Keys to Literacy professional development offered through
the
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education
District and School Assistance Centers (DSACs)
Keys to Literacy has been selected as a literacy professional development provider by the Massachusetts DESE at the six regional District and School Assistance Centers (DSACs), as well as for Race to the Top funding. These centers help districts and schools identified for improvement access and use professional development and targeted assistance strategically to improve instruction and raise achievement for all students. The DSACs provide funding for and focus on districts with Level 3 schools. Level 1 and 2 districts may participate in courses sponsored by the DSACs through Race to the Top or local funds.
Click here to access the RFP on the DESE website.
Submitting your RFP for FY2012
First, decide how teachers will participant in your DSAC professional
development with
Keys to Literacy. There are two options:
- If you would like Keys to Literacy to come to you for
in-district professional development, please call us
(978-948-8511) to work out a plan! During this conversation, we will help
you complete Parts I and II of the grant proposal.
PLEASE NOTE: In-district professional development planning will also include a plan for training Coaches/facilitators, as well as an administrator training element. - If participants will attend regional or statewide DSAC professional development events, then use the Vendor and Materials Cost Worksheet provided on the DESE grant page (see link above) to calculate the total cost.
- The DSACs will encourage districts to work directly with approved professional development providers to plan and contract for training that will be delivered from fall 2011 through August 2012. This year, there will be more latitude for districts to develop site‐based plans directly with providers to support PD that is both sustainable and systemic.
- The entire process — from proposal to release of the funds — is earlier. Information about available PD and approved providers will be made available sooner, and you can submit RFPs earlier than last year. Proposals will be processed on a rolling basis. Districts sending participants to regional or statewide events (second option listed above) must submit proposals by December 2. The final due date for all proposals is January 20, 2012.
- Regional courses will be offered by the DSACs. (See second option listed above.) Each DSAC will offer a more limited number of regional course options in the late fall, spring, and summer. The dates for these open sessions will be determined and posted in September in order to allow districts plenty of advanced notice to register. Rather than send many teachers to these regional offerings, districts are encouraged to develop site‐based PD plans.
- The Key Comprehension Routine
• Grades 4-12
• Grades 1-3 - The Key Vocabulary Routine
- The ANSWER Key to Open Response
- District Literacy Planning Services
Regardless of which format you choose, you must complete Part III: Required Program Information. Please click here for some suggested text to help you complete Part 1. Participation in DSAC-sponsored Professional Development Offerings.
Important Changes for FY2012
DSAC Course Offerings with Keys to Literacy
Funding provided via the DSACs can be used for the following Keys to Literacy programs and services:
Click on any of the links above to learn more about each program and to access a fact sheet and syllabus. Once it is available, we will post the link to the DESE web page about DSAC funding here for your reference as well.
Please contact us as soon as you are ready to develop a plan. The sooner communication begins, the more flexibility you will have in scheduling to meet your needs.
Information about FY2011 (last year's grants)
All DSAC‐sponsored initial training for Keys to Literacy programs for 2010‐11 will be completed by August 31, 2011. A number of follow‐up training days have been scheduled for fall 2011 for cohorts of teachers who participated in the 2010‐11 courses. Please contact your DSAC for details about those sessions.