Rule 160-1-4-.271 - Academic Coach Program Grant(1)Purpose of Program. The Academic Coach Program will provide for the employment of an Academic Coach at a public school based on the teaching and learning needs identified in the annual school improvement plan.(2)Terms and Conditions. Schools may become eligible to receive an Academic Coach Program Grant if they identify, in their annual school improvement plan, how they will utilize an Academic Coach to improve student achievement in any content area tested on CRCT, GHSGT or EOCT. Academic Coaches will work with principals to develop a Focus Plan; the Focus Plan will include a monthly account of the work of the coach and will serve to benchmark the program implementation; evidence of program implementation will include submission of team agendas and minutes, schedules for demonstrating, modeling, and observing lessons, and critical reflections.(3)Eligible Recipients. Georgia public school districts and public schools submitting applications that include letters of system approval to verify Academic Coach Program applications align with system, school, and program goals, as well as a current school improvement plan based on school data and who have teachers, in the school system, who have received Master Teacher certification with the Georgia Professional Standards Commission, as provided for in O.C.G.A. § 20-2-205, will be eligible to receive funds.(4)Criteria for Award. (a) School districts shall submit school improvement plans as applications to the GaDOE for review by a panel for prioritization of funding. Grant awards are for Georgia Master Teachers to serve one-half of the regular school day at one-half of the state-based salary scale as an Academic Coach.(b) The GaDOE will convene a review panel and facilitate the review of school improvement plans. Each plan will be reviewed by a minimum of five members of the panel. Each panel member will award a score based on a scoring rubric designed to reflect the Georgia Keys to Quality and the Academic Coach Program components. Ranking of the scores will establish a priority list from which recommendations for grant awards will be made.(5)Directions and Deadlines for Applying. All applications must be received by the Georgia Department of Education, Teacher Quality Division, no later than 5:00 p.m. on the date specified by the Department.Applications from individual schools will not be accepted. All school applications must be a part of a local school district application to be considered for review. Requests for information should be sent to: Teacher Quality Division, Georgia Department of Education, 205 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive, Suite 1854, Atlanta, GA 30334.Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 160-1-4-.271
O.C.G.A. Secs. 20-212.5, 20-2-240.
Original grant description entitled "Academic Coach Program Grant" submitted May 3, 2006.