SECTION I: THE NEED ("EMPTY HANDS")

Morgan County, Georgia, lies 65 miles east of the metropolitan Atlanta area in the rural center of Georgia's declining dairy industry. Of the total county population of 14,300, 73% reside in rural areas and only 27% in towns. This dispersed citizenry means that churches and other outreach agencies are too small to support staff for regular enrichment and tutorial opportunities for our children. The general population in Morgan County is 64% white, 34% African‑American, and 2% percent Asian, Hispanic, or multi‑racial. Single females head over 33% of the households in Morgan County with children under eighteen years old. Over 40% percent of the citizens of Morgan County, ages 25 and older have not completed high school.

Walton County is a neighboring Georgia county that tends to be more rural than suburban. The total student population for the Walton County Public Schools has jumped from 7,600 students in 1994 to almost 9,400 students this year, which is a 24% increase in five years. Walton County is growing mainly in the Western half of the county; the area closest to Atlanta. Newcomers, mostly middle and upper middle class socio‑economic status parents and children are rapidly buying property and building new subdivisions with homes priced well above $100,000 each. The newcomers tend to be well educated, business oriented, and supportive of high quality education. Their children do not typically fit the at-risk profile. The Eastern half of the county remains more traditional and has a much greater level of poverty. Most of the homes are much older and in greater states of disrepair in the Eastern half of the county. Likewise, poverty, single parent households, and low income, low education levels, and less school and child support characterize much of the. Eastern part of Walton County. Our area of focus in Walton county is the high poverty census tract, and includes Walker Park Elementary School and Monroe Elementary School. This area is exemplified by the following: a free/reduced lunch rate of 68.9%; a teenage illegal drug use rate of 39%; a teenage unwed pregnancy rate of 28 per 1000; a single head of household rate of 36%; and a high school completion rate of only 50%. Academic achievement scores from the 1999 ITBS, show Walker Park Elementary students and Monroe Elementary School in grades one through five falling below and well below the fiftieth percentile in reading, language, and math.

Evidence for the need for the proposed program can be found in three areas:

1. The extent to which parents and their children's life conditions are linked to poverty and non-advancement;

2. The academic status of children;

3. The lack of local infrastructure for meeting these needs.

The following charts illustrate these needs.

1.            Poverty and other risk factors in Morgan and Walton Counties

Poverty and non‑advancement are linked locally, in Georgia, and the nation.

Table 1. Poverty factors in Morgan and Walton County

* Per thousand ** Of Total Births

Source: Kids Count fact book 98

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that 16.8% of Georgians live below the poverty line, while 17.3% of Morgan Countians live below that level. However, of children in Morgan County, 21 % live below the poverty level, with the median income of Morgan County families some $4,000 below the state median income. Juvenile arrests in Morgan County have risen by 18.4% over the past 5 years. Births to teen‑age mothers in Morgan County have risen to a rate of 57 per 1000 live births, an increase of 7.1 % over three years. Live births to unwed mothers in Morgan County rank Morgan 133rd among the state's 180 counties, with a corresponding teenage pregnancy rate that puts the county rank at 124th in Georgia. Low birth‑weight babies, associated with young, poor mothers, have increased by 12% over the past three years to a rate of 10.7 per 100 live births. (Sources: Kids Count, 1997; The Georgia County Guide, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service; and U.S. Census Bureau, http://www.census.gov). These levels of poverty and other risk factors relate to the academic status of our youth.

2.            The academic status of Morgan County children

The academic status of Morgan County children is reflected in their Iowa Test of Basic Skills test results in reading and mathematics. The proportions of students whose academic achievement fall into the lower quartile and lower-half are not far from what would be expected in a "normal" population, but the likelihood of being at academic risk is higher for poor or minority children.

Table 2. Number of Students Targeted by Reading Performance

Though the percentage of minorities in the school and community is only 36%, ethnic minorities account for 51% (169) of the 330 middle graders below the 50th percentile in reading. Of the 168 middle graders whose reading scores fall into the lowest quartile in reading, 94 (56%) are minorities.

Here is what this need looks like when you shake hands with it:

  Andrea (name changed) is currently enrolled at Morgan County

Middle School. Student Support Team records indicate that she reads 

two grade levels below her 13 year old peers. She lives with her mother and three

school-age younger brother. Her mother works in a neighboring county food

processing plant.  Her hourly wage salary does not provide for a babysitter,

so Andrea takes care of her three brothers after school until 6:30 p.m.  She

and her brothers have no one to help them with homework, nor do they have

any opportunity for participation in the county recreation programs.  Andrea

needs "a helping hand" with her reading, extra time to do homework, and

the positive association with peers and mentors in a structured setting.

The academic status of children at risk in Morgan County is also reflected in mathematics scores on the ITBS.  Of the 163 middle school students falling below the 25th percentile in math, 96 (59%) are minority.  Of the 294 students falling below the 50th percentile in math, 153 (52%) are ethnic minorities.

Table 3. Number of Students Targeted by Math Performance

In 1997 the dropout rate for Morgan County students in grades nine through twelve was 9.9%, above the Georgia average of 8.2%. It is estimated that there are over 310 dropouts between the ages of 16 and 25 living in Morgan County. These young adults are almost three times more likely to receive income from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or other public assistance than those who had completed high school but not gone on to college. (Source: Georgia County Guide, 1998.)

Here is what this need looks like when you shake hands with it:

Rico (name changed) is a seventeen year-old African-American male

who last attended Morgan County Crossroads Alternative School in March of

1998.  He left school as a ninth grader, though his peers are scheduled to

graduate form high school this year.  Rico currently works as a concrete mason's

apprentice to pay child support for a 15 month-old son, Tyson.  After nearly

a year of the "real world", Rico now sees the value of a high school diploma.  He

would like to return to school and graduate, but cannot afford to give up his job. 

There are currently no evening school programs within 40 miles of Morgan County.

Rico does not own a car, and there is no public transportation of any kind in the county.

Rico needs access to an evening high school program that can get him on the "fast

track" to graduation and the chance to improve his job prospects.  Rico needs a

helping hand."

(3) Lack of local infrastructure for meeting needs of poor, academically at-risk children

                Morgan and Walton Counties, despite their caring attitude toward their children, has no coordinated programs to meet the needs of their most needy.  Table 4 below identifies the gaps in service.

Table 4. Infrastructure weaknesses and obstacles

    To summarize, Morgan and Walton Counties need a COHERENT PLAN for providing children and their families with the TIME and SUPPORT they need to be successful. Our students who are behind academically need more time for learning. Our widely dispersed rural counties, with their high rates of poverty and other risk factors, must provide an infrastructure to support families and to support community-learning efforts All the pieces for success are in place. This project H.A.N.D. will provide the "helping hand" for lasting success for our children and our county.

CHARACTERISTICS OF PARTICIPANTS: Within each school, a 21st Century Community Learning Center will be created. Students who will participate are, for the most part, from the poorest families and experience the most serious risk of educational failure. In addition, some student participants have limited English proficiency. The students who will participate in the Learning Center attend schools that are isolated from existing service networks and are plagued with serious academic problems among their students.

Table 5 provides useful information about the participating schools and targeted students.

    Improving the conditions for success for our children of poverty or near poverty is hardly a new challenge; indeed, it is one that school and community leaders in our rural county have faced for years. However, a review of programs and projects implemented over the past twenty years reveals few sustained successes. Why? It is not for lack of effort or dedication. We have sought the best advice, the best programs, and the most dedicated workers. Our problem has been that we have not been able to put programs, people, and community resources together into a coherent plan for providing children and their families with the TIME and SUPPORT they need to be successful. We have learned four critical lessons from the past, lessons that will guide the development and implementation of this proposed project.

Lesson #1: We Need To Operate With A Clear Focus On Higher Expectations For Our Students, Ones That Meet Or Exceed State And Local Standards. The creation of rigorous academic standards in our schools is a first step in ensuring success for all our students. Appropriately designed standards in the core academic areas of reading, language arts and mathematics will focus instruction, and assist parents in determining those areas where their children require assistance.

Lesson #2: We Need To Provide Academically At Risk Students With More Directed Instructional Time. One does not catch up by quitting when then those ahead cross the finish line. Our students need additional time, not lower standards, to be successful. One of the unintended consequences of efforts to give low performing students greater access to educational programs is that the time spent with these students in focused instruction has actually declined.

Lesson #3: We Need to Provide a Mix Of Academic And Support Services To Increase the Chances For Success for Our Students. Students must apply what they learn to a wide variety of life situations. We know that knowledge on its own does not guarantee success. It is imperative that our students develop the strength of character and self‑direction to make the right decisions. We also know that students who are not healthy, do not have good nutritional habits, and do not understand the long term effects of substance abuse will likely drop out of school, or at best be non competitive. We also know that students who do not have a positive role model in their lives are not likely to be successful in school or in life.

Lesson #4: We Need to Extend School and Service Hours If We Hope to Reduce Crime, Delinquency, Substance Abuse and Stop the Victimization of Our Children. Kids Count and Safe and Smart data clearly indicate that our children are at greater risk between 3:00 6:00 p.m. than at any other time. Safe havens are needed: safe havens that offer learning opportunities coordinated with school-day curriculum to extend learning time for children who need more just to have an equal chance.

Lessons #1 and #2 are lessons learned about what happens to children at risk of educational failure. Lessons #3 and #4 focus on the need for an infrastructure that can provide services to these kids and their families. This infrastructure does not currently exist in Morgan County. The schools currently provide many high‑quality programs during the day, but almost none extend past the 3:00 bell.

SECTION II: PROJECT DESIGN

("OUTSTRETCHED HANDS, HELPING SECTION II: PROJECT DESIGN

("OUTSTRETCHED HANDS, HELPING HANDS")

A. GOALS, OBJECTIVES, & OUTCOMES

Goal #1: All students will complete high school.

Objective: Regular attendees in grades K-8 will meet or exceed state and local standards in the core academic subjects of reading and mathematics.

Outcomes

•      100% of regular attendees in grades 3-8 will increase their reading and math scores on the ITBS by two or more Normal Curve Equivalent points.

•      Regular attendees in grades K-2 will make one or more months gain toward performance at grade level achievement.

•      Half or more of the targeted students in grades 3-8, whose math and reading scores on the ITBS fall within the lst quartile will achieve scores that fall within the 2nd quartile.

•      Half or more of the targeted students in grades 3-8, whose math and reading scores on the ITBS fall within the  2nd quartile will achieve scores that fall within the 3rd quartile.

•     Half or more of the targeted students in grades K-2 will achieve at grade level.

•      Half or more of the regular attendees in grades 6-8 will improve their math grades by half a grade or more.

•      No more than 10% of regular attendees in grades 6-8 will experience a decrease in their math grades.

•      Half or more of the regular attendees in grades 6-8 will improve their Reading/English/Language Arts grades by half a grade or more.

•      No more than 10% of regular attendees in grades 6-8 will experience a decrease in their Reading/English/Language Arts grades.

•      Half or more of the regular attendees in grades 6-8 will increase their GPA by a quarter of a grade or more.

•     No more than 10% of regular attendees in grades 6-8 will decrease their GPA by a quarter of a grade or more.

Goal#2: All students will regularly attend school.

    Objective: Regular attendees in grades K-8 will significantly improve their school attendance.

Outcomes

•   The number of regular attendees with excessive absences will be reduced by 75%.

•   The number of days that regular attendees are suspended (both ISS and OSS) will decrease by 60%.

Goal#3: All students will demonstrate self-discipline and exercise behavioral competencies necessary for academic success.

Objective: The behaviors for all regular attendees will improve.

Outcome

• Teachers report that 60% or more of student participants improve their behavior in the following ways:

-          Remained on task in class.

-          Got along well with other students

-          Were attentive in class

-          Completed class assignments.

-          Turned in homework on time

-          Completed homework in a satisfactory manner

-          Participated in class

-          Volunteered for extra credit or more responsibilities

-          Came to school ready and prepared to learn

-          Were on time to class

-          Looked forward to going to school

-          Studied hard for tests

-          Felt safe after school

-          Had parents that talked to them about school or homework

Objective: All regular attendees will strive to behave in such a manner that eliminates the need for discipline referral in the ASP.

Outcome

• Discipline referrals for regular attendees will decrease by 50%.

Objective: All regular attendees will strive to behave in such a manner that eliminates the need for a discipline referral in the ASP.

Outcome

• Fewer than 10% of regular attendees will be referred for disciplinary reasons.

Objective: All students will complete the requirements necessary for promotion to the next, grade.

Outcome

• All regular program attendees will be promoted to the next grade level.

Goal#4: All students will lead drug-free lives

Objective: All regular attendees will be drug-free

Outcome

• Reported drug use by regular attendees in grades 6-8 will not indicate an increase in drug use

on a post survey administered in may 2001 (pre-survey will be administered in September of (2000).

Goal#5: Schools, neighborhoods, and homes of regular attendees will experience a zero incidence of violence.

Objective: Regular attendees will commit no acts of violence in the after school program, at the regular school, in their neighborhood, or in their home.

Outcomes

• Police and school reports will show that no regular attendees committed acts of violence.

 Goal#6: Supportive parents in strong families will rear their children in a caring environment.

Objective: Parents of regular attendees will participate in 21st Century Learning Center activities, including linkage activities provided by various community agencies and parents will increasingly show commitment, support, and positive attitudes toward the Learning Center and other agencies.

Outcomes

• Surveys of parents' expectations, aspirations, commitment, and support will show greater

acceptance and appreciation of the Learning Center on a post survey administered in may

2001 (pre‑survey will be administered in September of 2000).

• Attendance records will document parents' participation.

• The number of parents acquiring a high school GED will demonstrate the effectiveness of the

2 1st Century Learning Center's linkage to the Morgan County Public Library.

Goal#7: The citizens of Morgan and Walton counties will support the 21" Century Learning Centers.

Objective: 21st Century Community Leaning Centers will be institutionalized and supported locally after external funds are no longer available.

Outcome

• Citizens willingly serve on governance councils and advisory committees.

• Linkages among community partners will increase in both number and strength.

• Collaboration among partners will increase in frequency and strength.

 • Financial support from a variety of sources will be forthcoming.

Goal#8: The project will be implemented in accordance with the plan contained herein.

Objective: The operation of the project will achieve continuous improvement throughout its implementation.

Outcome

• Modifications will occur as needed and as evidenced by monitoring and data collection.

B. DELIVERY OF PROPOSED SERVICES

(1) THE AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM (ASP)

The After-School Program (ASP) will be offered from 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. five days per week during the regular school year at Morgan County Primary, Elementary, Middle Schools and Walker Park Elementary School in Walton County. Walker Park Elementary School will serve Walton County students from both Walker Park and Monroe Elementary. Three days per week will be devoted to student academic needs in the areas of reading/language arts and mathematics. The other two days will focus on enrichment in the fine arts, foreign language, and character education. 70 minutes of every day will be spent in organized recreational/sports activities, in cooperation with the county recreation department and the YMCA. Nutritious snacks will be provided daily. They will serve as a model for food types that student need to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Table 6. After School Program components and time frames

A.  Overview of After-School Program (ASP) Academic Program:

1.  Assuring a Rigorous Curriculum for All:  The Role of Academic Standards.

                This program component will address each student's individual academic weaknesses through the use of performance standards currently being developed by the University of Georgia P-16 Council and the Morgan County Schools K12 Math Task Force.  These standards are benchmarked to produce world-class graduates, graduates ready to compete in the global marketplace.  All activities and assessments will be related to current curriculum of the appropriate grade.  The after school structure will extend the learning time afforded at-risk students, so the variable in leaning is time, not mastery of content or skills.

2. Making the Standards Real: The Role of Assessment

Diagnostic assessments will be an essential part of each student's program. Use of such reading diagnostic instruments as Visagraph©, the Basic Literacy Test, and Reading Recovery(c) Individual Reading Inventory will facilitate accurate prescriptive remediation. Formative and summative assessments will assist tutors in monitoring student progress and achievement.

3. Connecting Teachers and Tutors.

After-school tutors will work with small groups of students (six to 10 students) three days per week, 90 minutes per day. This tutoring will reinforce and extend current instructional work done during the regular school day. Tutors will read to and with students, assist students in working with computer reading and math programs. Seminars will be provided to school faculty to demonstrate how they can use the ASP to improve student achievement. Monthly meetings will be held with teachers and tutors to coordinate the regular- and after-school academic plan. A tutor's training manual will be developed and piloted with this group of tutors.

4. The Role of Instructional Technology.

Instructional technology will enable teachers and tutors to personalize the instruction for each student in the ASP. Morgan County and Walton County Schools is blessed with multiple networked computer stations in every classroom in the system. These are all connected to the Internet, giving teachers, students and their parents a window to the vast learning resources on the World Wide Web. A generous portion of time weekly will be spent on our instructional technology. Every student will take monthly benchmark tests on computer to assess progress and achievement.

B. Overview of The After-School Enrichment Program:

                This component of the program will operate two days per week for all students.  It will focus on three areas: fine arts, foreign language and character education.

-          Fine arts courses to be offered will include art, guitar instruction, piano instruction, choral music ensemble, jazz ensemble, and drama.  These courses will last on hour.

-          Foreign language instruction in either Spanish or French will be offered for one hour as well.

-          Character education/life skill classes will be offered in 30-minute blocks both days.  Morgan County's Character Education Curriculum addresses nine critical personal traits necessary as prerequisites for success in school and later life.  They are: caring, cooperation, citizenship, honesty, justice/fairness, perseverance, respect, responsibility, and trustworthiness.  Lessons and activities based on these nine qualities will be implemented throughout the year at each school.

(2) THE SATURDAY PROGRAM: SUPER SATURDAY

The Saturday Program will operate one Saturday per month at the Primary, Elementary and Middle Schools, and Walker Park Elementary School in Walton County. It will operate from 9:00-noon and will serve parents and their children.

A.  FOR PARENTS: The Saturday morning activities with parents will consist of three components.

•      Parents of younger children will be taught how to support at home what is taught at school. Parents will be taught specific tutorial and encouragement methods to support the schools' efforts in addressing their children's individual academic needs.

•      Parents of upper elementary and middle school age children will have a variety of choices. Family Connection will offer a course on parenting the Middle School Child. Other offerings will be Encouraging Abstinence in Youth, Career Choice Guidance and a parent overview of the school's middle school sex education curriculum.

•      Parents in all three schools will have access to the schools' technology labs for keyboard training, personal computing skills and review of their children's software.

B. FOR CHILDREN: The Saturday morning program for students will provide recreational

services for 90 minutes. The remainder of the morning will be devoted to thematic units coordinated on

a system-wide basis.

•      A unit called "The Circus" will integrate reading, math and the other core academic areas with music, art and drama. A Storytelling Saturday will reinforce reading and writing skills taught during the week.

•      Every Saturday program will include directed computer time to reinforce skills in reading/language arts and mathematics.

•  Nutritious snacks will be provided as a lesson on healthy living styles.

(3) THE SUMMER PROGRAM:

The Summer Program will operate for eight weeks at the Primary, Elementary and Middle schools, and Walker Park Elementary School. It will operate Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m. Extended hours from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. will be available to working parents.

FOR PARENTS: formal programming will be kept to a minimum during the summer, but

•  A drop in center will be open daily for parent use.

•     Each center will be staffed with a trained counselor, teacher or social worker that can work with the parents who drop in to this summer haven. They will help parents choose books they can read to their children; review textbooks for use the following year, and familiarize parents with the various support resources available     in the community.

• 

Parents can also use the computer labs to improve their keyboarding skills or learn new software.

B.  FOR CHILDREN: Children will participate in three activities during the summer program.

•   They will work in the computer lab to increase their skills and enrich their knowledge.

•  They will work with certified teachers and pre‑service student teachers to prepare academically for the next school year.

•  They will participate in organized recreational programs.

•  Nutritious snacks will be provided daily.

The long-term success of this project depends greatly on the level of ownership by the community and the different service providers. Table 7 provides a description of the non‑academic services that will be provided at each site, and a list of providers who have already committed to participate. SEE APPENDIX FOR LETTERS OF AGREEMENT

Table 7. Non-academic service providers

Table 7 Codes: (1)=After School (2)=Saturday (3)=Summer

 SECTION III: PROJECT MANAGEMENT

("GUIDING HANDS")

Effective management practices are crucial to the successful implementation of project H.A.N.D.  

We are committed to four key outcomes:

·         The terms and conditions of the grant will be met;

·         Those most affected by the project will have a meaningful role to play in its management

·         Services will be responsive to the needs of the participants

·          Project evaluation will be of sufficient objectivity and quality to assist others interested in creating similar projects.

A.  OVERALL LOGISTICAL MANAGEMENT: project H.A.N.D. will be coordinated by the Morgan County School System, with an Advisory Board and Project Coordinator responsible for assuring that all terms and conditions of the grant are met. We will ensure that all reports, products and processes are appropriately reviewed prior to submission or dissemination, and that relevant experiences and resources are shared across the four school sites. The Project Coordinator will chair the Advisory Board. This board will consist of parents who participate in one of the programs, representatives of collaborating social/health/mental health providers, business representatives and civic leaders. To ensure equity in representation, parents will be selected by the school PTA or other parent group. Other members will be selected jointly by the parents and site coordinator.

The Project Coordinator will report to the Advisory Board, manage day to day logistics of the project, assure that each of the program sites maintain compliance with the terms and conditions of the grant, and formally review

and submit all reports and products. The project coordinator will chair bi-monthly meetings of the school site-coordinators to ensure that all sites are using local needs assessments and feedback to modify the nature and mix of services offered. The project coordinator will be responsible for ensuring that each site governance group is created and that cross-site sharing opportunities are maximized. The project coordinator will meet quarterly with the Advisory Board to review progress, share results and resources, and make recommendations for the future.

B.  ON-SITE MANAGEMENT: At each site, a site coordinator will convene a site governance group and serve as its ex-officio secretary. The site governance group will be equally composed of staff and parents of children attending the site program. This group will elect its own chairperson and will meet twice a month for at least the first two months of the project, and at least monthly thereafter. This site-based advisory group will serve the following critical purposes:

• Provide guidance regarding the extent to which the program meets terms of the grant proposal.

• Assure coordination among agencies.

• Set agendas for seminars and services.

• Review reports prior to completion and submission.

The site coordinator will also arrange for all after-school tutors, as well as coordinate the program offerings of all service providers and the involvement of any project consultants. Perhaps most importantly, the site coordinator will be responsible for marketing the program to parents/guardians, and helping them overcome any barriers that stand in the way of accessing the project‑related services. The site coordinator will recruit parents to participate in all project components.

C.  ADVISORY BOARD: The Advisory Board for project H.A.N.D. will consist of parents who participate in one of the programs, representatives of collaborating social/health/mental health providers, business representatives and civic leaders. The Advisory Board will meet quarterly to hear reports from each site coordinator and the Project Coordinator. They will review policies and procedures and prepare a quarterly report to the Morgan County Board of Education and the Superintendent of the Morgan County Schools. Composition of the Advisory Board will be as follows:

• Dr. Stanley W. DeJarnett, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction, Morgan

County Schools                                                                              ..

• Mrs. Marie Singleton, Parent

• Mrs. Ollie Rivers, Parent

• Mr. Scott Baldwin, Director, DuPree Foundation

• Mr. Fred Perriman, Community Coordinator, Avado Foundation, Madison City Council

• Mr. William B. Wood, Director, Madison‑Morgan Parks & Recreation Department

• Mrs. Sandra Moss, Director, Morgan County Department of Family & Children Services

• Mr. A. J. Norris, Coordinator, Morgan County Family Connection

• Mrs. Carolyn Ainslie, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service

Members will serve without compensation for the term of the grant.

C. EVALUATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE

The project advisory board will establish an evaluation advisory committee constituted in the form of a task force, headed by a member of the project advisory board. The evaluation advisory committee will work directly with the project evaluator. Specific responsibilities and duties are contained in section four: Evaluation.

SECTION IV: EVALUATION ("HANDS JOINED TOGETHER")

Project Evaluation The Goals and Objectives of the 21st Century Community Learning Center shown on pages 8-11 serve as the focus of the evaluation to assess impact on student learning and behavior and as benchmarks to monitor progress. Baseline student achievement and behavior data will be collected at the beginning of the school year. As additional data (grades, attendance, behavior reports) become available they will be added to the database. Results of the Iowa Test of Basic Skills in grades 3-8 will be collected annually to form a baseline and to provide a means to determine progress. In grades K‑2, students will be assessed using instruments such as the Basic Literacy Test or some other standardized pre‑ and post‑test. Pre and post analyses will be conducted using grades, annual tests of academic performance and surveys and questionnaires administered to teachers, students, parents, members of the advisory board, program administrators, and others as determined by the Evaluation Advisory Committee. Case studies and other qualitative analyses will be carried out through the use of questionnaires, focus group meetings, observations, teacher, parent and staff reports, and structured interviews conducted in person and over the telephone. Appropriate statistical tests will be employed to determine the degree of program implementation and effectiveness. For example, t and F tests and estimates of confidence intervals will guide further examination through the use of effect sizes. Findings from qualitative efforts will show the perspectives, perceptions, needs, and aspirations of stakeholders. In all, a number of analyses will be conducted. The combined results will fully document the extent to which project goals are being achieved.

Procedures. The Project Coordinator and each Site Coordinator will receive an evaluation notebook. The notebook will contain a matrix outlining the overall evaluation plan and the specific requirements for each site. Also included in the notebook will be copies of all surveys, questionnaires, data collection requirements and protocols, a calendar indicating when various types of data will be collected, observation schedules for internal and external evaluation personnel, schedules of focus group meetings, and other requirements as determined by the Evaluation Advisory Committee. The Project Coordinator and Site Coordinators will know exactly what instruments to administer at what time, and when the raw data should be forwarded to the Project Coordinator for submission to the evaluator. In addition, the Project Coordinator and Site Centers Coordinators will know exactly what other information will be required for the evaluation. Such information includes attendance data from the site and from the child's school, reports of daily activities, reports of special events, reports of outstanding or exemplary actions or activities, and other requirements as established by the Evaluation Advisory Committee. Data in a variety of forms and from several sources will be provided on a monthly basis to the Evaluation Advisory Committee. The Committee on an ongoing basis will make determinations of the extent to which objectives are being met. Recommendations to redirect activities of the project will be made by the Advisory Committee. Four basic questions will be informed by formative evaluation data and addressed at each monthly Advisory Committee meeting.

1. What are we doing that we should continue doing?

2. What are we doing that we should stop doing?

3. What are we not doing that we should start doing?

4. What are the current barriers to the project's progress?

Instrumentation and Other Evaluation Measures. ITBS scores, other available norm referenced tests, homework completions, and teacher grades will be used to assess academic achievement outcomes. Several surveys, questionnaires, structured interviews and focus group questions will be used. Many of these are the ones prescribed by U.S. Department of education. Others will be developed as the project progresses. For example, a parent involvement questionnaire, student safety surveys, classroom teacher-learning center teacher interaction surveys, structured interviews for members of the governing body and advisory committees will be developed.

Products/Report Cards will be developed as a part of this project, and include:

•   A handbook for training academic tutors.

•   Parent brochures to help parents reinforce at home what is taught in school.

•   Descriptions of the ways the HAND. program support the work of the classroom teacher.

•   Copies of all need assessment surveys and focus group protocols.

•   Quarterly reports of the progress at each center. These will be made electronically available on the Morgan County Schools Home Page as well as in print format.

•      An annual report to the community, to be included with the annual Morgan County Schools Report Card, that details the success of the project in meeting the goals of the program

Evaluators. Two external evaluators will be employed to conduct an objective, comprehensive evaluation. While each evaluator brings different qualifications and contributions to the task, they will complement each other and fill leadership or follower roles as needed and appropriate.

Dr. Carvin L. Brown, Ed. D., is exceptionally well qualified to direct the evaluation of the Learning Center. He has been a classroom teacher and school principal. His academic, teaching, service and program evaluation credentials are outstanding. He has served as principal evaluator on numerous program and project evaluations since 1975. Dr. Brown is the author of 23 peer‑reviewed journal articles, and 41 technical reports on the topics of school improvement and program evaluation. He has studied evaluation issues by participating in an informal collegial support group since 1978. Dr. Brown is professor emeritus at the University of Georgia where he was a successful professor, department chair and associate dean for public service. He is currently completing his

second year as Chair of the Leadership and Educational Department at Appalachian State University. Dr. Brown will take the lead in data collection and analysis.

Dr. Brown is joined by Dr. C. Thomas Holmes, Ed. D, who is the Chair of the Leadership and Educational Studies Department at the University of Georgia. Dr. Holmes is a leading authority in the study of the impact of grade level retention on children, and has been quoted in the news media in 45 states as well as Time Magazine. He has led and participated in more than 50 evaluation, needs assessment, and school improvement studies in local school systems and community agencies. Dr. Holmes has conducted numerous wage and salary comparative analyses, and has published over 40 articles in peer‑reviewed journals.

                                                                               SECTION V: SUMMARY

Project H.A.N.D. is the answer to the problems plaguing our at-risk children in Morgan and Walton County. We are committed to the goals of this project and know it will make a profound difference in the quality of life of our most precious resource. Project H.A.N.D. will be the center for delivery of quality education and human services, a center that has not previously existed.

•      We will raise the achievement of our students to at or above the state and national averages in reading and math during the grant period.

•      We will provide parents and students with a link to other support services.

•      We will reduce the dropout rate and increase the school completion rate to a level at or better than the national average for those students who participate in project H.A.N.D.

•        We will share what we learn with other 215` Century Learning Centers.

We earnestly solicit the support of the U.S. Department of Education for this project.