Project Grant 20SFSAL001

THE FOSTER GRANDPARENT PROGRAM OF TUSCALOOSA COUNTY PROVIDES INCOME ELIGIBLE SENIORS, 55 YEARS OLD OR OLDER, THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOLUNTEER IN NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS, HEAD START AND NON-PROFIT OR FAITH-BASED DAY CARE CENTERS BY PROVIDING TUTORING, MENTORING AND ASSISTING SPECIAL NEEDS AND OR AT-RISK CHILDREN, IN ONE ON ONE OR SMALL GROUP SETTINGS. THE MAJOR OBJECTIVE FOR THIS PROGRAM IS LITERACY AS IT RELATES TO FLUENCY/COMPREHENSION AND SCHOOL ATTENDANCE. THE PRIMARY FOCUS AREA FOR THIS PROJECT IS K-12 SUCCESS. AN ESTIMATED 34 VOLUNTEERS WILL SERVE AS FOSTER GRANDPARENTS. HISTORICALLY, THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF UNDUPLICATED FOSTER GRANDPARENT VOLUNTEERS WILL CHANGE DURING THE YEAR DUE TO UNFORESEEN ILLNESSES, DECLINING HEALTH AND/OR DEATH. WE MONITOR PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS' ATTENDANCE TO PREVENT THIS FROM ADVERSELY AFFECTING OUR ATTAINMENT OF THE REQUIRED 29 VSYS FOR THE GRANT CYCLE. AT THE END OF THE THREE-YEAR GRANT CYCLE, THE ANTICIPATED OUTCOME IS TO HAVE A MINIMUM OF 29 UNDUPLICATED VOLUNTEERS, WORKING 12 TO 35 HOURS PER WEEK WITH 80% OF THE STUDENTS ACHIEVING SUCCESS IN LITERACY WHICH WILL ENSURE THEIR PROMOTION TO THE NEXT GRADE LEVEL AND OR EXCEED CURRENT EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS. THE CURRENT CNCS TWELVE MONTH FEDERAL INVESTMENT OF $167,253 WILL BE SUPPLEMENTED BY A MINIMUM OF 10% NON-FEDERAL RESOURCES. WE WILL BE REQUESTING ADDITIONAL FUNDING LOCALLY AND THROUGH THE STATE TO ASSIST US IN MEETING THE NEEDS OF THIS COMMUNITY'S CORE CONCERN OF LITERACY. OUR VOLUNTEERS RECEIVE PRE AND ONGOING MONTHLY TRAINING FROM RETIRED SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, EDUCATORS AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS IN CHILD CARE SERVICE AREAS FROM BOTH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTORS. MOST OF OUR FOSTER GRANDPARENTS SERVE AS VOLUNTEERS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS WHICH LENDS ITSELF TO A STRONGER COMMITMENT TO THE STUDENTS THEY SERVE IN THE CAPACITY OF MENTORS, TUTORS. THEY ARE REFERRED TO BY CURRENT AND FORMER FGP VOLUNTEERS, SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS AND EDUCATORS. THEY SERVE IN OUR SCHOOLS AS AN EXTRA PAIR OF EARS, EYES AND HANDS IN THE CLASSROOMS. THE TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOLS STRATEGIC PLAN (LEARNING REIMAGINED) ESTABLISHED READING PROFICIENCY AS A PRIORITY. ACCORDING TO TEST SCORES FROM THE 2016 ADMINISTRATION OF THE ACT ASPIRE TEST FOR THIRD-GRADE STUDENTS, ONLY 39 PERCENT OF TOTAL STUDENTS WERE DEEMED PROFICIENT IN READING. UPON CLOSER REVIEW OF THESE FINDINGS SHOWS AN ACHIEVEMENT GAP EXISTS AMONG BLACK AND WHITE STUDENTS. THE SYSTEM IS PLACING A TARGETED PRIORITY IN CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP THAT EXISTS IN THE TCS THROUGH BETTER TRAINED READING COACHES AND FREE SUMMER SCHOOLS. THE SYSTEMS ALSO HAVE EXTENDED DAY PROGRAMS STAFFED BY CERTIFIED TEACHERS WHO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL ACADEMIC FOLLOW-UP. AS PART OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN BUSINESS, FAMILIES, AND FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO ESTABLISH A COMMUNITY FOCUS ON READING. TO SUPPORT THE TCS GOAL IN READING, THE SYSTEM ESTABLISHED THE READING BY THIRD GRADE COALITION COMPRISED OF ALL COMMUNITY PARTNERS WITH THE GOAL OF ESTABLISHING A TRUE READING CULTURE IN THE CITY OF TUSCALOOSA. THE FOSTER GRANDPARENT PROGRAM OF TUSCALOOSA COUNTY IS ONE OF THE MANY COMMUNITY PARTNERS. THE SYSTEM REPORTED THAT STUDENTS WHO STRUGGLE IN READING WILL NOT BE AS SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR LEARNING AFTER THIRD GRADE. TO ALLEVIATE THESE FINDINGS, GOVERNOR KAY IVEY SIGNED THE ALABAMA LITERACY ACT IN JUNE, 2019. THIS LAW "MANDATES THAT ALL K-3 CHILDREN IN ALABAMA PUBLIC SCHOOLS BE SCREENED FOR LITERACY DEFICITS INCLUDING DYSLEXIA. ADDITIONALLY, STUDENTS WHO EVIDENCE CHARACTERISTICS OF DYSLEXIA AS DETERMINED BY THE DYSLEXIA SCREENING MUST BE PROVIDED WITH DYSLEXIA-SPECIFIC INTERVENTION. A LITERACY PLAN MUST BE DEVELOPED BY THE STUDENT'S TEACHERS AND PARENTS AND PARENTS MUST BE APPRISED OF STUDENT PROGRESS REGULARLY." A STRONG, ORGANIZED AND SHARED COMMUNITY INITIATIVE WITH A FOCUS ON READING WILL HAVE AN EDUCATIONAL IMPACT ON OUR STUDENTS AND AN ECONOMIC IMPACT