Math Academy application
The Reading Academy and Writing Academy will no longer be available through a MAP Regional Instructional Facilitator (please see letter below)
STATE FUNDING CUTS AND REGIONAL MAP OFFICES
Letter from the director of the Southwest Regional Professional Development Center
Southwest Missouri Educators!
As many of you are aware, ...the Governor announced additional restrictions on the fiscal year 2011 state budget. In addition to a $70 million statewide restriction of transportation aid to school districts, the total amount of the allocation for statewide support for schools and districts facing areas of “critical needs” was placed in the restricted category. This is the state money that is allocated for the MAP, the RPDC infrastructure, and the state portion of the Missouri Professional Learning Communities project. This 100% funding restriction will become effective on July 2, 2010, for fiscal year 2011.
We are currently in communication with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to assess the impact statewide of this cut. However, in order to answer a number of questions that we are receiving regarding this issue, I wanted to provide you with the following information:
- Although this restriction represents a significant cut in funding for the RPDCs, federal funds are also a revenue source for our center. Southwest RPDC will remain operational and will continue to provide services to schools and districts for the 2010-11 school year.
- Initiatives that are either fully or partially funded with federal revenue include School Wide Positive Behavior Supports, MELL, Professional Learning Communities, and Special Education Improvement (which includes Response to Intervention). It appears likely at this time that we will retain some capacity to continue to assist regional school districts with these initiatives on a cost-recovery basis.
- Previously state-funded support services will be maintained on and income-supported basis. These services will include contracted services with schools and districts, much like the present Professional Learning Communities agreement. Support services will be provided on-site to schools and districts providing a cost-effective alternative to outside vendor agreements as well as off-site training opportunities. These services will include, but not limited to :
- Leadership for Change
- The Challenge of Collaboration
- Ensuring Equitable Instruction
- Custom-designed planning and training for literacy and math
- 3-tiered instructional support
- Differentiated Instructional Support
- Common Core Standards transition
- District School Improvement Planning/Building Improvement Plans Support
- Response to Intervention systems change
- New Teacher support
- Instructional Coaching support
- Lesson Design
- Engagement and Instructional Strategies
- Using Data to Make Decisions
- School-level Planning for Success
- LETRS and DIBELS Training
- Grouping for Instruction
- Six-Trait Writing
- Reader’s and Writer’s Workshop
- Reading Strategies
- Feedback and Grading for Student Success
- Classroom Formative Assessment
I am presently finalizing a “scope of work” for these contracted services and will be sending that information out shortly.
As always, we remain committed to providing the best support and service that we can to our school districts with the resources that are available to us. I know that many of you are faced with similar difficult decisions as a result of the current economic climate. Please feel free to contact us to discuss your needs. The SWRPDC will work diligently with schools and districts to fill the void of state school improvement support created by this funding shortfall. May our decisions be guided by doing what is best and right for the school children that we serve.
Thanks for your continued support of the RPDC.
Dr. Suzy Cutbirth
Director, SWRPDC