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Pre-Collegiate Preparation
Programs Unit
Teacher Development Programs
Unit
Collegiate Development Programs Unit
Scholarships and Grants Administration Unit
Question 1. Would Special Education be considered an underserved population?
Answer 1. Yes
Question 2. What academic departments need to complete a memorandum of agreement (MOA)?
Answer 2. The Teacher Opportunity Corps program at an institution of higher education (IHE) must establish formal cooperative agreements with appropriate academic content area departments. Each department is required to fill out an MOA. For example, if a program is focused on training teachers in the field of science, it is necessary for the TOC Program to establish a cooperative agreement with the science department at its institution. Each MOA must outline the specific services, materials, and/or fiscal resources that will be provided. Letters of support will NOT be accepted in the place of an MOA. Please refer to page 5 of the TOC RFP for further guidance.
Question 3. Are part-time undergraduates eligible for TOC?
Answer 3. Paraprofessionals and Teachers Assistants employed full-time in a partnering school district are the only part-time undergraduates eligible for participation in a TOC Program.
Question 4. How can coordination of databases with NYSED occur to determine where graduates are teaching and if they are teaching in underserved areas?
Answer 4. For those programs who are awarded a TOC grant-contract for 2008-2011, there will be an opportunity to coordinate with NYSED, through the TOC Coordinator, to determine where TOC graduates are teaching. This coordination will occur after the grant-contracts are awarded.
Question 5. Will institutions with higher tuition/costs be penalized for those costs when awards are determined?
Answer 5. No.
Question 6. Why is the FS-20 not included on Attachment IV, the application checklist on page 33 of the RFP?
Answer 6. This was an oversight. An FS-20 MUST be included with the full proposal.
Question 7. Is there a cover page for the application proposal?
Answer 7. No. Institutions may include a cover page if they wish to do so. It will NOT be considered part of the 20 page narrative.
Question 8. Why is money being set aside specifically for for-profit institutions?
Question 8. For-profit institutions that meet the criteria for eligibility may apply for a TOC grant-contract. Because they are for-profit, they will be scored separately from the not-for-profit institutions. As such, NYSED must set aside a pool of funds to be available for those for-profit applicants. If there are no for-profit applicants, or if for-profit applicants to not meet a minimum score that would result in an award, any funds set aside for them will be redistributed to the funds available for not-for-profit institutions.
Question 9. What is the status of TLQP? If that program’s funding is reduced or eliminated, how will that affect those TOC programs using TLQP funds as part of the 15% institutional/other funds match?
Answer 9. Questions regarding TLQP should be directed to the NYSED coordinator for TLQP at vskinner@mail.nysed.gov . If funds from other sources are reduced or eliminated, it will be the responsibility of the TOC program using those funds to modify its budget to reflect the changes.
Question 10. Can TOC programs partner with non-public schools?
Answer 10. The ultimate goal of TOC is the professional certification of teachers, specifically those from historically underrepresented and economically disadvantaged backgrounds, who will then teach at-risk students in high need and underserved areas. Non-public schools do not require teachers to be certified by the state of New York; therefore, partnerships are most successful with public and charter schools.
Question 11. Will existing programs be considered for funding, or does the
program need to be a completely new project? If so, would new
components of existing programs be considered for funding?
Answer 11. Both new and existing programs will be considered equally for funding.
Question 12. The instructions for the Teacher Opportunity Corps require writing a narrative that covers, in order, the information requested in Section XVI. Section D of this narrative is Program Objectives, Strategies, Activities, Services and Performance Measures/Data Sources and it instructs the applicant to "use the forms provided in Attachment I: Program Objectives, Strategies, Activities, Services and Performance Measures/Data Sources." However, the instructions for completing the application list:
B. Narrative that covers, in order, the information requested in Section XVI
C. Objectives Matrix (Attachment I)
Should we place the Objectives Matrices within the narrative as Section D,
or should the Objectives Matrices follow the narrative as Attachment I?
Answer 12. Attachment 1: Program Objectives, Strategies, Activities,
Services and Performance Measures/Data Sources should be placed within
the narrative as section D.
Question 13. Is financial aid to TOC members mandated? If not mandated, has it become customary so that it is expected to be part of every grant application?
Answer 13. Individual institutions are responsible for determining the type of financial aid packages they offer their TOC students; NYSED does not mandate financial aid. However, TOC legislation does state that funds pursuant to this appropriation may be used “to provide supplemental financial assistance to participating students, provided, however, that such supplemental financial assistance in combination with other sources of student financial aid shall not exceed the cost of attendance and provided that the commissioner shall establish measures to ensure that such assistance supplements and does not supplant other sources of aid.”
Question 14. Is it possible to view a former award recipient’s proposal?
Answer 14. Because this is a new TOC RFP with new criteria, there are no former award recipient proposals that would be appropriate. Once awards are made for this cycle, programs may submit a FOIL request and, when approved, come to NYSED and review copies of successful applicants’ proposals.
Question 15. Is it possible to view a former award recipient’s proposal?Answer 15. Because this is a new TOC RFP with new criteria, there are no former award recipient proposals that would be appropriate. Once awards are made for this cycle, programs may submit a FOIL request and, when approved, come to NYSED and review copies of successful applicants’ proposals.
Question 16. The MOAs that were submitted with the TOC proposal last year were dated for 2007-2010. Can we use these for this new proposal get a one year extension for 2010-2011?
Answer 16. Applicants must submit new, updated MOAs to reflect the new 2008-2011 funding cycle. MOAs submitted last year cannot be used for the new proposals.
Question 17. I am interested in responding to the Teacher Opportunity Corps RFP and have a quick question. In order to qualify for this grant, does an organization have to have a partnership agreement with a particular SURR or high needs schools (i.e., over 50% free and reduced lunch), or is a general partnership with the District adequate? I currently direct an urban teacher education program that provides seminar classes to graduate teacher education candidates which are focused on urban teaching. I also run a program for experienced teachers from across the district that is focused on teacher leadership and diversity. The schools within which all of these candidates/teachers work include diverse, high needs students, but the coursework we provide (including professional development and teacher training) are delivered at the University and do not relate directly to their individual classroom situations. Can you please let me know if either of these programs would be appropriate for this grant?
Answer 17. Each institution of higher education (IHE) applicant must establish formal cooperative agreements with appropriate academic content area departments within the institution and with an appropriate representative from school district(s), BOCES, community school district(s), a consortium of such agencies or school building(s). Please refer to the section on partnership agreements in the RFP for additional information. As to the question of your programs being appropriate, you must first make sure your institution is eligible. Only New York State public and independent degree-granting colleges and universities or consortia of such institutions that have a teacher preparation program approved by the State Education Department may submit applications. Further, institutions with a pass rate on the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations that is less than 80 percent will not be approved for funding. If your institution meets these criteria, then you can apply for a TOC grant-contract.
Question 18. I am just following up at your suggestion about whether or not we can work with teacher aides and community college volunteers who are at a charter school. This is a K-6 school that is serving
predominantly African American and Latino students and offering a2-way-dual bilingual education program. The principal at the school approached us to see if we could offer an initial teacher certification program at her school for her teacher aides and community college volunteers, most of whom are also
minorities. Our plan is to expand our well established Professional Development School model to the school. This would allow us to bring the college courses on site so participants do not have to travel to enroll in our registered programs (elementary - childhood; and bilingual special education). We envision a possible 4 + 1 years program that would lead to 3 certifications; childhood, bilingual education (with an ESL component as well), and special education certification, plus both bachelors and masters degrees. This model would allow the teacher aides and college volunteers to continue to work at the school and also be full-time students in our teacher candidate certification program.
The question is: Is this charter school eligible to participate as a TOC site? Is it considered (viewed as) a public school in the final analysis for TOC purposes?
Answer 18. A charter school is eligible to participate as a TOC site.
Additional links of interest to
educators include:
Teachers of Tomorrow (TOT)
http://www.highered.nysed.gov/kiap/TEACHING/teachers_of_tomorrow_introductio.htm
Teacher/Leader Quality Partnership
Program (TLQP-formerly DDE)
http://www.highered.nysed.gov/kiap/DDE/dde%20description.htm
Teacher of the Year Program (TOTY)
http://www.highered.nysed.gov/kiap/TEACHING/tot_introduction.htm
Office of Teaching Initiatives
http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/
Office of K-16
Initiatives and Access Programs
Teacher Development Programs Unit
Room 1069 EBA
Albany, New York 12234
Telephone: (518) 486-5347
Fax (518) 474-6606
e-mail: kiap@mail.nysed.gov
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Last Updated
02/25/2008