BULLETIN NO. 034-15 K–12 ED
Page 2
August 10, 2015
BULLETIN NO. 034-15 K–12 ED
Page 2
August 10, 2015
August 10, 2015 (X) Action Required
Due date: September 24, 2015
(X) Informational
BULLETIN NO. 034-15 K–12 EDUCATION
TO: Educational Service Districts Superintendents
School District Superintendents
School District Business Managers
School District Grant Program Administrators
Human Resource Directors
Title I, Part A and Title II, Part A Program Administrators
Educational Service District Professional Development Center Coordinators
FROM: Randy I. Dorn, State Superintendent of Public Instruction
RE: Beginning Educator Support Team (BEST) Grants
CONTACT: Sue Anderson, Director, Educator Effectiveness Office
360-725-6116,
Marcy Yoshida, Program Specialist, BEST
360-725-6118,
Agency TTY 360-664-3631
The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) has been tasked by the Legislature with continued funding of a beginning educator support program. This program is intended to provide an enhanced level of support for the development of early career educators. Beginning Educator Support Team (BEST) grants are designed to provide competitive funding to school districts and/or regional consortia to support the professional growth of beginning teachers from initial hiring through their second year of service. In addition to BEST grant funding, resources and professional development for mentors and district/Educational Service District (ESD) program administrators are also provided.
Grant Components (Required)
Required BEST grant components are aligned with state standards for the induction of novice educators described in Effective Support for New Teachers in Washington State. This document is available online at: http://k12.wa.us/BEST/InductionStandards/default.aspx.
Required BEST grant components are aligned with the new teacher evaluation criteria outlined in ESSB 5895 (2012) and the Teacher Principal Evaluation Program outlined on the TPEP website (http://tpep-wa.org/) and in the final July 2011 report, which is available online at: http://www.k12.wa.us/EdLeg/TPEP/default.aspx and http://tpep-wa.org/.
Required BEST grant program components include carefully selected, well-trained mentors for first-year teachers; a paid, instructional orientation for first-year teachers; professional development for first-year teachers; release time for observations; professional development for mentors; job description and compensation for mentors; special attention to the needs of beginning teachers in under-performing schools; a stakeholder’s team; and attendance at the BEST Grantee Convening in early March. Alignment with the Washington State Teacher Evaluation Criteria is required.
Grant Eligibility
All public school districts and ESDs are eligible to apply. School districts may apply individually or as a member of a regional consortium which may include or be led by an ESD. To the extent possible, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) staff will strive for an equitable distribution to urban and rural school districts of varying sizes across the state's geographic regions.
A regional consortium is defined as two or more school districts that collaborate in providing one or more of the required program elements. All members of a consortium are required to meet all program components either individually or collaboratively. A regional consortium may or may not include an ESD, depending on the capacity of the member districts and the ESD to carry out program requirements. Regional consortia using an ESD are encouraged.
Funding
BEST funding to successful applicants will be provided directly to the school district or to the lead agency of a regional consortium. Grant management components will be defined in the BEST Grant Program Description, Eligibility, & Application Instructions, on the BEST website at: http://www.k12.wa.us/BEST/default.aspx.
Title I, Part A, and Title II, Part A may be used to supplement BEST grant funding to meet program criteria.
Expected Allocation per First Year Teacher $2,500
The Beginning Educator Support Team (BEST) grant application will be available in late August on OSPI iGrants at: http://eds.ospi.k12.wa.us/iGrants/Default.aspx.
Application deadline is 5 p.m., Thursday, September 24.
Funding decisions will be announced by Monday, October 5.
For additional information regarding BEST grants, contact Sue Anderson, Director, Educator Effectiveness Office, at 360-725-6116, or Marcy Yoshida, Program Specialist, BEST, at . The agency TTY number is 360-664-3631.
The bulletin is also available on OSPI’s website at: www.k12.wa.us/BulletinsMemos/bulletins2015.aspx.
K–12 EDUCATION
Gil Mendoza, Ed.D.
Deputy Superintendent
Sue Anderson, Director
Educator Effectiveness Office
RD:dr
OSPI provides equal access to all programs and services without discrimination based on sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. Questions and complaints of alleged discrimination should be directed to the Equity and Civil Rights Director at (360) 725-6162 or P.O. Box 47200 Olympia, WA 98504-7200.