ARRA Programs and Requirements

Safe & Civil Schools Rationale

Title 1, Part A recovery funds may be used by schools with a large percentage of students from low-income families for schoolwide programs that improve academic achievement for all students or for targeted interventions that assist individual students at risk of academic failure. Examples of potential uses allowable under Title 1 and consistent with ARRA principals include:

• Intensive, year-long teacher training for all teachers and the principal that builds teacher’s capacity to address academic achievement problems.
• Using longitudinal data system to drive continuous improvement efforts focused on improve achievement in Title 1 schools.
• Providing professional development to teachers in Title 1 targeted assistance programs on the use of data to inform and improve instruction or intervention.

(Title I, Part A Recovery Funds for Grants to Local Educational Agencies Guidance Document, p. 4)

IDEA, Part B recovery funds may be used by schools to meet the educational needs of students with defined disabilities who require educational assistance due to the disability. Possible uses allowable under IDEA and consistent with reform goals of ARRA include:

• Provide intensive districtwide professional development for special education and regular education teachers that focuses on implementing proven and innovative evidence-based schoolwide strategies in positive behavioral supports to improve outcomes for student with disabilities.
• Develop or expand the capacity to collect and use data to improve teaching and learning.

(Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part B Guidance Document, p. 4)

Safe & Civil Schools materials and services qualify for Title 1 and IDEA recovery funds for the following reasons.

Over the past 40 years, studies on effective schools have demonstrated a positive connection between student behavior and student achievement. They show that schools where students behave responsibly and respectfully produce students who tend to be successful in academic pursuits.

Studies have also shown that schools who rely on positive behavior supports to govern discipline policies are more successful in producing students who behave responsibly and respectfully.

It is possible to conclude then, that by implementing positive behavior support strategies—schoolwide, in the classroom, and with individual students—a school can improve the academic achievement of its students.

Safe & Civil Schools provides materials and professional development services that assist school staffs in creating schoolwide positive behavior support programs that can improve academic achievement for all students. (Foundations, START on Time, On the Playground, Cafeteria Discipline, In the Driver’s Seat)

Safe & Civil Schools provides materials and professional development services that assist school staffs in creating individual interventions (RTI) for those students most at risk for school failure. (Interventions, B-RTI, Teacher’s Encyclopedia, 25 Minutes to Better Behavior)

In addition, all Safe & Civil Schools materials and services incorporate standards for effective professional development adopted by the National Staff Development Council (NSDC).

Finally, all Safe & Civil Schools materials and services contain instruction and guidance regarding the use of data to inform instructional decisions.

The Teacher Quality Partnership program seeks to improve the quality of new teachers working in high-need districts and schools by creating successful and high-quality model Pre-Baccalaureate Teacher Preparation programs and/or Teaching Residency programs for those qualified to begin teaching.

An eligible grant applicant is a partnership that includes:

1. A high-need school district
2. A high-need school or a consortium of high-need schools within the school district
3. A partner institution of higher education
4. A school, department, or program of education within the partner institution
5. A school or department of arts and sciences within the partner institution

(Grants.gov)

Safe & Civil Schools materials and services qualify for Teacher Quality Partnership grants for the following reasons.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, nearly 50 percent of new teachers leave the profession within their first five years. Forty-four percent of teachers who leave the profession identify problematic student behavior as the cause.

Research indicates that effective teachers share common strategies to manage student behavior, such as setting clearly defined classroom rules, thoroughly teaching those rules, and providing corrective feedback calmly and consistently.

Safe & Civil Schools materials and services show teachers how to use strategies such as these to increase their effectiveness and their job satisfaction.

Many teacher preparation programs neglect these aspects of teaching. Hence, sharing these evidence-based approaches with teacher preparation programs is the logical next step—one that we have started by working with the Department of Education at Murray State University in Kentucky.

Safe & Civil Schools has the experience, expertise, and will to work with the partners defined in the Teacher Quality Partnership grant to collaboratively create an effective teacher preparation program.

Spend quickly to preserve and create jobs.

Safe & Civil Schools is “shovel ready.” We can provide materials and training for schoolwide and classroom positive behavior support, as well as individual response-to-intervention. Our training associates are experienced, entertaining, and informative. We have an excellent track record with schools and districts throughout the country.

Increase student productivity and close achievement gaps through school improvement and reform.

Safe & Civil Schools provides materials and services to help schools and districts with school improvement and reform efforts using Foundations, CHAMPS, and a wide variety of positive behavior support strategies.

Invest short-term funds thoughtfully on programs and services that will achieve sustainable, long-term results.

While several Safe & Civil Schools projects require long-term commitment, they don’t necessarily require long-term funding. Safe & Civil Schools offers training of trainer services, which enable many of our projects to sustain their positive behavior support implementations without Safe & Civil Schools involvement.