AARA

**American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (AARA) of 2009** The Northeastern Educational Intermediate Unit (IU 19) proposes for district consideration the following cooperative efforts to utilize Basic Education Funding (BEF), State Fiscal Stabilization Funds (SFSF), Supplemental Title I Funds, Title II-D Funds, and IDEA Funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Funding these additional services from the IU may be in the form of fee for services, consortium efforts and/or purchased contracted services. **__Recommendations for BEF__** (Basic Education Funding): These funds can be used to expand programs and services to students for a menu of specific proven academic programs. IU 19 has higher education partnerships that can be leveraged to support district specific professional development. The IU also offers on-site technical assistance and support. School Wide Effective Behavior Support (SWEBS) implementation can also fall under this category. Funding from this category may be used to fund additional IU 19 staff in order to provide focused support to participating districts. || **__Recommendations for SFSF (Title XIV)__** (State Fiscal Stabilization Fund) These funds can be used for any of the following purposes: ·  // Modernization // ·  // Renovation and repair of school facilities // ·  //Basic education-// Any activity authorized by the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (which includes No Child Left Behind) ·  //Special education-// Any activity authorized by the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) ·  //Career and technical education-// Any activity authorized under the federal Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act ·  //Adult and family literacy-// Any activity authorized under the federal Adult and Family Literacy Act. The Department of Education recommends that school districts fund one-time expenditures that can be funded within two years. In the future, the Pennsylvania Institute for Instructional Coaching (PIIC) initiative will allow IU 19 to support ongoing professional development with training and mentoring with an IU coach mentor. IU 19 could assist with PAHSCI research to back up the importance of having coaches and their role in sustained professional development. || Districts utilizing Comprehensive Data Analysis (CDA) could continue to support data analysis/collection through the purchase of data warehourse with these funds. || Modifications to scheduling/programming/personnel to assist with Response to Intervention (RtI) || Literacy- IU 19 currently offers professional development opportunities in Reading Apprenticeship®; Reading Network; Socratic Seminar; Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS); Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) training. || Literacy- IU 19 currently offers professional development opportunities in Reading Apprenticeship®; Reading Network; Socratic Seminar; Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS); Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) training || **__Recommendations for Title HD__:** Integrating technology into the school curriculum and providing related professional development. b. Specific hardware such as iPods or laptops for classroom use c. Online courses and/or tutorial programs d. Software programs for student enrichment or special needs e. Video/web conferencing equipment for distance learning f. Online collaboration tools for students, teachers and administrators g. Ongoing professional development for current and emerging educational technologies similar Web 2.0 trainings. h. netTrekker ||  - **__Recommendations for IDEA__** (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act)
 * Professional Advisory Council **
 * May 1, 2009 **
 * ** PDE Recommendation ** || ** IU Support/Recommendation ** ||
 * 1. Extended school day, school year to increase instructional time for students || V-LINC, IU 19’s Cyber Services program allows a district the flexibility to offer courses anytime, anywhere. Districts are encouraged to use these funds to expand their use of these resources. ||
 * 2. Tutoring those who are struggling in reading and math || V-LINC, IU 19’s Cyber Services program can provide online supplemental learning opportunities for students. A tutoring option can be pursued based upon district/consortium interest. ||
 * 3. Implementation of high rigor curricula/advanced courses || V-LINC, IU 19’s Cyber Services program offers advanced placement courses and can be used as a pilot project. ||
 * 4. Professional development || Offer Standards Aligned Systems (SAS) professional development utilizing IU 19’s content specific knowledge to design targeted, district-specific professional development.
 * 5. Teacher and principal incentives in struggling schools, recruitment bonuses, and pilot programs for teacher compensation incentives || As the hub of our 20 districts, IU 19 can support districts’ investigation and implementation of incentives by pooling resources and facilitating the investigation of existing programs and the development of policies, protocols, and lateral capacity for implementation ||
 * 6. School Library Services || Support funding of school library services that reflect 21st Century skills and align to Classrooms for the Future (CFF). ||
 * ** PDE Recommendation ** || ** IU Support/Recommendation ** ||
 * 1. Complete Classrooms for the Future deployment in high and middle schools || IU 19 recommends continued funding for CFF coaches. IU 19 encourages all districts to consider this option.
 * 2. Improve Science labs in middle/high schools || IU 19’s Science Academies and Socratic Science programming can be used to develop Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) related professional development opportunities. ||
 * 3. Purchase elementary school science and exploration kits || Continue to work with IU 19 regarding strategic purchases and mobilization of science kits. ||
 * 4. Career and Tech Ed equipment || IU 19 can support strategic purchases aligned with Programs of Study (POS) and articulation agreements. ||
 * 5. Adolescent literacy curricula and training || IU 19 offers a variety of literacy professional development programs including Reading Apprenticeship®, Socratic Seminar, and the Reading Network. ||
 * 6. State-of-the-art Assistive Technology || IU 19 has trained educators that provide technical assistance and recommendations for classroom purchases related to assistive technology. ||
 * 7. Data Collection Tools || IU 19 facilitation of data day process and data tools training.
 * __ Recommendations for Supplemental Title I Funds __**
 * ** PDE Recommendation ** || ** IU Support/Recommendation ** ||
 * 1. Establishing a system for identifying and training highly effective teachers to serve as instructional leaders in Title I school-wide programs and modifying the school schedule to allow for collaboration among the instructional staff || Title I Teachers
 * 2. Establishing intensive, year-long teacher training for all teachers and the principal in a Title I elementary school in corrective action or restructuring status in order to train teachers to use a new reading curriculum that aggressively works on improving students’ oral language skills and vocabulary or, in some other way, builds teachers’ capacity to address academic achievement problems || Math- IU 19 currently offers professional development opportunities related to use of Manimpulatives (e.g. K’NEX) and Math Academies (elementary and secondary).
 * 3. Providing professional development to teachers in Title I targeted assistance programs on the use of data to inform and improve instruction for Title I-eligible students || IU 19 offers support for data analysis using PSSA data packets, data dialogue (data day), and DIBELS, and 4Sight support. ||
 * 4. Providing training to all middle school teachers in adolescent literacy based on analysis of middle and high school reading data || Math- IU 19 currently offers professional development opportunities related to use of Manimpulatives (e.g. K’NEX) and Math Academies (elementary and secondary).
 * 5. Strengthen and expand early childhood education by providing resources to align a district-wide Title I pre-K program, along with other school district and high quality community provider programs, with state early learning standards and state content standards for grades K-3 || IU 19 can assist your staff in aligning you Title I pre-K programs with early learning K-3 standards. Early literacy and math professional development are regularly scheduled at IU 19. ||
 * 6. Expand the availability and range of inclusive placement options for preschoolers with disabilities by developing the capacity of public and private preschool programs to serve these children || IU 19 can assist districts in the development of universal pre-K – 4 programs with already established public/private preschools. ||
 * 7. Provide joint professional development for school district and community personnel from PA Pre-K Counts sites, local Head Start Grantees, and STAR 2, 3, and 4 child care programs || Consider utilizing funds to establish scholarships for child development association status. With additional funds the Development Associates (CDA) professional development could be expanded. ||
 * 8. Expand the use of the Work Sampling assessment to additional early childhood students and into kindergarten and first grade || Consider accepting Work Sampling as a district’s universal screening. Early Intervention Staff could extend this training in your district. ||
 * 9. Provide parent leadership support and training for parents in the early education programs || IU 19 can offer staff support and training to districts in early education programs ||
 * 10. Focus on improving the transition into prekindergarten and from pre-K to kindergarten, including through resources for Community Engagement Group Transition Teams, visitation for parents and children, and other school readiness services || IU 19 can assist in the involvement of community agent groups for transition through Early Intervention. ||
 * 11. Provide new opportunities for Title I programs for secondary school students to use high quality, online courseware as supplemental learning materials for meeting mathematics and science requirements || V-LINC, IU 19’s Cyber Services Consortium program can provide these new opportunities. ||
 * 12. Establish or expand fiscally sustainable extended learning opportunities for Title I eligible students in targeted assistance programs, including activities provided before school, after school, during the summer, or over an extended school year || V-LINC, IU 19’s Cyber Services Consortium program can provide opportunities through its new summer school opportunity. ||
 * 13. Providing intensive district-wide professional development for special education and regular education teachers that focuses on scaling-up, through replication, proven and innovative evidence-based school-wide strategies in reading, math, writing an science, and positive behavioral supports to improve outcomes for students with disabilities || IU5 can assist with RtI implementation through on-site technical assistance. ||
 * 14. Use longitudinal data systems for continuous improvement at the classroom level || IU 19 staff is available for data training, data packets, and district specific data dialogues/root cause analysis. ||
 * 15. Reading and Math coaches || Utilize funds to hire high school reading and math coaches and encourage coaches to participate in IU professional development sessions. ||
 * 16. Adult and family literacy || Offer complementary services to parents and children for already established programs. ||
 * 17. Title I/IDEA Paraprofessional professional development (20 hours): || IU 19 offers various professional development opportunities for paraprofessionals. Support is offered at IU 19 and can be replicated for an in-district program. ||
 * ** PDE Recommendation ** || ** IU Support/Recommendation ** ||
 * 1. Over the past two years, School Improvement Services has been able to leverage resources from a $5.2 million E-Fund Grant (LEARN Initiative) to enhance and expand the diverse instructional technology services available to its member schools. These funds could be used to support and/or expand our current IU endeavors. || a. Videoconferences from content providers
 * ** PDE Recommendation ** || ** IU Support/Recommendation ** ||
 * 1. State-of-the art assistive technology devices and training in their use || IU 19 has trained educators that provide technical assistance and recommendations for classroom purchases related to assistive technology ||
 * 2. Intensive district-wide professional development to improve outcomes for students with disabilities || The IU’s Training and Consultation (TaC) team can support professional development for students with disabilities. ||
 * 3. Capacity to collect and use data to improve teaching and learning || IU 19 staff is available for data training, data packets, and district specific data dialogues/root cause analysis. ||
 * 4. Transition coordinators to work with employers in the community to develop job placements for youth with disabilities || IU 19 can assist with transition support and can also assist in the involvement of community agent groups for transition through Early Intervention. ||
 * 5. Services || IU 19 can provide the following additional services-OT/PT, HI, VI, Assistive Technology, Job Coaches, Speech & Language, Psychological Services, and Social Work Services. ||