SECTION V -- PROCESS FOR EXAMINING THE GRANT APPLICATIONS

PROCESS FOR EXAMINING THE GRANT APPLICATIONS

Assurances
These assurances build the foundation for a school to move from study and research into the actual implementation of the school strategic plan grant.

The school’s study, planning, and implementation will be guided by a Distributed Leadership Team. This team consists of:

Staff representing various organizational units within the building
Parent and/or community members who communicate regularly with those stakeholders
Administrative staff
Students (where appropriate)

Staff and community participation in the research, study, and planning activities has been widespread.

Staff has read and understands four key documents:

Strategic Planning Process Handbook (this document)
District Strategic Plan

Grant Application

Gates Foundation Evaluation Requirements (evaluation activities link later in this checklist)

School agrees to participate in District initiatives (Lead Teachers). (See Strategic Planning and Implementation)

School agrees to complete all District and Gates Foundation evaluation activities. (See Evaluation Process for Strategic Planning & Implementation)

School agrees to complete the focus questions/data analysis activities identified in Conducting a Needs Assessment.

Using the template to be provided, school will describe the major ways that technology is currently deployed in your building to support teaching and learning.

All classified and certificated instructional staff will complete an instructional technology skill audit by using the Mankato.

School agrees to participate in appropriate technical assistance (or other) workshops designed to further the goals of the project.

What Process Will Be Used to Review Building Strategic Planning Grant Applications?

The strategic planning grant is reviewed by all members of the Gates Grant Advisory Committee. Each team member uses the scoring rubric (below) to award points. The rubric covers six elements with a 4-point scale for each element. The team will then arrive at a consensus score for each of the six areas and assign a total score to each application.

Based upon the total score, one of three actions will occur.

18 points or more. The strategic plan grant is approved. The strategic plan will go to the Gates Grant Steering Committee for final review and recommendation for funding. Schools may begin accessing the allocation for implementation.
14 – 17 points. The strategic plan grant needs some revision. The supervisor and the Project Coordinator will work with the school to make changes. The grant will be re-submitted when ready. The Project Coordinator will contact the members of the District Advisory Committee who read the grant and ask team members whether the changes are sufficient. If so, schools will be notified. The strategic plan will go to the Gates Grant Steering Committee for final review and recommendation for funding.
Less than 14 points. Applications will be returned with the scoring guides filled out by each team member, as well as the consensus score. The Project Coordinator will work with schools to make changes. The plan will be submitted to the District Advisory Committee for final approval. The strategic plan is then given to the Gates Grant Steering Committee for final review and recommendation for funding.

The Board of Directors approves all strategic plans subsequent to the Gates Grant Steering Committee review and recommendation for funding.

The strategic plan must be evaluated on an annual basis to ensure appropriateness of the identified activities and strategies for each target objective. Revisions will be made as data indicate a need.

Scoring Rubric for School Strategic Plan Grant Applications
(View Microsoft Word Document) (View Adobe Acrobat Document)

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Revised: Jan. 9, 2001
Bellingham Public Schools. 1306 Dupont St. Bellingham WA 98225-3198