smart-schools.com » School Choice Reform

“School Pride” on NBC

Smarty — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 15:50:27 +0000

NBC fishes for new ratings by testing the public’s interest in education. Schools in Los Angeles were part of the episodes. Let’s hope the interest spurs NBC to renew the series. You can watch some episodes here.

http://www.nbc.com/school-pride/

Crips And Bloods: Made in America

Smarty — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 21:36:07 +0000

Important & extremely relevant film by Stacy Peralta looks at the L.A. gang situation.

http://www.cripsandbloodsmovie.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qN4pP-1NWoA&feature=player_embedded

15,000 people dead over 20 year period? Stacy Peralta succeeds in putting a fresh face on the issue and imploring us all take another look. The movie’s website also has a viewer’s guide, Community outreach plans that can be used to host screenings, and information on the Youth PROMISE Act.

CRIPS AND BLOODS: MADE IN AMERICA helped shine a light on the issue of gang violence in our inner cities. But to really address this problem we need to take a new approach – as the former NFL great and gang intervention leader, Jim Brown, says in the film “If more police or jails was the solution, we would have solved the problem 30 years ago”.

That’s where the Youth PROMISE Act comes in. PROMISE stands for Prison Reduction through Opportunities, Mentoring, Intervention, Support and Education. Instead of simply incarcerating people, the Youth PROMISE Act represents a revolutionary new approach that is much needed if we are ever to address this issue in a meaningful and effective way.

The Act is based on programs that work with local schools, community centers, faith-based organizations and parents to prevent violence and offending before it begins. The whole idea is to give kids another way, an option instead of joining gangs.

Introduced by Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D – VA) and Mike Castle (R – DE), the CRIPS AND BLOODS team is proud to support the Act. The film was screened in Congress at a rally in support of the Act but we need your help to ensure this much-needed legislation is passed.

LAUSD School Choice Reform Board Decision Results

Smarty — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 16:29:06 +0000

February 23 2010

The tally:

NEW CAMPUSES (24 )

-19 teacher-district proposal

-4 Charters

-1 Mayor’s Partnership for Los Angeles Schools

____________________________________

EXISTING SCHOOLS (13)

-10 teacher-district proposal

-2 Mayor’s Partnership for Los Angeles Schools

-1 Youth Policy Institute

-0 other charters

____________________________________

1. There was an election, involving parents, students, community members, employees.

2. Superintendent Cortines made his recommendations

3. Board made final decision

____________________________________

Challenges for Charter Management Organizations:

Vernerable charter organizations, Green Dot, ICEF, Alliance proposals not approved.

Charter parcel tax, and Proposition 39 issues remain.

____________________________________

We wish the best to all!! Innovation is afoot!

Grant Writing Ideas/Best Practices for Public, Charter, Private Schools

Smarty — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 01:18:37 +0000

Grant Writing Notes Dave Boller | Troxell, Los Angeles, CA

Grants are important than ever, and more competitive than ever. But they are there, and with some smart effort, you can win them.

Once you do the first one, you’ll be doing more grants. Get started.

2 Approaches to Begin

1. RFP Search in specific georgraphical or subject areas

2. Create a Proactive Needs Assessment

Don’t spend time (waste time) on grants that don’t FIT what you want to do.

Don’t let needs assessment get too lengthy

You don’t necessarily need consultants to write it.

Informal needs assessment can work fine.

Steps in Needs Assessment

1. Clarify organizational expectations, goals, or objectives

2. Review current practices and though

3. Collect and analyze data

4. Identify areas of need

5. Determine where to start

Once you know your needs….Search for Solutions

-research and pilot projects

-Professional journals Ed Leadership, Edutopia…

.. pages in back of journals that list grants

-Gov publications, including web sites

(What Works in Public Education website)

-Stakeholder resources

-Software companies

-Be creative

Who (what position ) do you write too a big corporation?…

make a call first, find foundation manager or budget manager.

Additional educational grant information sources

-business

-journal lists

-local grant makers (find their “Mission Statements”)

-state agencies

-foundations

-title programs

-SIGs

Use creative Boolean strategies in search engines. See search engines listed here at smart-schools.com in addition to Google.

Try http://www.zuula.com as you can search all major engines in addition to Google. We will post more on smart web searching later. But it can help you find the “needle in the grant haystack” you’re looking for and increase YOUR chances of scoring the grant.

Be creative in your thinking….get what you want and still satisfy the grant makers.

Getting Organized

Print RFP including all instructions

Form a grant writing team…DON’T DO IT ALONE

Form a list of partners.

Read all instructions, including rubrics and grant-maker goals.

Set up a timeline.

Assign responsibilities.

Gather data.

Begin writing.

Invite an employee from the grant offering company to help !! Great way to keep on-target and build rapport.

Writing process

Divide into sections:

(can get grant writer help..but write the cost into the grant with % to grant writer)

Abstract

Intro

Needs

Goals & objectives

Activities and personnel

Evaluation

Budget

Communicate with your grant maker along the way. Even if you don’t have a serious question…email a question or a call or visit, that way you accomplish them getting to know you…they know you’re working on it, you can bounce ideas off of them.

Utilize resources from nearby colleges/community. Sometimes leverage them for specific projects in their training…help each other

Matching funds….?…

go to local businesses to secure matching funds…

FINAL STEPS

Double check requirements. Don’t risk losing it

Edit one last time

Let the grant maker know that the grant is on the way

Follow submission format

Send multiple copies if requested

Turn in on time

If mailing or facing, request a receipt

Make it happen

Follow the proposal

Stick to the timeline

Spend only the original budget, or request a modified budget

Collect data

Document the project with notes, photographs, video, and testimonials

Celebrate

Give credit

Communicate

Share information

Complete all reports & evaluations on time

Thank partners and the grant maker

Plan for sustainability. Look for ways to sustain the project….it is a personnel and time issue after the grant is all done…keep it alive and plan for it.

Individual schools probably even more eligible than district…more emotional, closer to the source, individual children.

OTHER NOTES

At Risk/poverty and Spec Ed money available ARRA

-research based not brand new..proven as successful

-list WHO will be doing after school program, must have one certified teacher at least to give program credibility . Grant can pay teacher

-“Race To The Top” funds ARRA be distributed on a competitive basis

Hope something here helped you.

Let’s do this!