RFP - 95

Request for Proposals (RFP)

December 21, 1994

I. PURPOSE OF THE INITIATIVE

The Common Knowledge: Pittsburgh (CK:P) project is one of four network testbeds funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). It represents a collaborative effort among the Pittsburgh Public Schools, the University of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center. Its charge is to investigate the changes in the teaching environment of the Pittsburgh Public Schools as a result of introducing an electronic data network into classrooms.

During its first year - 1993 - the project began at four sites: McCleary Elementary School, Schenley International Studies Program, Westinghouse Science and Mathematics Program, and Woolslair Elementary Gifted Center. In 1994, Carrick High School, East Hills International Studies Academy, Frick International Studies Academy, Fulton Academy of Geographic and Life Sciences, Liberty International Studies Academy, Phillips Elementary, and Spring Hill Elementary came aboard. This represents an involvement of approximately 19% of our high schools, 6% of our middle schools and 24% of our elementary schools.

Each site has a specific curriculum project that uses the Internet as a resource and a hardware configuration that is unique to that particular building and project. To help teachers implement the curriculum activity at their site, they receive training and ongoing support from the CK:P staff.

In the third academic year the project will add three new sites through a competitive process - Request for Proposals. As a research project, CK:P is obligated to investigate a variety of age levels, curriculum domains, and school environments. Presently the project is involved mainly at elementary and high schools in programs with special emphasis. There is a need to identify sites that work with middle school students and students in mainstream programs. Therefore this RFP is only for middle schools.

Proposals can be submitted by teams of teachers, students, administrators, parents, and support staff.

II. CK:P PROJECT GOALS

Five goals were stated in the original grant proposal to NSF.

Teaching Environment: The network shall enhance the

teaching environment for all teachers in the Pittsburgh Public

Schools by expanding the personal contacts and information resources

available to these teachers.

Curriculum Development: The network shall be available to serve

the development of curricular activities of the Pittsburgh Public

Schools in all subject areas and at all grade levels.

Access to Information: The network shall provide information

services not currently available to the Pittsburgh school system.

School Restructuring: The network shall serve as a tool in the

restructuring efforts of the Pittsburgh Public Schools.

A National Model: The network and its associated curricular

activities shall serve as a national model for the implementation

of wide area networks in the K12 environment.

School proposals should be aligned with these goals.

III. TIMELINE FOR THE RFP

	December 20, 1994			RFP Mailed Out

	December 22, 1994 - March 3, 1995	Proposal Writing

	March 3, 1995				Proposals Due to CK:P

	April 3, 1995				Third Year Sites Announced

	April 18 - June 16, 1995		Planning Process

	June 16 - September 1, 1995	 	Summer Workshop (tentative)
					
	September 1 - December 31,1995		Network Test Period

	January 1, 1996				Full Implementation

IV. PRIORITIES FOR THE PROPOSALS

Proposals must address three major topics: Curriculum, Teaming, and Equitable Distribution of Resources.

CURRICULUM Our experience indicates that successful Internet projects thrive in an environment that allows students and teachers to become partners in the learning process. Proposals must describe a focused curriculum activity, the necessary instructional procedures, and an assessment plan that is aligned with the curriculum goals.

Ą Network activities are by nature research oriented and

interdisciplinary. Skills promoted through network

interaction include problem solving, communication, reasoning

and connections.

Ą The instructional procedures must describe a shift from

the teacher-centered paradigm to a research oriented

student/teacher partnership.

Ą Project goals need to be consistent with the Pennsylvania

Department of Education (PA DOE) Chapter 5 Guidelines.

Outcomes should be clearly stated and measurable.

Technology should be viewed as a tool for curriculum delivery. Hardware requests should be consistent with the proposed curriculum activity.

TEAMING Creating a school team that can both design and implement the proposed project is critical.

Ą There must be evidence that the team has the support of

the administration, other teachers in the building and the

feeder-pattern community.

Ą Individual members must present their vision of the project.

This should include the individual's committment to the

proposal as exemplified by his/her willingness to: modify

classroom interactions, learn and implement a new technology,

and work collaboratively with colleagues.

Ą A description of how the school team will manage the

project needs to be part of the proposal.

Ą Teams that build on existing programs and help to advance the

school's Comprehensive Educational Improvement Plan (CEIP)

will be given high priority.

EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF RESOURCES

In pursuing the development of a proposal, school teams must consider the challenges the School District faces in educating its diverse population. Therefore, priority will be given to proposals that:

Ą focus on under-represented populations

(e.g. females in mathematics/science, African Americans

in accelerated classes ... ),

Ą come from schools that have little or no access to technology,

Ą propose to work with at-risk students,

Ą come from comprehensive schools, and

Ą demonstrate continuity within a school's feeder pattern

(e.g. a middle school that receives students from an

existing CK:P elementary site and sends students on to a

secondary CK:P site).

V. PROPOSAL WRITING GUIDELINES

Each proposal will be read and scored by a Review Committee following the guidelines and criteria listed below. The maximum score is 100 points, (the score for each section is indicated in parentheses.) A tentative list of committee members is found in Appendix A. The committee will select three proposals to fund for the 1995-96 school year.

Ą Proposals must not exceed 10 pages, double spaced, with

one inch margins.

Ą The minimum type acceptable is 10 point.

Ą A Cover Page and an Introduction may be included, but are

not part of the 10 page limit.

Ą Letters of Support and the school's CEIP plan, must be

included as appendices.

Ą Each school must submit 10 copies of its proposal.

Part One - Curriculum Project (30 Points)

The project must be comprehensive, taking into account the complex nature of learning and addressing this complexity through curriculum, instruction and assessment.

Problem Statement

Ą Define the learning problem that your

curriculum/network project addresses.

Curriculum Activity

Ą Describe the link between the curriculum and the

network activity.

Ą Describe the network resources you hope to use.

Instructional Procedures

Ą Develop an instructional plan for using this tool

in your classroom.

Assessment Plan

Ą Delineate outcomes for students and teachers.

Ą Create a plan for formative and summative evaluation.

Ą Describe how you will measure success.

Part Two - Design and Implementation Team (40 points)

The design team must be the group that implements the project.

Support and Vision

Ą Include a letter from each team member that describes

his or her motivation, interest and goals for the

project. Also include letters of support from school

administrators, relevant community members and school-

support staff that are part of this proposal.

(These should be submitted as Appendix A.)

Ą Describe the members of the school team. Discuss

each individual's responsibilities and designate a

site coordinator.

Management

Ą Describe how the team will manage the project in

the school.

Comprehensive Educational Improvement Plan (CEIP)

Ą Align your proposal with your school's CEIP

plan. (Submit the CEIP plan as Appendix B.)

Part Three - Equitable Distribution of Resources (30 points)

Common Knowledge: Pittsburgh is committed to placing its resources at schools where they are most needed. A motivated and empowered faculty will make the best use of these resources.

Under-represented Population

Ą Describe the students you will be working with.

Little or No Access to Technology

Ą Describe your school's present technology.

At-risk Students

Ą Describe the particular needs of your students and

community.

Comprehensive Schools

Ą Present a school profile.

Continuity

Ą Work with existing CK:P sites in your feeder pattern.

VI. HELP WITH PROPOSAL WRITING

The CK:P Education staff is not part of the Review Committee, therefore we are available to help teams develop project ideas, explore the Internet, and help with proposal writing.

Ą The CK:P staff can demonstrate the network at your school,

provide workshops for your team at the Beta Site - Woolslair,

G8 - or work individually with team members.

Ą Teams can consult with the many Internet experts in the

school district.

Ą The winning proposals from Year Two are online at:

/projects/ckp and gopher.ckp.edu

School teams can visit the CK:P Beta Site during our weekly ŇCome VisitÓ sessions. CK:P staff and teachers from the Year One Sites will be available during these sessions for training or consultation.

COME VISIT SCHEDULE

Please call or send email to let us know you are coming. If other times would be more convenient, call and we can make other arrangements (622-5930).


	Wednesday, January 4, 1995		2:30 - 4:30

	Wednesday, January 11, 1995		2:30 - 4:30

	Wednesday, January 18, 1995		2:30 - 4:30

	Wednesday, January 25, 1995		2:30 - 4:30

	Wednesday, February 8, 1995 		2:30 - 4:30

	Wednesday, February 15, 1995		2:30 - 4:30

	Wednesday, February 22, 1995		2:30 - 4:30

FINAL NOTE

It is difficult to write a proposal using a resource that is only vaguely understood. The following is a list of people that can help to answer questions that may facilitate your writing process.

	
Robert Carlitz		Project Director 			624-9027
Roberta Feldman		Prinicpal - Woolslair			622-8470
Regine Fougeres		Site Coordinator-Schenley		622-8200
Priscilla Franklin	Project Teacher				622-5930
Carol Hicks		Site Coordinator-Liberty		622-8450
Kathy Olesak		Librarian - Schenley			622-8217
Linda Savido		Librarian - Westinhouse			665-5022
Judy Weinberg		School Support				338-8100
Richard Wertheimer	Education Project Manager		622-5930
Mario Zinga		Curriculum - Trainer			622-5930


APPENDIX A


Chair: 			Richard Wertheimer	Common Knowledge: Pittsburgh
Facilitators:		Priscilla Franklin	Common Knowledge: Pittsburgh
			Mario Zinga		Common Knowledge: Pittsburgh


CK:P REVIEW COMMITTEE (a tentative list)


Ernestine Reed		Principal		Frick Middle School
Linda Savido 		Librarian		Westinghouse High School
Barbara Rudiak		Principal		Bon Air, Phillips Elementary
Mary Lou Ruttle		Librarian		Carrick H.S.

Bernie Manning		Deputy Superintendent
Janet Bell		Supervisory Principal			East
Andrew King		Supervisory Principal			North/West
Anna McGuire		Supervisory Principal			East/Central
Brian White		Supervisory Principal			South

Representative		Local Foundations/Businesses
Representative		Parent Groups				(East)
Representative		Parent Groups				(North/West)
Representative		Parent Groups				(East/Central)
Representative		Parent Groups				(South)
Sylvia Wilson		Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers
Ron Suber		PPS Board
Maggie Schmidt		PPS Board
Lynn Turnquist		PPS Public Affairs
Lynn Raith 		School Support Services 
Sarah Martin		School Support Services
Jim Cusimano		Strategic Planning and Development

Gail Futoran		LRDC, University of Pittsburgh
Bob Carlitz		University of Pittsburgh
Kevin Sullivan		Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center