organizations have unique and important solutions to improving outcomes for our students and educational systems. Our work will only be successful if we are able to truly partner with the community, engage with respect, authentically listen—and have the courage to share decision making, control, and resources.

II. GENERAL INFORMATION

Purpose of the Regional Promise GrantThe Regional Promise Grant of 2015-2017 is intended for the development and/or expansion of consortia of educational service districts, school districts and post-secondary institutions building collaborative, innovative, and flexible ways to foster a college-going culture across the region and to create additional opportunities for high school students to participate and earn credit in college-level courses. Each consortium will plan to serve either at least 10,000 students or 50% or more of 5th -12th grade students in school districts participating in the grant and must include:

a) At least one Oregon public post-secondary institution2; b) At least three school districts;c) At least one education service district.

The successful application for a new or continuing Regional Promise Grant will demonstrate:

(a) A commitment to closing opportunity gaps and funding services to historically underrepresented students.

2 Competitive priority will be given to consortia that include both a local community college and a 4-year university.


(b) A commitment to fostering a college-going culture, which refers to the environment, attitudes, and practices in schools and communities that encourage students and their families to obtain the information, tools and access to post-secondary education, as well as building a strong academic foundation to support success in accelerated college credit.

(c) A commitment to providing all students with a variety of accelerated college credit options. The project should increase the range of students participating in accelerated college credit courses by identifying opportunity gaps and historically underrepresented populations and designing programs to prepare and encourage these students to participate and succeed. There should be strong guidance and intentional planning of accelerated college credit course taking to further students’ individual educational goals.

(d) A commitment to cross-sector collaboration between post-secondary institution(s), education service district(s) and districts where each partner is engaged as an equal.

(e) A commitment to developing a diverse range of cross-sector professional learning communities including faculty and teachers from post-secondary and K-12 institutions to ensure alignment of instruction and to participate in establishing appropriate curriculum and parallel assessment of outcomes. This alignment work should reach beyond accelerated college credit courses to build a strong academic foundation and success for all students.

We prioritize efforts that align with the Oregon Education Investment Board (now Chief Education Office) adoption of the Equity Lens, the State’s 40/40/20 goal, regional Career and Technical Education efforts, STEM hubs, and efforts that strive to close the opportunity gap for students experiencing poverty, students of color, English learners, and students with disabilities. If the grantees participate in other strategic initiatives, there should be an overall description of the role of these funds in the regions’ larger scope of work.

Type of GrantBased on the availability of state resources, this grant begins November 16, 2015 and ends on June 30, 2017. Under certain circumstances, ODE can approve use of grant funds between June 30, 2017 and September 30, 2017. The Oregon Department of Education, in collaboration with the Chief Education Office, will review progress reports and performance data to determine future and continued program funding.

The Department may award five to seven grants to consortia other than Eastern Promise.3

Each grant will total between $250,000 -$700,000.

Eligibility The Regional Promise Grant is a competitive grant. The Department shall determine the amount of each grant based on the funds available and each grant application. The Department shall allocate funds for the grant program based on an evaluation of the grant

3 The exclusion of Eastern Promise stems from a legislative budget note in HB5016.


application and to what extent the applicant has met the grant requirements along with the following considerations:

(a) Previous funding and outcomes of the project;(b) Inclusion of both a local community college and 4-year university in the

consortia;(c) Geographic location of districts to ensure geographic diversity among the

recipients of grant program funds throughout the state;(d) Districts that have disparate achievement and postsecondary access between

students of colors, students experiencing poverty, students with disabilities, and/or English learners; or greater educational inequities;

(e) Districts that have a high percentage of students experiencing poverty.

Use of FundsGrantees must be able to spend funds according to acceptable accounting procedures and be able to provide evidence of such procedures. All funds will be provided through the Electronic Grants Management System (EGMS). Costs must be necessary and reasonable to complete the project and be authorized and not prohibited under State or local laws.

Reasonable costs will not exceed that which would be incurred by a prudent person, are ordinary and necessary for the operation of the program, and represent sound business practices. Lack of documentation is a primary reason for audit findings. Documentation must be available to support all expenditures and may be requested by the Oregon Department of Education at any time.

Funds will be available upon official notification November, 2015 through June 30, 2017. Under certain circumstances, ODE can approve use of grant funds between June 30, 2017 and September 30, 2017. Grant funds may not be used outside of the award period.

Use of funds may include (but are not limited to) the following: Stipend and travel reimbursements for individuals attending meetings, conferences, or

other professional development activities with a strong alignment to the project outcomes and activities.

Release time for educators during the school year for planning activities related to the project.

Materials and equipment for classroom implementation related to the content of project activities.

Direct staff expenses related to program, activities, coordination and evaluation to project activities. Salary and benefits not to extend beyond June 30, 2017, unless approved by ODE.

Consultation services with a direct alignment to the project outcomes and activities.• Support of professional development programs aligned to the project outcomes and

activities.• Reasonable expenditures for food at professional development sessions.• Indirect administrative costs not to exceed 3-5% of the total proposed budget.


Funds may not be used for:• Costs associated with writing the proposal.• Contractual obligations that extend beyond June 30, 2017 unless approved by ODE,

or began prior to the award date.• Purchase of equipment that becomes the property of any individual or organization

other than eligible project partners or recipients.• Purchase of services for personal benefit beyond the project outcomes and activities.• Support for travel to out-of-state professional meetings/conferences unless the

meeting is identified in the proposal and attendance will directly and significantly advance the project. Approval, post-award, may be granted by ODE on a case-by-case basis.

• Purchase of office equipment unless directly linked to the program outcomes.

Reporting and AssurancesSuccessful proposals will include specific project outcomes and a data collection and evaluation plan that will provide evidence that there has been progress toward meeting the specifically stated project outcomes within the timeline of the grant. Progress must be documented and measureable, observable through anecdotal records, or documented through other records such as surveys, grades, attendance, etc. The results of the evaluation will be reported to ODE as part of an interim, legislative, and final Grant Report. The evaluations will be included in the report to the Oregon Legislature. Any submission of evaluation materials (e.g., video or photographs) that include images of minors must be accompanied by a release form signed by a parent or legal guardian.

To facilitate evaluation of the grant by ODE, recipients will provide additional data related to the impact of the project on students, teachers and community partners. These data may include but are not limited to the following:• An interim grant report, due August 31, 2016• An activities report, due May 1, 2017• A final grant report, due August 31, 2017 • Interviews and/or surveys conducted by ODE staff or evaluators• Visits to Promise site by ODE staff and others affiliated with the grant• Data on specific measures of student and teacher knowledge, skills, and attitudes

related to project outcomes• Data and information requests during legislative sessions• Student-level data, including SSID’s, regarding course participation and grades in

courses considered part of the Regional Promise program and other college-credit courses (e.g., student-level course roster data with grades and accelerated learning information)

• Course-level data including course name, NCES code, course number, teacher information, including USID, and whether teacher became eligible to teach course through the grant in courses considered part of the Regional Promise program and other college-credit courses (e.g., course roster data with additional teacher information)

The interim and final grant reports will contain, but are not limited to the following:


• Narrative information regarding the successes and challenges encountered in implementing the grant-funded program

• The number of students served by various aspects of the grant. Programs should be able to break down the number of students by Race/Ethnicity, Gender, LEP Status, Special Education Status and Economically Disadvantaged Status.

• The number of teachers served by various aspects of the grant. Programs should be able to break down the number of teachers by Race/Ethnicity.

• The number of courses offered and high schools served through various aspects of the grant

• Lists of courses in each school offered with support from the Regional Promise Program

• Other information as needed (e.g., changes to program logic model, timeline of progress, plans for sustaining the program)

In August 2016 and August 2017, consortia will provide student-level and course-level data to ODE and/or evaluators for the purpose of facilitating an impact evaluation of the project. For the purposes of sharing data for this grant, consortia agree to facilitate formal data-sharing agreements if necessary.

By signing the assurances included in this application, education service districts, school districts, postsecondary institutions, and community partners agree to cooperate with ODE and the Chief Education Office to collect and report such data to the extent that it is possible. In addition, products and materials created as a result of Regional Promise grants will be made available for unrestricted reuse and recombination according to the following Creative Commons licensing agreement: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/.

III. Application Process

Application Review, Scoring, and Appeals Process

A review committee will score all complete grant applications electronically submitted to Joy Blackwell ([email protected]) at the Oregon Department of Education by 5:00 p.m. on October 20th, 2015. All applications will be scored using the scoring criteria equivalent to the criteria provided in this document. Each application will have at least three reviewers. When possible, each proposal will be scored by at least two reviewers from the following sectors: post-secondary, Oregon Department of Education equity team, and K-12 education.

After scores are compiled, the applications will be placed in rank order. The Regional Promise Grant Review Committee will make final recommendations based on the score and previous work of the grant recipient. The Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction will make the final award decision.

The Oregon Department of Education will notify both successful and unsuccessful applicants and will provide a summary of comments and suggestions related to their applications. Applicants will have one week from the date of the notification letter to contest the funding


http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

decision through the process identified in the notification. Once appeals have been considered, the award decisions made by the Deputy Superintendent are final.

Timeline and Important Dates

Completion Dates Activities

September 18, 2015 Request for Applications (RFA) available online – Announcement via email, web, etc.

September 24, 2015Technical Assistance Webinar – Crafting a Quality Application (3:30-

4:30p.m.)

October 13, 2015Technical Assistance Webinar – Additional Clarifications of the RFA

(9:30-10:30a.m.)

October 20, 2015 Applications due to ODE by 5:00PM PDT

October 22-30, 2015 Applications reviewed and scored

November 6, 2015 Applicants expected to be notified of award

November 16 , 2015 Awards finalized

November 18th, 2015 1st Grant Manager Phone/webinar meeting (3:30-4:30p.m.)

Dec 14, 2015, Jan 11, Feb

16, March 14, April 12, May

16, June 20, August 23, 2016

Grant Manager Phone/webinar Meetings (3:30-4:30p.m.)

December, 2015 Continuation Grants will use data to set Equity Goals

January, 2016Report on results from 1st round Regional Promise Grants compiled for

Legislature

January 15, 2016 Equity Goals for continuation grants due to ODE

October 17, 2016 Interim Report and student/course data due

September, 2016 Schedule following year of grant manager meetings.

April 30, 2017 Notice of intent to use funds during the summer of 2017 due

May 1, 2017 Activity reporting deadline to create legislative report

June 30, 2017 Last day to expend funds (unless summer extension in place)

Aug 15, 2017 Last date to draw funds

August 31, 2017 Final grant report due


Required Application Sections(1) Application Cover Page – Complete and include the form provided in Appendix B.

(2) Statement of Commitment from Each Lead Organization – School District, Education Service District, Community College, University, Chair(s) and Consortia Leadership complete and sign the Statement of Commitment provided in Appendix B and include in the application.

(3) List of Additional Partners – Complete and include this form provided in the appendix.

(4) Application Narrative – Please refer to the specific format section listed as Application Narrative in the following section. This section should be about 5 pages for continuation grants and should be at least 5 pages for new consortia but should not exceed 15 pages.

(5) Budget Worksheet and Budget Narrative – The budget worksheet should clearly reflect activities in the grant and represent reasonable costs associated with the activities. Budget worksheets are provided in Appendix C. The budget narrative should provide clarity to the budget worksheet by describing how the amounts were determined. Major single expenditures should be itemized and linked to specific grant activities.

(6) Appendix – Not required, however, any supporting charts, graphs, and tables may be placed in the appendix and referenced in the Grant Narrative. A Logic Model is a useful tool for planning and may be submitted to ODE.

Format and Application Instructions for Submission 11-point font, Calibri Double spaced 1-inch margins on the sides, top, and bottom of 8½” by 11” paper 15 page narrative maximum, (excluding cover page, assurances, bibliography, and

budget template) No faxed applications Numbered pages

An electronic version of the completed application including a scanned copy of the signed Statement of Assurances and Statement of Commitment, in Word (.doc or .docx), or PDF format must be received by 5:00 pm on October 20, 2015. Please use the Secure File Transfer Process outlined below to submit the electronic version of the grant application.


Secure File Transfer Process – An electronic version of the complete application must be submitted to Joy Blackwell [email protected] using the Secure File Transfer system available on the ODE district website: https://district.ode.state.or.us/apps/xfers/. Follow the instructions provided on the secure file transfer website. Multiple files must be compressed (zipped) into a single folder for submission.

Please name the files as follows: the agency it is being submitted from, underscore, and Regional Promise Grant (ex. OregonESD_ RegionalPromiseGrant). Only complete applications submitted by the due date will be scored. Contact the ODE helpdesk at 503-947-5715 if you need assistance with the Secure File Transfer Process.

In addition to the digital version please send 3 hard copies of the grant application and original signed Statement of Assurances postmarked by October 20th to:

Oregon Department of EducationOffice of Learning255 Capitol Street NESalem, Oregon 97310-0203Attention: Joy Blackwell

Envelopes must be plainly marked: Request for Application—Regional Promise Grant


An electronic version of the Grant Application must be received by:

5:00 PM on October 20th, 2015

Three (3) hard copies of the Grant Application, must be received or postmarked by

October 20th, 2015

https://district.ode.state.or.us/apps/xfers/

mailto:[email protected]

IV. Application Narrative

Application Narrative Requirements

All ProposalsPurpose and Scope – One Page Please provide a one-page summary briefly describing the purpose and scope of this proposed project highlighting your region’s commitment and readiness. If the grant is selected for funding, this summary will be used in publications.

New Consortia Proposals OnlyN1) Vision, History and Context (7 points)

1. What is the long-term vision for expanding the five main components of the Regional Promise program (based on Eastern Promise’s five pillars -- equity, college going culture, accelerated college credit, cross sector partnerships and cross sector professional learning communities) and what steps will be taken towards realizing this vision? What evidence-based promising approaches do you anticipate using in order to achieve the goals and needs of the Regional Promise collaborative education model (e.g., educator professional development, student proficiency portfolios, collection and analysis of student performance data, etc.)?

2. What are the special attributes and resources in the Consortium that will enable this project to be effective? What does each member bring to the table and how will the history and relationships between members help achieve the project vision?

3. What is the history and context of education in your region that makes the building of the consortia and the implementation of the regional Promise collaborative model right for your partners?

N2) Community Demographics and Needs Analysis (7 points)1. Please identify the barriers you imagine encountering when implementing your

Regional Promise program and the strategies for overcoming them. Please include a description of support ODE can provide in helping overcome those barriers.

2. Also provide student and economic data that demonstrates postsecondary education opportunity gaps that Regional Promise will ameliorate relating to historically underserved and underrepresented population(s) in your region, specifically:

a. African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Hispanic/Latino and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander populations

b. Students with disabilitiesc. Economically disadvantaged populations.

All ProposalsPlease address each of the following sections in your grant narrative. If you are a continuation grant, describe where you will strengthen, grow, or modify your existing projects to address these areas. New projects should describe capacity, readiness, and a plan to produce outcomes in the following areas. Sustainability plans are required for all proposals which address continuation of the program after the life of the grant. The scoring rubrics are a useful tool when


writing the application (New Consortia Scoring Rubric – Appendix D, Continuation Grant Scoring Rubric – Appendix E).

A. Supporting Regional Educational Improvement and Collaboration (7 pts) New Consortia and Continuation Grants:

How will the funds be used to reach the 40/40/20 goal by strengthening the relationships between organizations? How will the regional approach lead to sustainability? How does the project fit with other initiatives and priorities in the region?

How many students are expected to be impacted by the project during the 2015-2017 biennium (must be at least 10,000 students or for less populous regions, 50% or more of 5th -12th grade students in participating school districts)?

B. The Five Main Components of the Regional Promise Program (based on Eastern Promise’s five pillars)

1. Closing Opportunity Gaps and Funding Services to Historically Underrepresented Students (7 points)Across the state of Oregon there are still significant opportunity gaps that exist within and across school districts, particularly when analyzing postsecondary educational participation and attainment levels of degrees and industry recognized certificates. Grant recipients will be expected to make target goals and track success.New Consortia: a. Describe specific strategies to address historic opportunity gaps and increase

the diversity of students participating in accelerated learning opportunities. b. How will local communities and families be engaged in reviewing the gaps

and developing solutions? c. How will resource allocation and strategic investment of grant funds impact

these historically underrepresented groups? How will data be monitored to ensure that progress is made?

Continuation Grants: a. What strategies will be used to decrease historic opportunity gaps and increase

the diversity of students participating in accelerated college credit opportunities? How will the continuation grant build upon the past successes and lessons learned? How will resource allocation and strategic investment of grant funds impact these historically underrepresented groups?

b. What barriers, encountered during the first round of funding, will be targeted for elimination during this round of funding? (Continuation grants will be provided data in December2015 and will be expected to submit to ODE in January, 2016 target goals for reducing opportunity gaps)

2. Fostering a College-Going Culture (7 points) Offering accelerated college credit courses is not enough. Often the students who participate are the ones who would attend college without the programs. To promote high expectations for all students there is a need to involve the


community and shift the culture of schools. Fostering a college-going culture should begin in the middle grades or earlier and refers to “…the environment, attitudes, and practices in schools and communities that encourage students and their families to obtain the information, tools, and perspective to enhance access to and success in post-secondary education"4 Successful Promise Sites provide an array of services including outreach to families, engagement of school counselors, connections to careers and career planning, advising support services, financial literacy and/or planning, and college success courses, which may or may not be offered for dual credit. Successful projects focus on instruction and interventions that help all students build the academic foundation for post-secondary learning.New Consortia: Describe your plans for building a college-going culture across the region. Detail a plan for one or more programs servicing students, beginning in middle grades or earlier, that:a. Helps students learn about options for their future, careers and the education

they require;b. Conveys the expectation that all students can prepare for the opportunity to

attend and be successful in post-secondary education; andc. Ensures schools, families, and communities give students the same message of

high expectations for their future and that programming is culturally responsive.

d. Programing includes interventions and school structures that ensures a strong academic foundation and prepares students for taking college level courses.

e. Includes a sustainability plan for how these activities will be supported after the grant.

Continuation Grants: a. Describe any expansions or changes to the work in your region around

building a college-going culture. b. Identify any new target audiences or strategies. c. Describe how these activities will be supported after the lifetime of the grant.

3. Providing a Variety of Accelerated College Credit Opportunities (7 points) One size accelerated college course does not fit all schools and all students. Best practice is to offer a variety of types of courses through different delivery methods. Accelerated college credit opportunities promoted by this project can range from on-campus experiences to dual credit courses at the high school offered in-person, online, or through other innovative strategies. They can include Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and other proficiency-based opportunities. They should be offered in a variety of subject areas including Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses. All of them should ensure academic rigor and transferability and include supports for students and specific instruction around the knowledge, skills and behaviors necessary to be successful in college-level coursework. It is expected that if and when new standards for accelerated college credit are adopted by the Higher Education

4 Definition from: http://collegetools.berkeley.edu/resources.php?cat_id=6


Coordinating Committee all Regional Promise sites will make every effort to meet these new standards as soon as possible. Consortia should create systems to advise students and ensure that accelerated college credits earned are purposeful and support the student’s education plan and profile.New Consortia: a. Describe the models and types of accelerated college courses your consortium

will be offering, and how the consortium will ensure that models are consistent with evolving standards of the Higher Education Coordinating Commission that are designed to ensure full transferability of credits earned through new accelerated learning approaches.

b. What supports will be in place to help students succeed? How will the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in college be incorporated?

c. What guidance systems will be in place to advise students on earning intentional credits that support their education plan and profile?

d. Describe specific strategies to address historic opportunity gaps and increase the diversity of students participating in accelerated learning opportunities.

e. How will you track the students participating in accelerated college credit courses, which courses are being offered, and which teachers are becoming eligible to teach these courses through the grant?

f. What is your sustainability plan for offering these opportunities after the life of the grant?

Continuation Grants: a. Describe your plans to expand and improve the accelerated college credit

courses offered in your region. Describe the models and types of accelerated college courses your consortium is offering, and how the consortium is ensuring that models are consistent with evolving state standards of the Higher Education Coordinating Commission that are designed to ensure the full transferability of credits earned through new accelerated learning approaches.

b. What supports will be in place to help students succeed? How will the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in college be incorporated?

c. What guidance systems will be in place to advise students on earning intentional credits that support their education plan and profile?

d. Address how you will use data from the first round of funding to inform changes in your practices and promote a decrease in the opportunity gap.

e. How will you track the students participating in accelerated college credit courses, which courses are being offered, and which teachers are becoming eligible to teach these courses through the grant?

f. What is your sustainability plan for offering these opportunities after the life of the grant?

4. Cross-sector Collaboration (Education Service Districts, School Districts, and Post-Secondary Institutions) (7points)Successful Regional Promise sites have had strong support and involvement from key leadership in each sector. A best practice is to have key leadership participate in meetings at least twice a year and demonstrate commitment through


communication within their sector and institution. While each partner is engaged as an equal, one organization may be designated as the backbone agency --coordinating the work. To optimally promote alignment across the education spectrum, it is important that both community colleges and 4-year universities play a role in the Consortia. Competitive priority will be given to projects that involve both a local community college and a 4-year university. New Consortia: a. Who are the participating partners? What are the leadership and

communication structures for the consortium? b. What strategies will be used to drive systemic changes both through

leadership and through grassroots organization? c. If your consortium is missing one of the higher education sectors (two and

four-year institutions), describe your plans for securing future engagement from the missing sector, including steps the consortium will take to improve the likelihood that college credit earned through the Regional Promise program is fully recognized and accepted by the missing sector.

d. How will the collaboration be sustained beyond the grant period?Continuation Grants: a. Describe any changes to the partners involved in the project from your 2013-

15 Regional Promise consortia. b. How are key leaders from each institution involved, and what are the ongoing

communication strategies across institutions and sectors? c. If your consortium is missing one of the higher education sectors (two and

four-year institutions), describe your plans for securing future engagement from the missing sector, including steps the consortium will take to improve the likelihood that college credit earned through the Regional Promise program is fully recognized and accepted by the missing sector.

d. What systemic changes will be made to ensure sustainability of the collaboration beyond the grant period?

5. Creating and Expanding Cross-Sector Professional Learning Communities (PLC) (7 points)Alignment between K-12 and higher education in terms of expectations and outcomes of student learning is an important outcome of the Regional Promise Programs. Building collegial relationships and ongoing dialogues around content knowledge, appropriate curriculum, instruction, and shared assessment parameters to measure outcomes is a priority. The PLC should track how the alignment work is shared into K-12 courses beyond any accelerated college courses and how it is communicated into higher education. A representative of the PLC should be willing to meet annually with like content areas across the state to help promote transparency and coherence. Professional learning communities should include school counselors and student support professionals. New Consortia: a. Demonstrate a capacity to create cross-sector professional learning

communities; including faculty from post-secondary institution(s) and teachers from and ESD/high schools of like disciplines.


b. What strategies will your region use to get support for the alignment work in all sectors? How will the learning communities be structured?

c. How will the work of the PLC be shared into the K-12 system (strong pathways to prepare students for college level courses), and how will the work of the PLC be communicated back to the postsecondary community?

d. What structures will be built to promote sustainability of the work?Continuation Grants: e. How will you expand and continue the work of your professional learning

communities? f. How will the work of the PLC be shared into the K-12 system (strong

pathways to prepare students for college level courses), and how will the work of the PLC be communicated back to the postsecondary community?

g. What structures will be built to promote sustainability of the work?

All ProposalsC. Outcomes, Activities and Timeline (Project Planning) (7 points)

Describe the intended outcomes and specific activities associated with the attainment of each project outcome. The description of each activity must include a statement of rationale that clarifies the connection between the activity and the outcome (theory of action). Include a timeline for each activity that will lead to completion of the project by June 30, 2017.

D. Evaluation (7 points)Describe how the success of this specific project will be evaluated against each identified project outcome and how data will be collected. Evaluation data can be descriptive and/or numeric, but must be systematically collected. Although the full impact of the project may not be observable for several years, this evaluation should identify how progress can be observed within the duration of the grant.

E. Budget Worksheet and Budget Narrative (7 points)1. Complete a budget worksheet5 for the project. There is no requirement for matching

funds, however, contributions of private funds and in-kind donations of time and materials will be considered as indicators of support by partners. A donation of time should be calculated based on the cost for an institution or organization to hire someone to fulfill those responsibilities. Please only list matching funds, including in-kind donations, that have been committed for the development and implementation of this project.

2. In the Budget Narrative describe how the amount in each line item of the budget was determined. These should clearly reflect the descriptions to the proposed activities. Major single expenditures exceeding $1,000 should be itemized and linked to the specific grant activities. Also, include the following:

Identify roles and responsibilities for each individual with a salary funded partially or entirely though this grant.

Identify the nature of any contracted services included in the professional and technical services.

5 See Appendix C for worksheet.


Expectations:The Consortia selected for the Regional Promise Grant will assign a grant coordinator to oversee the project and who will act as a primary contact with ODE. The grant coordinator will be expected to attend monthly phone meetings, host a visit to the project, and coordinate participation in visiting other programs across the state. They will share ideas, practices, and resources with grant participants. The grant coordinator’s time may be supported with grant funds. Please provide the name, title, organizational affiliation, and contact information of the grant coordinator on Appendix B.

It is expected that representatives from content area PLCs will be willing to participate in statewide content discussions and share their work with others. Plan travel allowance for several statewide meetings in grant budget. Most likely these meeting will be around core content classes outlined in the Oregon Transfer Module.


Appendix ADefinitions

(1) “Consortium” means the equal partnership developed to form the cross-sector collaboration between eligible educational institutions.

(2) “Postsecondary Institution” means: A community college operated under ORS chapter 341 or, The following public universities:

University of Oregon Oregon State University Portland State University Oregon Institute of Technology Western Oregon University Southern Oregon University Eastern Oregon University Oregon Health and Science University

An Oregon-based accredited not-for-profit institution of higher education

(3) “Significant population” means to serve the majority of underserved students within the consortium’s region.

(4) “Underserved student” means a student (English language learner, student of color, students experiencing poverty, or a student with disabilities) who has not historically taken high school accelerated courses and may not have considered enrolling in a post-secondary education program.

(5) “Variety” means students having access to a choice of courses offered in different forums (which include but are not limited to distance learning, high school campus, college campus, by proficiency assessment or through credit for prior learning) that are eligible for transfer.

(6) “Opportunity Gap” means the gap in opportunities that often exists between students who are experiencing poverty, students with disabilities, students learning English as a second language, African American, Hispanic or Native American when compared to their peers who do not share these characteristics. This can often lead to a gap in achievement (state test scores in reading, writing, and mathematics as well as diploma and post-secondary degree attainment).

(7) “Equity Lens” refers to the commitment and principles adopted by the Oregon Education Investment Board to address inequities of access, opportunity, interest, and attainment for underserved and underrepresented populations in all current and future strategic investments.


Appendix B

APPLICATION COVER PAGE (Please Print or Type – All Fields Must Be Completed)

REQUESTED FUNDING

TOTAL # OF STUDENTS THAT WILL BE SERVED:

TOTAL # OF PARTNERS IN CONSORTIUM:

Name of Consortium:

Name of one or more Oregon post-secondary institutions (with at least one public):

Name of one or more Education Service District(s):

Names of three or more School District(s):

Non-Profit Organization(s) (if applicable):

County or Counties represented in Consortium:

Grant Coordinator:

Title:

Organizational affiliation:

Email:

Phone:


Project Director:

Mailing Address:

City:

Phone: State: Zip:

Grant Fiscal Manager:

Mailing Address:

City:

Phone: State: Zip:

2015-2017 Statement of Assurances

The fiscal agent assures and certifies compliance with the regulations, policies, and requirements as they relate to the acceptance and use of state funds for programs included in this application.

The recipient or the senior designate agrees to carry out the partnerships and use of funding as proposed in the application.

The Regional Promise Site project director will submit an interim evaluation report on or before August 31, 2016, an activities report for the legislature May 1, 2017, and an end of grant report on or before August 31, 2017 to the Oregon Department of Education as outlined in the RFA, will submit student- and course-level data for impact evaluation purposes, will set target goals for addressing the opportunity gap, and understands that there may be additional reporting necessary during legislative session.

The Regional Promise Site grant coordinator will participate in monthly phone meetings and act as a liaison between state work and the regional project.

Professional Learning Community leads will be willing to attend a statewide meeting in their content area to talk about alignment issues.

All materials developed with grant funds will be shared with ODE and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution license.

Violations of the rules or laws may result in sanctions, which may include but are not limited to reduction or revocation of grant award.

The fiscal agent is responsible for adopting and adhering to the Equity Lens and their principles throughout the grant implementation process.

The applicant certifies that to the best of his/her knowledge the information in this application is correct; that the filing of this application is duly authorized by the governing body of this organization, or institution, and that the applicant will comply with the general statement of assurances.

The applicant certifies to the best of his/her knowledge the guidelines for Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) are being followed; FERPA is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records.

Please Print Name of Project Director Signature of Project Director Date


https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Statement of Commitment from Partners (Please Print or Type)

Partner Institution Name:

Partner Type: (ESD, post-secondary institution, school district, non-profit):

Name: Title:

Mailing Address:

City: State: Zip:

Phone: FAX: E-mail:

Please explain the role of this partner in the Regional Promise Site Plan, contributions that this partner will make, and evidence that the proposed activities are integral to this partnership’s plan:Describe what supports this stakeholder will provide to enhance the collaborative education model. Please provide a statement of commitment and contribution to the Regional Promise project resources (financial, in-kind, materials, expertise, etc.) that may continue beyond the life of the grant.

Print Name of Authorized Agent Signature of Authorized Agent Date


List of Additional PartnersRegional Promise Consortium*

The following individuals and/or organizations have reviewed, discussed, and agreed to their part in implementing the Regional Promise Project as proposed in this grant application:

Name Title Organization Role/Responsibilities

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

*In addition, a signed commitment form is required from each of the following stakeholders: Education Service District School District(s) Public or Private Post-secondary Institution(s) Nonprofit Organization(s)


Appendix C

Sample Regional Promise Budget WorksheetPlease modify as needed.

Project Name: _______________________________________________________________

Fiscal Agent:

________________________________________________________________

Possible Grant Charges

Object Codes if necessary

In-School Programing

(Expenditures NOT related

to Staff Development)

Out-of-School Programing

(Expenditures NOT related to

Staff Development)

Staff Development Line Total

Anticipated Matching

FundsStaff Salaries Staff Benefits Instructional and Professional Services In-State Travel Curriculum development and access costStudent and Parent information forumsOther general Professional & Technical Services Supplies & Materials Non-Consumable Items Computer Software Computer Hardware Capital Outlay (Depreciable Technology) Administrative Costs @3- 5 %

Total by Function


http://www.ode.state.or.us/services/ssf/finance/budgetacctg/2012-pbam-manual.pdf

Appendix D

Regional Promise Grant Scoring Guide – New Grants

Sections/Prompts High Scoring Response – 7, 6 Middle Scoring Response – 5, 4, 3 Low Scoring Response – 2, 1

(N1) Vision, History and Context (1) What is the long-term vision for expanding the 5 main components of the Regional Promise program and what steps will be taken towards realizing this vision? What evidence-based promising approaches do you anticipate using in order to achieve the goals and needs of the Regional Promise collaborative education model (e.g., educator professional development, student proficiency portfolios, collection and analysis of student performance data, etc.)?

(2) What are the special attributes and resources in the Consortium that will enable this project to be effective? What does each member bring to the table and how will the history and relationships between members help achieve the project vision?

(3) What is the history and context of education in your region that makes the building of the consortia and the implementation of the regional Promise collaborative model right for your partners?

1) The long-term vision clearly identifies a Consortium design that includes all 5 main components of the Regional Promise collaborative model (equity, college going culture, accelerated college credit, cross sector partnerships and cross sector professional learning communities). The implementation plan is well-articulated and outlines a clear plan to achieve the vision. Evidence-based practices are fully described and align with the vision.

2) The proposal describes the special attributes and resources of consortium members and discusses how those attributes and resources will help achieve the vision described.

3) The proposal describes the history and context of their region and explains how the Regional Promise program fits the needs of the region and partners and the readiness of the partners to implement the project.

1) The long-term vision of the Consortium design includes 3 or 4, but not all of the 5 main components of the Regional Promise collaborative model (equity, college going culture, accelerated college credit, cross sector partnerships and cross sector professional learning communities). The implementation plan is included but does not clearly outline a path to achieving the vision. Evidence based practices are partially described or only partially align with the vision.

2) The proposal describes special attributes and resources of consortium members but doesn’t fully articulate how these attributes and resources will help achieve the vision.

3) The proposal describes the regional history and context but doesn’t clearly define the need for the project in their region or full readiness to implement the project.

1) The long-term vision of the Consortium design do not include more than 2 key elements of the Regional Promise collaborative model. The implementation plan is not present or does not connect to the vision. The proposal does not describe evidence-based practices that align to the vision.

2) The proposal doesn’t describe the resources and special attributes of the consortium or how these resources and attributes will help achieve the vision.

3) The proposal does not identify the need for the project or demonstrate readiness to implement the project.

23



(N2) Community Demographics and Needs Analysis (1) Please identify the barriers you imagine encountering when implementing your Regional Promise program and the strategies for overcoming them. Please include a description of support ODE can provide in helping overcome those barriers.

(2) Also provide student and economic data that demonstrates postsecondary education opportunity gaps that Regional Promise will ameliorate relating to historically underserved and underrepresented population(s) in your region, specifically:African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Hispanic/Latino and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander populations; Students with disabilities; Economically disadvantaged populations.

1) The proposal clearly identifies anticipated barriers and detailed strategies for overcoming barriers including specific support the state can provide.

2) The barrier and intervention strategies clearly align to relevant student and economic data and will lead to the achievement of historically underserved and underrepresented student populations including African American, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Hispanic/Latino, Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander populations as well as students with disabilities.

1) The proposal somewhat identifies anticipated barriers and some strategies for overcoming barriers including some support the state can provide.

2) The barrier and intervention strategies somewhat align to relevant student and economic data and may lead to the achievement of historically underserved and underrepresented student populations including African American, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Hispanic/Latino, Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander populations as well as students with disabilities.

1) The proposal does not identify anticipated barriers and gives no strategies for overcoming barriers including no support the state can provide.

2) The barrier and intervention strategies do not align to relevant student and economic data and will not lead to the achievement of historically underserved and underrepresented student populations including African American, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Hispanic/Latino, Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander populations as well as students with disabilities.

24

Regional Promise Grant Scoring Guide- New Grants


(A) Supporting Regional Educational Improvement and Collaboration

1) How will the funds be used to reach the 40/40/20 goal by strengthening the relationships between organizations? How will the regional approach lead to sustainability? How does the project fit with other initiatives and priorities in the region?

2) How many students are expected to be impacted by the project during the 2015-2017 biennium6

1) The regional approach is clearly described and the proposal addresses how the project will use the consortium model to achieve the 40-40-20 goal. The proposal describes other educational initiatives in their region and explains how this project complements and supports the work of the other initiatives and priorities of the region.

2) The number of students impacted is expected to meet or exceed the minimum criteria.

1) The regional approach is addressed and the proposal explains how some partners will help to achieve the 40-40-20 goal. The proposal describes other regional initiatives, but doesn’t clearly describe how this project complements and supports the other regional priorities.

2) The number of students impacted is expected to meet the minimum criteria.

1) The proposal does not take a regional approach or does not describe how the project will help achieve the 40-40-20 goal. The proposal does not make connections between this project and other important education initiatives and priorities in the region.

2) The number of students impacted is not expected to meet the minimum criteria.

(B1) Closing Opportunity Gaps and Funding Services to Historically Underrepresented Students 1) Describe specific culturally responsive strategies to address historic opportunity gaps and increase the diversity of students participating in accelerated learning opportunities. 2) How will local communities and families be engaged in reviewing these opportunity gaps and developing solutions? 3) How will resource allocation and strategic investment of grant funds

1) The proposal clearly describes specific culturally responsive, evidence- based strategies to increase the diversity of students participating in accelerated learning opportunities (particularly college credit courses).

2) As part of the proposal there is a comprehensive plan to engage local communities and families that accounts for the cultural diversity of the region.

3) The project clearly is allocating

1) The proposal describes strategies to increase the diversity of students participating in accelerated learning opportunities, but strategies are generic, or not specific, or don’t address cultural responsiveness.

2) There is some plan to engage communities and families but it may not be clear or complete and may not address the cultural diversity of the region.

3) The allocation of resources to

1) The proposal does not specifically have strategies that will increase the diversity of students participating in accelerated learning opportunities. 2) Communities and families are not included in the plan and there is not attention to the cultural diversity of the region.

3) There is no clear and specific allocation of resources for narrowing the opportunity gap or monitoring progress on this goal.

6Students served must be at least 10,000 students or for less populous regions, 50% or more of 5th -12th grade students in participating school districts?25

impact these historically underrepresented groups? How will data be monitored to ensure that progress is made?

resources specifically targeted to narrowing the opportunity gap and has a plan to monitor progress on this goal.

narrowing the opportunity gap and plan to monitor progress is not fully developed.

(B2) Fostering a College-Going Culture Describe your plans for building a college-going culture across the region. Detail a plan for one or more programs servicing students, beginning in middle grades or earlier, that:

1) Helps students learn about options for their future, careers and the education they require;2) Conveys the expectation that all students can prepare for the opportunity to attend and be successful in post-secondary education; and3) Ensures schools, families, and communities give students the same message of high expectations for their future. 4) Programing includes interventions and school structures that ensures a strong academic foundation and prepares students for taking college level courses.5) Includes a sustainability plan for how these activities will be supported after the lifetime of the grant.

1) The proposal includes a detailed plan for providing one or more programs that help students learn about their strengths and interests and explore careers. These programs start in middle school or earlier. The proposal describes how the program helps students set career goals and understand the education needed to reach their goals.

2/3) There is a plan in the proposal to build a school and community culture that embraces the expectation that all students can attend and be successful in post-secondary education. The plan involves, in a culturally responsive way, families and communities in promoting the college going culture.

4) There are programs or school structures described that will help prepare students for taking college level courses.

5) The proposal includes a feasible plan to continue the planned college going culture activities after the life of the grant.

1-3) The proposal includes a plan for providing one or more programs that help student learn about their strengths and interests and explore careers. The programs seem vague and may not include a plan to build a school and community culture that embraces the expectation that all students can attend and be successful in post-secondary education or may not include plans to involve families and communities in promoting the college going culture. The proposal may not fully describe the cultural context of involving families and communities.

4) There may be limited explanation of how the schools and programs will help prepare student for taking college level courses.

5) The proposal somewhat addresses the sustainability of the college-going culture programs.

1/2) The proposal does not clearly explain college-going culture programs or may not include more than one of the bullet points in the prompt.

3)There is no attention to a culturally responsive approach to involving communities and families.

4) The proposal includes limited or no explanation of the activities that will help prepare students for taking college level courses.

5) The proposal does not address sustainability of the college-going culture plan.

(B3) Providing a Variety of Accelerated College Credit

1) The proposal includes a complete description of the model and types

1) The proposal includes a description of the model and types

1) There is not a clear model of how the consortium will offer a variety of

26

Opportunities1) Describe the models and types of accelerated college courses your consortium will be offering, and how the consortium will ensure that models are consistent with evolving standards of the Higher Education Coordinating Commission that are designed to ensure full transferability of credits earned through new accelerated learning approaches.2) What supports will be in place to help students succeed? How will the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in college be incorporated? 3) What guidance systems will be in place to advise students on earning intentional credits that support their education plan and profile? 4) Describe specific strategies to address historic opportunity gaps and increase the diversity of students participating in accelerated learning opportunities.5) How will you track the students participating in accelerated college credit courses, which courses are being offered, and which teachers are becoming eligible to teach these courses through the grant? 6) What is your sustainability plan for offering these opportunities?

of accelerated college courses the consortium will offer. There are plans to offer several types of accelerated college course being offered (dual credit, AP, etc.). The proposal offers a clear plan of how the consortium will ensure full transferability of credit earned and evolve as standards are developed by the HECC.

2/3) There is a description of a comprehensive guidance system to ensure students are earning credits that support their educational goals and supports to help students succeed. The proposal addresses specifically how the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in college be incorporated.

4) The proposal addresses strategies specifically designed to increase participation in accelerated college courses by students historically not participating in these courses.

5) The proposal includes a complete plan for tracking teachers trained by the grant, courses offered, and participating students.

6) The proposal includes a reasonable plan for sustaining these courses after the grant.

of accelerated college courses the consortium will offer. There is assurance that consortium will ensure full transferability of credit and align to the HECC standards, but not include a plan for how to do this.

2/3) There is a plan to help guide student course taking and some steps toward addressing the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in college.

4) There is a discussion of strategies to increase participation of historically underrepresented students but it is not specific.

5) There is plan for tracking teachers, courses, and students that are part of the grant but it may not be complete.

6) There is a sustainability plan for continuing these courses after the life of the grant.

accelerated college programs. There is little or no mention of transferability or aligning to HECC standards.

2/3) There is little to no discussion of how students will be guided to intentional course taking aligned to their education goals and little to no discussion of the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in college will be incorporated. 4) There is little to no discussion of how historically underserved students will be encouraged to participate in the college credit courses.

5) There is an incomplete plan or no plan to track teachers, courses, and students participating in the grant.

6) There is no sustainability plan.

(B4) Cross-sector Collaboration1) Who are the participating partners? What are the leadership

1/2) The proposal lists the partners and describes how the leadership of each partner institution will work

1/2) There is a list of partners and a plan for leadership to work together. There is a

1/2) There is not a clear plan of how leadership of the partners will work together. There is a weak or

27

and communication structures for the consortium? 2) What strategies will be used to drive systemic changes both through leadership and through grassroots organization? 3) If your consortium is missing one of the higher education sectors (two and four-year institutions), describe your plans for securing future engagement from the missing sector, including steps the consortium will take to improve the likelihood that college credit earned through the Regional Promise program is fully recognized and accepted by the missing sector.4) How will the collaboration be sustained beyond the grant period?

together. There is a strong communication plan described that includes both leadership and grassroots communication strategies.

3) If the consortium is missing one of the higher education sectors (two and four-year institutions), there is a plausible understandable plan for securing future engagement from the missing sector, including steps the consortium will take to improve the likelihood that college credit earned through the Regional Promise program is fully recognized and accepted by the missing sector.

4) There is a clear description of how the partnerships will be sustained beyond the life of the grant.

communication plan that includes either leadership or grassroots strategies.

3) If the consortium is missing one of the higher education sectors (two and four-year institutions), there is a plan for securing future engagement from the missing sector. There may be gaps in the plan or unclear steps of how the consortium will take to improve the likelihood that college credit earned through the Regional Promise program is fully recognized and accepted by the missing sector.

4) There is a description of how the partnerships will be sustained beyond the life of the grant.

nonexistent communication plan.

3) If the consortium is missing one of the higher education sectors (two and four-year institutions), there is no plan for securing future engagement from the missing sector or ensuring transferability of credit.

4) There is a weak or nonexistent sustainability plan.

(B5) Creating and Expanding Cross-Sector Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)1) Demonstrate a capacity to create cross-sector professional learning communities; including faculty from post-secondary institution(s) and teachers from and ESD/high schools of like disciplines. 2) What strategies will your region use to get support for the alignment work in all sectors? How will the learning communities be structured? 3) How will the work of the PLC be shared into the K-12 system (strong pathways to prepare students for

1) The proposal clearly describes the capacity and readiness to implement cross-sector professional learning communities.

2) The proposal includes several strategies to build support for the alignment work in all sectors.

3) The proposal describes the structure of the PLCs, how they will function, and how the alignment work will be shared into the K-12 schools and communicated back into the higher education community.

1) The proposal describes capacity and readiness to implement cross-sector professional learning communities.

2) The proposal includes strategies to build support for the alignment work in some sectors.

3) The proposal describes the PLCs and mentions how alignment work will be shared in either K-12 or higher education.

4) The proposal describes a plan to become sustainable.

1) The proposal does not demonstrate a readiness or capacity to effectively implement cross-sector professional learning communities.

2) The proposal does not address building support for the alignment work across sectors.

3) It is unclear how the PLCs will be structured or how the alignment work will be shared in K-12 and higher education.

4) The proposal does not address sustainability.

28

college level courses), and how will the work of the PLC be communicated back to the postsecondary community? 4) What structures will be built to promote sustainability of the work?

4) The proposal describes how the PLC work will be built into the structures of the partner organizations and become sustainable.



(C) Outcomes, Activities, and Timeline (Project Planning)Describe the intended outcomes and specific activities associated with the attainment of each project outcome. The description of each activity must include a statement of rationale that clarifies the connection between the activity and the outcome (theory of action). Include a timeline for each activity that will lead to completion of the project by June 30, 2017

All activities are clearly connected to the vision and goals of the grant program and the outcomes listed in the proposal. The rationale for the project design and activities supports those connections.

The timeline leads to completion of the project including reporting deadlines

Connections between activities, vision, goals, and outcomes in the grant as well as the rationale for those activities can be inferred.

The timeline leads to completion of the project but may be missing some detail.

The connections between the vision, goals, outcomes, and activities in the grant are missing at times.

The timeline includes major project milestones but lacks many specifics.

D) EvaluationDescribe how the success of this specific project will be evaluated against each identified project outcome and how data will be collected. Evaluation data can be descriptive and/or numeric, but must be systematically collected. Although the full impact of the project may not be observable for several years, this evaluation should identify how progress can be observed within the duration of the grant.

The evaluation plan addresses all of the outcomes and their progress markers identified in the grant.

The evaluation methods and instruments (e.g. student surveys, state testing, Career Readiness Certificate, or technical skill assessments) have been identified and will be used to systematically collect data that can demonstrate attainment of the outcomes.

The evaluation plan addresses most of the outcomes and their progress markers identified in the grant.

Some evaluation methods and instruments have been identified and are tied to the outcomes.

The evaluation plan few of the outcomes and their progress markers identified in the grant.

There is little indication that specific methods or instruments will be used to conduct an evaluation.

29

E) Budget Worksheet and NarrativeComplete a budget worksheet7 for the project.

In the Budget Narrative describe how the amount in each line item of the budget was determined. These should clearly reflect the descriptions to the proposed activities. Major single expenditures exceeding $1,000 should be itemized and linked to the specific grant activities. Also, include the following: Identify roles and

responsibilities for each individual with a salary funded partially or entirely though this grant.

Identify the nature of any contracted services included in the professional and technical services.

The proposed budget is reasonable and appropriate for the scope of the proposed biennium partnership.

The budget worksheet and budget narrative align with the design, activities and outcomes in the proposal including sustainability and clearly describe how state funds will be leveraged by private or in-kind resources and other support.

The roles and responsibilities for each individual with a salary funded from the grant are fully explained

The proposed budget is somewhat reasonable and appropriate for the scope of the proposed biennium partnership.

The budget worksheet and budget narrative somewhat align with the design, activities and outcomes in the proposal including sustainability and somewhat describe how state funds will be leveraged by private or in-kind resources and other support.

The roles and responsibilities for each individual with a salary funded from the grant are somewhat explained

The proposed budget is not reasonable or appropriate for the scope of the proposed biennium partnership.

The budget worksheet and budget narrative do not align with the design, activities and outcomes in the proposal including sustainability and do not clearly describe how state funds will be leveraged by private or in-kind resources and other support.

The roles and responsibilities for each individual with a salary funded from the grant are not explained

7 See Appendix C for worksheet.30

Competitive Priority Questions:1) Do the proposed partners in this consortium include both a community college and a 4-year university? _______

a) If so, does the community college and 4-year university have a campus within 150 miles of the ESD? ______

2) Overall, how would you rate the consortium’s ability to sustain the program after the grant? (1 not likely to 10 extremely likely to sustain activities) ____b) Please explain your rating:

3) Do you have any concerns about the following aspects of the proposed project? Please mark yes or no. If yes, please describe your concerns.a) The project? ___Yes ___ No

Please explain:b) The partners? ___Yes ___ No

Please explain:

4) What are the most positive components of the proposal?

5) What are the most concerning aspects of the proposal?

31

Appendix E

Continuation Grants -Regional Promise Scoring Guide


(A) Supporting Regional Educational Improvement and Collaboration

1) How will the funds be used to reach the 40/40/20 goal by strengthening the relationships between organizations? How will the regional approach lead to sustainability? How does the project fit with other initiatives and priorities in the region?

2) How many students are expected to be impacted by the project during the 2015-2017 biennium8

1) The regional approach is clearly described and the proposal addresses how the project will use the consortium model to achieve the 40-40-20 goal. The proposal describes other educational initiatives in their region and explains how this project complements and supports the work of the other initiatives and priorities of the region.

2) The number of students impacted is expected to meet or exceed the minimum criteria.

1) The regional approach is addressed and the proposal explains how some partners will help to achieve the 40-40-20 goal. The proposal describes other regional initiatives, but doesn’t clearly describe how this project complements and supports the other regional priorities.

2) The number of students impacted is expected to meet the minimum criteria.

1) The proposal does not take a regional approach or does not describe how the project will help achieve the 40-40-20 goal. The proposal does not make connections between this project and other important education initiatives and priorities in the region.

2) The number of students impacted is not expected to meet the minimum criteria.

(B1) Closing Opportunity Gaps and Funding Services to Historically Underrepresented Students 1) What strategies will be used to decrease historic opportunity gaps and increase the diversity of students participating in accelerated college credit opportunities? How will the continuation grant build upon the past successes and lessons learned? How will resource allocation and strategic investment of grant funds impact these historically underrepresented groups? 2) What barriers, encountered during the first round of funding,

1) The proposal clearly describes specific culturally responsive, evidence- based strategies to increase the diversity of students participating in accelerated learning opportunities (particularly college credit courses). The proposal describes how previous work will be modified or expanded to reach the equity goal. The project clearly is allocating resources specifically targeted to narrowing the opportunity gap.

2) The proposal identifies barriers encountered during the 13-15 biennium and has a clear plan for

1) The proposal describes strategies to increase the diversity of students participating in accelerated learning opportunities, but strategies are generic, not specific, or don’t fully address cultural responsiveness. The proposal describes how previous work will be modified or expanded but it isn’t clearly tied to the equity goal. The allocation of resources to narrowing the opportunity gap is not fully developed.

2) The proposal identifies barriers encountered during the 13-15 biennium and has a plan for

1) The proposal does not specifically have strategies that will increase the diversity of students participating in accelerated learning opportunities. The proposal does not build on the previous work. There is no clear and specific allocation of resources for narrowing the opportunity gap. 2) The proposal doesn’t identify barriers encountered during the 13-15 biennium or has no plan for removing them.

8Students served must be at least 10,000 students or for less populous regions, 50% or more of 5th -12th grade students in participating school districts?32

will be targeted for elimination during this round of funding? 9

removing barriers. removing barriers.

(B2) Fostering a College-Going Culture 1) Describe any expansions or changes to the work in your region around building a college-going culture. 2) Identify any new target audiences or strategies. 3) Describe how these activities will be supported after the lifetime of the grant.

1) The proposal includes a detailed plan to continue, expand, or change the work in the region around building a college-going culture.

2) If applicable, new target audiences are identified and clear strategies to engage these audiences are described.

3) The proposal includes a feasible plan to continue the planned college going culture activities after the life of the grant.

1) The proposal includes a plan to continue, expand, or change the work in the region around building a college-going culture.

2) If applicable, new target audiences are identified and strategies to engage these audiences are described.

3) The proposal somewhat addresses the sustainability of the college-going culture programs.

1) The proposal does not clearly explain college-going culture programs or may not include more than one of the bullet points in the prompt.

2) No new audiences are identified or if identified, there is no strategy suggested that would reach these audiences.

3) The proposal does not address sustainability of the college-going culture plan.

(B3) Providing a Variety of Accelerated College Credit Opportunities1) Describe your plans to expand and improve the accelerated college credit courses offered in your region. 2) Describe the models and types of accelerated college course your consortium is offering, and how the consortium is ensuring that models are consistent with evolving state standards of the Higher Education Coordinating Commission that are designed to ensure full transferability of credit earned.3) What supports will be in place to help students succeed? How will the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in college be incorporated?

1) The proposal includes a complete description of the consortium’s plans to expand and improve the accelerated college courses offered in the region.

2) The proposal includes a complete description of the model and types of accelerated college courses the consortium will offer. There are plans to offer several types of accelerated college course being offered (dual credit, AP, etc.). The proposal offers a clear plan of how the consortium will ensure full transferability of credit earned and evolve as standards are developed by the HECC.

3/4) There is a description of a

1) The proposal includes a description of the consortium’s plans to expand and improve the accelerated college courses offered in the region.

2) The proposal includes a description of the model and types of accelerated college courses the consortium will offer. There is assurance that consortium will ensure full transferability of credit and align to the HECC standards, but not include a plan for how to do this.

3/4) There is a plan to help guide student course taking and some steps toward incorporating the knowledge and skills necessary to

1) There is not a clear model of how the consortium will expand or improve the accelerated college courses offered in the region.

2) There is little or no mention of transferability or aligning to HECC standards.

3/4) There is little to no discussion of how students will be guided to intentional course taking aligned to their education goals and little to no discussion of how the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in college will be included.

5) There is little to no discussion of how historically underserved students will be encouraged to

9 Continuation grants will be provided data in December and expected to create target goals for reducing opportunity gaps that will be submitted to ODE in January, 201633

4) What guidance systems will be in place to advise students on earning intentional credits that support their education plan and profile? 5) Address how you will use data from the first round of funding to inform changes in your practices and promote a decrease in the opportunity gap. 6) How will you track the students participating in accelerated college credit courses, which courses are being offered, and which teachers are becoming eligible to teach these courses through the grant? 7) What is your sustainability plan for offering these opportunities?

comprehensive guidance system to ensure students are earning credits that support their educational goals and supports to help students succeed. The proposal addresses specifically the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in college will be included.

5) The proposal addresses strategies specifically designed to increase participation in accelerated college courses by students historically not participating in these courses.

6) The proposal includes a complete plan for tracking teachers trained by the grant, courses offered, and participating students.

7) The proposal includes a reasonable plan for sustaining these courses after the grant.

succeed in college.

5) There is a discussion of strategies to increase participation of historically underrepresented students but it is not specific.

6) There is plan for tracking teachers, courses, and students that are part of the grant but it may not be complete.

7) There is a sustainability plan for continuing these courses after the life of the grant.

participate in the college credit courses.

6) There is an incomplete plan or no plan to track teachers, courses, and students participating in the grant.

7) There is no sustainability plan.

(B4) Cross-sector Collaboration1) Describe any changes to the partners involved in the project from your 2013-15 Regional Promise consortium. 2) If your consortium is missing one of the higher education sectors (two and four-year institutions), describe your plans for securing future engagement from the missing sector, including steps the consortium will take to improve the likelihood that college credit earned through the Regional Promise program is fully recognized and accepted by the missing sector.

1) If applicable, the proposal describes changes to their consortium and a rationale for why the changes were made and their potential impact.

2) If the consortium is missing one of the higher education sectors (two and four-year institutions), there is a plausible understandable plan for securing future engagement from the missing sector, including steps the consortium will take to improve the likelihood that college credit earned through the Regional Promise program is fully recognized

1) If applicable, the proposal describes changes to their consortium.

2) If the consortium is missing one of the higher education sectors (two and four-year institutions), there is a plan for securing future engagement from the missing sector. There may be gaps in the plan or unclear steps of how the consortium will take to improve the likelihood that college credit earned through the Regional Promise program is fully recognized and accepted by the

1) If applicable, the proposal does not discuss changes made to the consortium.

2) If the consortium is missing one of the higher education sectors (two and four-year institutions), there is no plan for securing future engagement from the missing sector or ensuring transferability of credit.

3) There is not a clear plan of how leadership of the partners will work together. There is a weak or nonexistent communication plan.

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3) How are key leaders from each institution involved, and what are the ongoing communication strategies across institutions and sectors? 4) What systemic changes will be made to ensure sustainability of the collaboration beyond the grant period?

and accepted by the missing sector.

3) The proposal describes how the leadership of each partner institution will work together. There is a strong communication plan described that includes both leadership and grassroots communication strategies.

4) There is a clear description of how the partnerships will be sustained beyond the life of the grant.

missing sector.

3) There is a plan for leadership to work together. There is a communication plan that includes either leadership or grassroots strategies.

4) There is a description of how the partnerships will be sustained beyond the life of the grant.

4) There is a weak or nonexistent sustainability plan

(B5) Creating and Expanding Cross-Sector Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)

1) How will you expand and continue the work of your professional learning communities? 2) How will the work of the PLC be shared into the K-12 system (strong pathways to prepare students for college level courses), and how will the work of the PLC be communicated back to the postsecondary community? 3) What structures will be built to promote sustainability of the work?

1) The proposal clearly describes how the PLCs will continue or expand.

2) The proposal includes clear feasible strategies for disseminating the alignment work into the K-12 schools beyond the accelerated course and also strategies of how the alignment work will be communicated back into the higher education community.

3) The proposal describes how the PLC work will be built into the structures of the partner organizations and become sustainable.

1) The proposal describes how the PLCs will continue or expand.

2) The proposal includes strategies for disseminating the alignment work into the K-12 schools beyond the accelerated course and also strategies of how the alignment work will be communicated back into the higher education community.

3) The proposal describes a plan to become sustainable.

1) How the PLCs will continue or expand is unclear or seems unfeasible.

2) It is unclear how the PLCs will be structured or how the alignment work will be shared in K-12 and higher education.

3) The proposal does not address sustainability.

Continuation Grants -Regional Promise Scoring Guide


(C) Outcomes, Activities, and Timeline (Project Planning)

All activities are clearly connected to the vision and goals of the grant program

Connections between activities, vision, goals, and outcomes in the

The connections between the vision, goals, outcomes,

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Describe the intended outcomes and specific activities associated with the attainment of each project outcome. The description of each activity must include a statement of rationale that clarifies the connection between the activity and the outcome (theory of action). Include a timeline for each activity that will lead to completion of the project by June 30, 2017

and the outcomes listed in the proposal. The rationale for the project design and activities supports those connections.

The timeline leads to completion of the project including reporting deadlines

grant as well as the rationale for those activities can be inferred.

The timeline leads to completion of the project but may be missing some detail.

and activities in the grant are missing at times.

The timeline includes major project milestones but lacks many specifics.

D) EvaluationDescribe how the success of this specific project will be evaluated against each identified project outcome and how data will be collected. Evaluation data can be descriptive and/or numeric, but must be systematically collected. Although the full impact of the project may not be observable for several years, this evaluation should identify how progress can be observed within the duration of the grant.

The evaluation plan addresses all of the outcomes and their progress markers identified in the grant.

The evaluation methods and instruments (e.g. student surveys, state testing, Career Readiness Certificate, or technical skill assessments) have been identified and will be used to systematically collect data that can demonstrate attainment of the outcomes.

The evaluation plan addresses most of the outcomes and their progress markers identified in the grant.

Some evaluation methods and instruments have been identified and are tied to the outcomes.

The evaluation plan few of the outcomes and their progress markers identified in the grant.

There is little indication that specific methods or instruments will be used to conduct an evaluation.

E) Budget Worksheet and NarrativeComplete a budget worksheet10 for the project.

In the Budget Narrative describe how the amount in each line item of the budget was determined. These should clearly reflect the descriptions to the proposed activities. Major single expenditures exceeding $1,000 should be itemized and linked to the specific

The proposed budget is reasonable and appropriate for the scope of the proposed biennium partnership.

The budget worksheet and budget narrative align with the design, activities and outcomes in the proposal including sustainability and clearly describe how state funds will be leveraged by private or in-kind resources and other support.

The roles and responsibilities for each

The proposed budget is somewhat reasonable and appropriate for the scope of the proposed biennium partnership.

The budget worksheet and budget narrative somewhat align with the design, activities and outcomes in the proposal including sustainability and somewhat describe how state funds will be leveraged by private or in-kind resources and other support.

The proposed budget is not reasonable or appropriate for the scope of the proposed biennium partnership.

The budget worksheet and budget narrative do not align with the design, activities and outcomes in the proposal including sustainability and do not

10 See Appendix C for worksheet.36

grant activities. Also, include the following:1) Identify roles and responsibilities for each individual with a salary funded partially or entirely though this grant.2) Identify the nature of any contracted services included in the professional and technical services.

individual with a salary funded from the grant are fully explained The roles and responsibilities for each

individual with a salary funded from the grant are somewhat explained

clearly describe how state funds will be leveraged by private or in-kind resources and other support.

The roles and responsibilities for each individual with a salary funded from the grant are not explained

Competitive Priority Questions:1) Do the proposed partners in this consortium include both a community college and a 4-year university? _______

a) If so, does the community college and 4-year university have a campus within 150 miles of the ESD? ______

2) Overall, how would you rate the consortium’s ability to sustain the program after the grant? (1 not likely to 10 extremely likely to sustain activities) ____c) Please explain your rating:

3) Please rate the continuation grant’s work on each of the 5 major components on a scale from 1 to 10 with 10 representing complete success in a component. (Base your scores on the reports, visits, and other information you have. Please avoid hearsay from individuals not in the project influence your rating.)

1) Equity2) Cross-sector Partnerships3) Professional Learning Communities4) Creating a College-Going Culture5) Providing Accelerated college credit opportunities

Please explain:

4) What are the most positive components of the proposal? 5) What are the most concerning aspects of the proposal?

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