Grant Writing and Interventions

Interventions and Grant Writing

“Knowledge Is Power Programme” for improved student achievement in Mathematics.

Under the federal school reform legislation, educators are required to select and implement evidence-based interventions. The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) is one source of information for evidence-based interventions and was established by the American Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. WWC purposes of providing education consumers with a source of scientific evidence of what works in education, to promote informed decision making in education through databases and reports that provide an overview of educational interventions’ effectiveness (programs, practices, products, and policies), which are intended to improve student achievement. This paper will evaluate an intervention method known as the ‘Knowledge Is Power Programme (KIPP) and its application to improve student achievement in mathematics at all school levels.

Knowledge Is Power Programme (KIPP)

Description

This program is a non-profit network of about 200 or more public charter schools that educate early childhood, elementary, middle, and high school learners. Parents, students, and facilitators must all sign a commitment to honor a set of responsibilities, including high disciplinary and behavioral expectations. The program also has an active network of alumni and partnerships with scholarship organizations to help guide former students through college. KIPP schools have an extended school year compared to the other public schools (Clark et al., 2011). Funding for these schools comes mainly through public federal, local finances, and state. There’s also supplemental funding through donations from various foundations and individuals. KIPP schools, public charter schools, are founded on the belief that any child, regardless of their status, race, and any other demographic factor, can learn if presented with the appropriate opportunity.

Research supporting this program

The WWC identified several studies of the program that fall within the charter schools topic area’s scope and meet the group design standards of WWC (Clark et al., 2011). According to a review by WWC, the extent of evidence for the program on academic achievement of both middle and high school students for four outcome domains was medium to large. The domains are; English language arts achievement, mathematics achievement, social studies achievement, and science achievement.

Effectiveness of KIPP program

The program has had positive influences on mathematics achievement and English language arts achievement and even on social studies and science achievement for middle and high school students with no observable effects on students’ progression in high school. According to the WWC review from the program’s studies, the mathematics achievement domain has recorded a positive and significant difference between KIPP students and students in other public schools in the middle school sample, with an average improvement index of 12%. Tuttle et al. (2015) examined two outcomes in the same domain. They recorded a significantly positive difference in the third-year follow-up state standardized maths test score between those who entered the KIPP School in grade 9 and the comparison students.

Woodworth et al. (2008) also examined one outcome in this domain: California’s state standardized mathematics assessment. They reported on the follow-ups after KIPP entry for two groups of 5th graders and one group of 6th graders, examining the differences for each school, grade, and cohort. The authors reported statistically positive differences between the two samples (Vasquez Heilig et al., 2011).

Resources

The resource requirements for the implementation of these programs vary from fiscal to human and to physical resources. Funding for KIPP schools is received from donations given by charitable organizations as well as from local districts. Expenditure per pupil appears to be slightly higher than that of local schools (Vasquez Heilig et al., 2011). For instance, one study reported that Massachusetts KIPP School spent about $13500 per pupil in 2018 compared to about $10000 in local schools. Other resources include the human factor, dedicated teachers, positive peer relations, and actively involved parents. Physical resources include; books, texts and reading materials, and math practice, such as khan academy videos, smart gadgets, and fun academic games.

The question, therefore, lies in the capacity of the school to implement this program. Is the school able to stress its finances and resources for implementing this program because it requires more than the normal public school programs? This question is answered in the next part as far as Miami senior high school is concerned (Vasquez Heilig et al., 2011).

Alignment with school goals

The KIPP program is committed to preparing students for success at every level and building a better world (Vasquez Heilig et al., 2011). It’s also committed to creating an environment where every member can bring their full identity as the honor, embrace, and celebrate their differences across racial affiliations, socioeconomic status, religion, etc. the commitment of this program closely aligns with the goals for student achievement of Miami senior high school, that is, to ensure career-related success and life-long learning which would, in turn, help the students become essential members of the technology-driven, global society.

The school is committed to an instructional program for the students to become aptly able to meet the outside world’s challenges and competitiveness. The school also focuses on equitable access, opportunities, and outcomes for all students because it is a multicultural institution. The majority of students are black, followed by Hispanic, whites, and Asians (Vasquez Heilig et al., 2011).

Criteria of selection

The decision-making process used to select this intervention program is a data-driven approach that focuses on using facts, metrics, and data to guide strategic decisions, which align with goals, objectives, and initiatives (Growvs & Cebulla, 2000). The school improvement plan has provided the facts in terms of numbers that are quantifiable or measurable. For instance, it is clear to see, from the data presented, how low academic achievement in mathematics is, with a 6% decrease from the previous year’s results. This, therefore, guided the best intervention program to settle for.

The most difficult part in the decision-making process was on which intervention program to settle for, evidence-based and cost-effective. In the end, we would not like to incur so much additional cost in the implementation process. The data presented in the improvement plan, however, came in handy to guide the decision-making process.

Comparing the resources needed for implementing the intervention, some strategies are already being put in place by the school following the improvement plan (Growvs & Cebulla, 2000). Effective instruction, technology, parent involvement, and professional development of the teacher present a chance of improving student achievement. The school aims to give the teachers progress monitoring tools, and the basic instructional standards are carried out. The essential practices would be practiced in innovative learning and video conferencing platforms. The differentiated academic plans for catering to all kinds of ethnicities would be targeted. The attendance initiatives would be met so that high academic scores are gained. Successful implementation of technology for students, staff, and parents would ensure challenging goals and positive outcomes to empower learners (Growvs & Cebulla, 2000).

For funding, there’s likely to be a small increase in the implementation of this program. The additional funding can be obtained from charitable organizations, public federal, local finances, and state and individuals willing to donate to this course.

This intervention program is superior to the current school program as indicated by study findings which clearly show that KIPP schools have generally recorded a statistical improvement index.

Grant proposal draft to Citi Foundation seeking funding for the implementation of KIPP program

Executive summary

This proposal’s purpose is to request funding to enable the implementation of an intervention program, the Knowledge Is Power Programme, in Miami Beach senior high school. The school aims at improving student achievement in mathematics (Growvs & Cebulla, 2000). The school is a non-profit institution that only aims at giving the best learning opportunities to learners.

Need statement

The school is committed to ensuring the career-related success of learners and life-long learning, which would, in turn, help the students become essential members of the technology-driven, global society as they would be well equipped to meet the outside world’s challenges and its competitiveness (Growvs & Cebulla, 2000). This narrows down to improved student achievement, which is the school’s main aim and hence, the need for implementation of the mentioned of the ‘Knowledge Is Power Programme (KIPP).

Various studies have been conducted on this program’s effectiveness, and a conclusion is drawn that KIPP schools have generally recorded a statistical improvement index. The school desires to provide good learning opportunities to the learners regardless of the vast demographic diversity it encompasses (Growvs & Cebulla, 2000). Therefore, the program would help attain this since it is founded on the belief that any child, regardless of their status, race, and any other demographic factor, can learn if presented with the appropriate opportunity.

Goals and objectives

Goals

· The school aims at improving student achievement in mathematics across every level within the school.

· The school also focuses on equitable access, opportunities, and outcomes for all students despite being a multicultural institution.

Objectives

Should the program’s implementation be successful, the school hopes that the stated goals will be achieved and that learners’ achievement will improve cumulatively and that learners will also get accorded equal and appropriate opportunities.

Strategies of achieving the stated goals/objectives

Some strategies are already being put in place following the improvement plan (Henig, 2008). The school aims to give the teachers progress monitoring tools, and the basic instructional standards will be carried out. The essential practices would be practiced in innovative learning and video conferencing platforms. The differentiated academic plans for catering to all kinds of ethnicities would be targeted. Successful implementation of technology for students, staff, and parents would ensure challenging goals and positive outcomes to empower learners.