DEW20250020_HS_Math_Pathways-Final_Signed.pdf

Contract Number: DEW20250020

Agreement for Services-ESCCO (effective until June 30, 2025)

AGREEMENT FOR SERVICES

This Agreement for Services (hereinafter “Agreement”) is made and entered by and between the

State of Ohio, Department of Education and Workforce (hereinafter "DEW"), located at 25 S. Front

Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215, and The Educational Service Center of Central Ohio, (hereinafter

“Contractor”), located at 2080 Citygate Drive, Columbus, Ohio 43219, an Educational Service Center organized and in good standing under the laws of the State of Ohio. In consideration of the mutual promises and obligations contained herein, the parties agree by and between themselves as follows:

I. NATURE OF AGREEMENT

A. Contractor shall be engaged as an independent contractor to fulfill the terms of this Agreement and to act as a contractor to DEW. It is specifically understood that the nature of the services to be rendered under this Agreement are of such a personal nature that DEW is the sole judge of the adequacy of such services.

B. DEW enters into this Agreement in reliance upon Contractor’s representations that it has the necessary expertise and experience to perform its obligations hereunder, and Contractor warrants that it does possess the necessary expertise and experience.

C. Contractor shall perform the services to be rendered under this Agreement and DEW shall not hire, supervise, or pay any assistants to Contractor in its performance of services under this Agreement.

DEW shall not be required to provide any training to Contractor to enable it to perform services required hereunder.

II. SCOPE OF WORK

A. Contractor shall perform the services (the “Work”) set forth in the attached Appendix A, Scope of

Work, which is incorporated as part of this Agreement.

B. In order to facilitate the Work, if specified, DEW shall provide the resources set forth in Appendix

A, Scope of Work.

III. TIME OF PERFORMANCE

A. The Work shall be commenced on or after the date of an approved purchase order.

B. This Agreement shall be binding upon both parties until June 30, 2025, unless this Agreement is terminated earlier as provided in Article VI, Termination of Contractor’s Services.

C. It is expressly agreed by the parties that none of the rights, duties, and obligations herein shall be binding on either party if award of this Agreement would be contrary to the terms of Ohio Revised

Code (“R.C.”) §§ 3517.13, 127.16, or R.C. Chapter 102.

IV. COMPENSATION

A. The total compensation to be paid to the Contractor under this Agreement shall not exceed eight hundred one thousand, one hundred fifty, and 00/100 dollars ($801,150.00).

https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-3517.13 https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-127.16 https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/chapter-102

B. The total amount due and its manner and schedule of payment shall be computed according to the cost schedule established in Appendix A, Scope of Work.

C. Contractor shall not be reimbursed for travel, lodging, or any other expenses incurred in the performance of the Work.

D. Contractor must receive a purchase order from DEW prior to filling an order or performing any of the Work.

E. Payment shall be made upon the submission of an invoice approved by DEW. Invoices shall include an itemization of services, including the date services were rendered, number of hours worked, the rate per hour, and the total amount due. Contractor is expected to complete any deliverable within the requested fiscal year as stated in “Appendix A.” The final invoice under this Agreement will be submitted by the Contractor to DEW no later than forty-five (45) days after the Agreement’s expiration date. Contractor shall submit all invoices via email to the following email address:

Fiscal.management@education.ohio.gov.

F. Contractor is required to provide electronic funds transfer (EFT) payment information and maintain such an account for all associated payments. Contractor may sign up at http://www.supplier.obm.ohio.gov/

G. DEW may use the Ohio Payment Card to pay for services that do not exceed Five Thousand and

00/100 Dollars ($5,000.00) per invoice, unless the Office of Budget and Management approves a higher limit. Contractor may process a payment in the payment card network only upon delivery and acceptance of the supplies or services ordered. For partial deliveries or performance, Contractor may only process a payment for the amount delivered or completed. Upon completion of the delivery of remaining supplies or services, Contractor may process a payment request in the payment card network for the remainder of the order. Contractor will receive payment through its merchant bank within the time frame agreed upon between Contractor and its merchant bank.

Contractor should expect normal processing fees from its merchant bank for payment card transactions which may not be passed on to DEW.

H. OhioBuys. This Agreement will become part of OhioBuys (per State of Ohio Procurement Policy), an electronic procurement system which provides contract and catalog hosting and management services. Ordering agencies utilize this system to trach and monitor procurement, solicitation, and contracting of goods and services. When this contract becomes part of OhioBuys, the Contractor agrees to maintain and support its Supplier account and notify DEW when such updates have been made.

V. APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS

A. It is expressly understood and agreed by the parties that none of the rights, duties, and obligations described in this Agreement shall be binding on either party until all relevant statutory provisions of the Ohio Revised Code, including, but not limited to, R.C. § 126.07, have been met, and until such time as all necessary funds are available or encumbered and, when required, such expenditure of funds is approved by the Controlling Board of the State of Ohio, or in the event that grant funds are used, until such time that DEW gives Contractor written notice that such funds have been made available to DEW by DEW’s funding source.

mailto:Fiscal.management@education.ohio.gov http://www.supplier.obm.ohio.gov/ https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-126.07

VI. SUSPENSION OR TERMINATION OF CONTRACTOR’S SERVICES

A. DEW may, at any time prior to completion of the Work, suspend or terminate this Agreement with or without cause by giving written notice to Contractor.

B. In the event that the Work includes divisible services, DEW may, at any time prior to completion of the Work, by giving written notice to Contractor, suspend or terminate any one or more such portions of the Work.

C. Contractor, upon receipt of notice of suspension or termination, shall cease work on the suspended or terminated activities under this Agreement, suspend or terminate all subcontracts relating to the suspended or terminated activities, take all necessary or appropriate steps to limit disbursements and minimize costs, and, if requested by DEW, furnish a report, as of the date Contractor receives notice of suspension or termination, describing the status of all Work, including, without limitation, results, conclusions resulting therefrom, and any other matters DEW requires.

D. Contractor shall be paid for services rendered up to the date Contractor receives notice of suspension or termination, less any payments previously made, provided Contractor has supported such payments with detailed factual data containing Work performed and hours worked. In the event of suspension or termination, any payments made by DEW for which Contractor has not rendered services shall be refunded.

E. In the event this Agreement is terminated prior to completion of the Work, Contractor shall deliver to DEW all work products and documents which have been prepared by Contractor in the course of performing the Work. All such materials shall become and remain the property of DEW, to be used in such manner and for such purpose as DEW may choose.

F. Contractor agrees to waive any right to, and shall make no claim for, additional compensation against DEW by reason of any suspension or termination.

VII. RELATIONSHIP OF PARTIES

A. It is expressly understood that Contractor and DEW are contractors independent of one another, and that neither has the authority to bind the other to any third person or otherwise to act in any way as the representative of the other.

B. It is further understood that neither Contractor nor its employees or agents are “employees” of

DEW as the term is used in division (F) of section 124.01 of the Ohio Revised Code and, therefore, are not eligible for vacation, medical insurance, sick leave, parental leave, leave of absence, tenure, bumping rights, retirement, or any other benefits or rights, which are incidents of public employment subject to the civil service laws of Ohio. Moreover, Contractor is responsible for compliance with any labor laws and contracts as it pertains to any union employees under its employment.

C. Contractor shall be responsible for all of its own business expenses, including, but not limited to, computers, email and internet access, software, phone service, and office space. Contractor will also be responsible for all licenses, permits, employees’ wages and salaries, insurance of every type and description, and all business and personal taxes, including income and Social Security taxes and contributions for Workers’ Compensation and Unemployment Compensation coverage, if any.

https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-124.01

VIII. RECORD MAINTENANCE AND ACCESS

A. During performance of this Agreement and for a period of three (3) years after its completion, Contractor shall maintain auditable records of all charges pertaining to this Agreement and shall make such records available to DEW as DEW may reasonably require.

B. Contractor shall, for the purpose of compliance with R.C. § 145.036, provide DEW with a list of all individuals who will provide personal services under this Agreement, but only if Contractor has no more than four employees.

C. Inspection and Copying. At any time during normal business hours and upon not less than twenty-four (24) hours prior written notice, Contractor shall make available to DEW, its agents or other appropriate State agencies or officials all books and records regarding this Agreement which are in the possession or control of Contractor, including, but not limited to, financial reports, and all other information pertaining to Contractor’s performance of its obligations under this Agreement. DEW, its agents and other appropriate State agencies and officials may review, audit, and make copies of such books and records. Any such inspection of books and records will be undertaken in such a manner as not to interfere unreasonably with Contractor’s normal business operations.

D. Document Accessibility. If contractor creates documents that will be posted to external or internet websites, Contractor must comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, 29 USC 794(d)

(http://criterion508.com/WebAccessibility), which gives disabled employees and members of the public access to information that is comparable to access available to others.

IX. RELATED AGREEMENTS

A. All Work is to be performed by Contractor, who may subcontract without DEW’s written approval for the purchase of articles, supplies, components, or special mechanical services that do not involve the type of work or services described in Appendix A, Scope of Work, but which are required for satisfactory completion of the Work.

i. Contractor shall not enter into subcontracts related to the Work without prior written approval by DEW. All subcontracted work shall be at Contractor’s expense.

ii. Contractor shall furnish to DEW a list of all subcontractors, their addresses, tax identification numbers, and the dollar amount of each subcontract.

B. Contractor shall bind its subcontractors to the terms of this Agreement, so far as applicable to the work of the subcontractor and shall not agree to any provision which seeks to bind DEW to terms inconsistent with, or at variance from, this Agreement.

X. RIGHTS IN DATA AND COPYRIGHTS/PUBLIC USE

A. DEW shall have unrestricted authority to reproduce, distribute, and use (in whole or in part) any reports, data, or materials prepared by Contractor pursuant to this Agreement. No such documents or other materials produced (in whole or in part) with funds provided to Contractor by DEW shall be subject to copyright by Contractor in the United States or any other country. If Contractor has reason to believe that use of a specified item is subject to patent or copyright protection, Contractor shall immediately notify DEW.

https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-145.036

B. Contractor agrees that all original works created under this Agreement shall be made freely available to the general public to the extent permitted or required by law until and unless specified otherwise by DEW. Any requests for distribution received by Contractor shall be promptly referred to DEW.

XI. CONFIDENTIALITY AND FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT

(FERPA)

A. Contractor shall comply with all applicable provisions of Ohio and federal laws including the

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (hereinafter “FERPA”) or its state equivalent. FERPA includes any amendments or other relevant provisions of federal law, as well as all requirements of

Chapter 99 of the code of Federal Regulations title 34 . Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to allow either party to maintain, use, disclose, or share student information in a manner not allowed by either state or federal laws or regulations.

B. As used herein, “confidential information” means any and all information provided in any form from one party to the other which is, by its nature, information that a prudent businessperson would maintain as confidential. “Personal information,” as described in 1347.01(E) of the Ohio Revised

Code, includes personally identifiable student information or educational records defined by

FERPA.

C. Each party shall use confidential information only in connection with completing the terms of this

Agreement as set forth herein. Each party agrees to use reasonable efforts to safeguard confidential information. “Reasonable efforts” means efforts not less than those a party employs to protect its own confidential information and, in any event, efforts not less than those a prudent businessperson would take to protect his or her own confidential and proprietary information. No party shall, without the prior written approval of the other party, directly or indirectly, disclose confidential information to any person or business entity except its own employees and representatives, including attorneys, accountants, and financial advisors, on a need-to-know basis.

D. If Contractor experiences any breach of data security that exposes confidential information, that party shall bear all costs to notify every individual whose confidential information may have been compromised.

E. The Contractor agrees not to use advertising, news releases, sales promotions, or other publicity matters relating to any product or service furnished by the Contractor wherein DEW’s name is mentioned, or language used from which a connection with DEW may be reasonably inferred, without the prior written consent of DEW.

F. Any obligations under this Agreement regarding confidentiality are subject to applicable law, including the Ohio Public Records Act set forth in R.C. Chapter 149. The disclosure of records by

DEW pursuant to the Ohio Public Records Act shall not be a breach of this Agreement and shall not constitute a waiver of Contractor’s obligations under this Article XI as to any records disclosed pursuant to a request for public records.

XII. LIABILITY

A. Each party to this Agreement agrees that it will be responsible for its own acts and omissions and the results thereof; and shall not be responsible for the acts and omissions of the other party and the results thereof. Each party agrees that it will assume all risk and liability to itself, its agents, https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/subtitle-A/part-99?toc=1 https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-1347.01 https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/chapter-149 subcontractors, or its employees for any injury to persons or property resulting in any manner from conduct of its own operations and the operations of its agents under this Agreement.

B. Contractor shall notify DEW immediately upon commencement of any actions brought against

Contractor whose outcome may affect the rights of DEW granted under this Agreement. DEW shall have the right at its own expense to appear in and defend such actions.

XIII. ANTITRUST ASSIGNMENT

A. Contractor assigns to DEW all state and federal antitrust claims and causes of action that relate to all goods and services provided for in this Agreement.

XIV. CONTRACTOR’S STATUTORY OBLIGATIONS

A. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS. Contractor, in the execution of its duties and obligations under this Agreement, agrees to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules, regulations, and ordinances.

B. DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE. Contractor agrees to comply with all applicable state and federal laws regarding drug-free workplace and shall make a good faith effort to ensure that all Contractor employees, while working on State property, will not purchase, transfer, use or possess illegal drugs or alcohol or abuse prescription drugs in any way.

C. NONDISCRIMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT. Pursuant to R.C. § 125.111, Contractor agrees that Contractor, any subcontractor, and any person acting on behalf of Contractor or a subcontractor, shall not discriminate, by reason of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, military status as defined in R.C. § 4112.01, national origin, or ancestry against any citizen of this state in the employment of any person qualified and available to perform the Work.

Contractor further agrees that Contractor, any subcontractor, and any person acting on behalf of

Contractor or a subcontractor shall not, in any manner, discriminate against, intimidate, or retaliate against any employee hired for the performance of the Work on account of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, military status, national origin, or ancestry.

D. USE OF MBE AND EDGE VENDORS. Revised Code § 125.081 requires state agencies to set aside purchases for Minority Business Enterprises (“MBE”) and Executive Order 2008-13S encourages use of Encouraging Diversity, Growth and Equity (“EDGE”) businesses. DEW encourages Contractor to purchase goods and services from Ohio-certified MBE and EDGE vendors.

E. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. Contractor acknowledges and agrees neither Contractor nor any of its individual employees providing personal services under this Agreement are public employees for the purposes of R.C. Chapter 145. DEW will not make contributions to the public employees’ retirement system on behalf of any individuals employed by

Contractor, or its subcontractors or other agents. Contractor certifies that it is an employer with five or more employees as defined as a “business entity” in R.C. § 145.037(A) for the purposes of the application of R.C. Chapter 145, or that it has completed the necessary forms through OhioBuys if Contractor is an employer with no more than four (4) employees.

XV. CONTRACTOR’S REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-125.111 https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-4112.01 https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-125.081 https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-145.037 https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/chapter-145

A. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY. The Contractor will comply with all state and federal laws regarding equal employment opportunity and fair labor and employment practices, including Section 125.111 of the Ohio Revised Code and all related Executive Orders. Before a contract can be awarded or renewed, an Affirmative Action Plan must be submitted to and approved by the State of Ohio.

B. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST/ETHICS. Contractor represents, warrants and certifies that it and its employees engaged in the administration or performance of this Contract are knowledgeable of and understand the Ohio Ethics and Conflict of Interest laws including but not limited to Chapter 102 and Sections 2921.42 and 2921.43 of the Ohio Revised Code. Contractor further represents, warrants, and certifies that neither Contractor nor any of its employees will do any act that is inconsistent with such laws or otherwise presents a conflict of interest.

C. QUALIFICATIONS TO DO BUSINESS. Contractor affirms that it has all of the approvals, licenses, or other qualifications needed to conduct business in Ohio and that all are current. If

Contractor becomes disqualified from conducting business in the state of Ohio for any reason at any time during the term of this Agreement, Contractor will immediately notify DEW in writing and will immediately cease performance of the Work.

D. CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS. Contractor hereby certifies that neither it, nor any person described in R.C. § 3517.13 (I) or (J), nor the spouse of any such person, has made, as an individual, within the two previous calendar years, one or more contributions to the governor or the governor’s campaign committees totaling in excess of the limitations specified in R.C. § 3517.13.

E. FINDINGS FOR RECOVERY. Contractor warrants that it is not subject to an “unresolved” finding for recovery under R.C. § 9.24. If the warranty is false on the date the parties signed this

Agreement, the Agreement is void ab initio, and the Contractor shall immediately repay any funds paid under this Agreement.

F. DEBARMENT. Contractor represents and warrants that neither it, nor any of its subcontractors, are debarred from consideration for contract awards by any governmental agency. If this representation and warranty is found to be false, this Contract is void ab initio, and the Contractor shall immediately repay any funds paid under this Contract.

G. EXPENDITURES OF PUBLIC FUNDS ON OFFSHORE SERVICES. Contractor affirms to have read and understands Executive Order 2019-12D issued by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.

Contractor shall perform no services required under this Agreement or locate State data in any way outside of the United States.

Contractor also affirms to have read and understands Executive Order 2022-02D issued by Ohio

Governor Mike DeWine. Contractor has signed and completed the Standard Affirmation and

Disclosure Form and shall perform no services in Russia, locate State data in Russia in any way, or purchase from or invest in Russian institutions or companies.

H. BOYCOTTING. Pursuant to R.C. § 9.76, Contractor hereby declares that it is not boycotting any jurisdiction with whom the State of Ohio can participate in open trade, including the nation of

Israel, and will not do so during the term of this Agreement.

I. MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT. Contractor warrants to DEW that all materials and equipment furnished under this Agreement shall be new and of good quality unless otherwise required or https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-125.111 https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/chapter-102 https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-2921.42 https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-2921.43 https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-3517.13 https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-3517.13 https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-9.24 https://governor.ohio.gov/media/executive-orders/2019-12d https://governor.ohio.gov/media/executive-orders/Executive-Order-2022-02D https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-9.76 permitted by the Agreement, that the Work shall be free from defects not inherent in the quality required or permitted, and that the Work shall conform to the requirements of the Agreement.

XVI. MISCELLANEOUS

A. CONTROLLING LAW. This Agreement and the rights of the parties hereunder shall be governed, construed, and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the state of Ohio. Contractor consents to jurisdiction in a court of proper jurisdiction in Franklin County, Ohio.

B. WAIVER. The failure of either party at any time to demand strict performance by the other party of any of the terms of this Agreement will not be a waiver of those terms or to any other terms of this Contract. Waivers must be in writing to be effective, and either party may at any later time demand strict performance.

C. SURVIVAL. All sections herein relating to payment, confidentiality, license and ownership, indemnification, maintenance, publicity, warranties, and limitations on damages shall survive the termination of this Agreement. In addition, to the extent necessary to carry out the purpose of this

Agreement, all other terms, conditions, representations or warranties contained in this Agreement will survive the expiration or termination of this Agreement.

D. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. Neither this Agreement nor any rights, duties, or obligations hereunder may be assigned or transferred in whole or in part by Contractor, without the prior written consent of DEW.

E. NOTICES. For any notice under this Agreement to be effective, the notice must be in writing and:

1) hand delivered with delivery acknowledged in writing; 2) sent by U.S. Certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid; 3) sent by overnight delivery service (Fed Ex, UPS, etc.) with receipt; or 4) sent by email.

F. CONFLICT. In the event of any conflict between the terms and provisions of the body of this

Agreement and any exhibit hereto, the terms and provisions of the body of this Agreement shall control.

G. HEADINGS. The headings in this Agreement have been inserted for convenient reference only and shall not be considered in any questions of interpretation or construction of this Agreement.

H. SEVERABILITY. If any provision of the Contract or the application of any provision is held by a court to be contrary to law, the remaining provisions of the Contract will remain in full force and effect.

I. ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Agreement contains the entire agreement between the parties hereto and shall not be modified, amended, or supplemented, or any rights herein waived, unless specifically agreed upon in writing by the parties hereto. This Agreement supersedes any and all previous agreements, whether written or oral, between the parties.

J. AMENDMENTS OR MODIFICATIONS.

i. DEW reserves the right to right to reduce the Scope of Work set forth in Appendix A by providing written notice to the Contractor.

ii. DEW may document non-material changes in writing and provide notice to the Contractor.

iii. Any other change to this Agreement will not be effective unless it is in writing and signed by both parties to the Agreement.

K. EXECUTION. This Agreement is not binding upon DEW unless executed in full and is effective as of the last date of signature by DEW.

L. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, and all of which shall constitute but one and the same instrument.

M. ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES. Any party hereto may deliver a copy of its counterpart signature page to this Agreement electronically pursuant to R.C. Chapter 1306. Each party hereto shall be entitled to rely upon an electronic signature of any other party delivered in such a manner as if such signature were an original.

N. ASSIGNMENT. Neither this Agreement nor any rights, duties, or obligations described herein shall be assigned or subcontracted by Contractor without the prior express written consent of DEW.

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/chapter-1306

Each party is signing this Agreement on the date stated below that party’s signature.

Appendix A: Scope of Work

Overview

Since 2014, Algebra 2 or its equivalent has been a graduation requirement for all high school students.

However, the content of Algebra 2 has not been meaningful for all students’ college and/or career goals.

To better meet the needs of all learners, Ohio developed guidance on implementing courses of equivalent rigor to Algebra 2 to open additional postsecondary pathways.

Over the last four years, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce has worked with state and regional partners to develop and implement the Algebra 2 equivalent courses throughout Ohio.

The Department now recognizes five Algebra 2 equivalent high school courses that align with entry-level, college (or university) credit-bearing math courses:

• Algebra 2/Math 3,

• Advanced Quantitative Reasoning,

• Data Science Foundations,

• Discrete Mathematics/Computer Science, and

• Statistics and Probability

Curriculum and professional learning for educators has been developed for Advanced Quantitative

Reasoning, Data Science Foundations, and Discrete Mathematics/Computer Science through various national, state, and regional partnerships. Regional Leads from Educational Service Centers (ESCs) have been designated for the Advanced Quantitative Reasoning, Data Science Foundations, and Discrete

Mathematics/ Computer Science courses. Regional leads are responsible for providing professional learning and technical support to educators on the courses.

In Ohio and nationally, performance in K-12 students’ mathematics has declined over the past decade, a pattern exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This is particularly concerning given that of students who did not graduate high school in Ohio, 94.2% did not earn credit in Algebra 2/Math 3. In contrast, quantitative literacy, data analytics, and skills in computer science are increasingly in demand in the workplace. This work will help further opportunities for Ohio’s students to successfully gain in-demand mathematics skills while meeting graduation requirements.

Work Plan

Communications Strategy

The Contractor will employ a variety of tactics and performance metrics to raise awareness of High

School Math Pathways. Both the tactics and performance metrics will leverage the existing statewide network of ESCs to communicate directly with traditional schools and districts, community schools, and nonpublic schools. See appendix B for matrix of tactics and performance metrics.

Landscape Analysis

The Contractor and subcontractors will perform a landscape analysis to determine why schools and districts may not have begun to implement alternative math pathways.

Specific deliverables will include

a. Ensure coherence and coordination with DEW and subcontractors

b. Design online data collection instrument per DEW guidance

c. Disseminate survey and collect and store responses securely

d. Conduct interviews of representative samples of participating and non-participating schools and school districts.

e. Analyze and interpret data and provide insights.

f. Prepare, clear, comprehensive, and actionable analysis by November 2024.

The landscape analysis will focus on the following driving questions:

1. What are the current strategies and metrics regarding High School Math Pathways communications?

a. What is the level of awareness among LEAs?

b. What is baseline traffic on the High School Math Pathways website?

c. What is the open rate of pathways-related email?

2. How have pathways participation levels increased/decreased over the past three years?

a. Which districts/schools are involved and not involved? Why?

b. To what extent are regions of the state over/underrepresented?

3. Where are the opportunity gaps?

a. What is ESC and district capacity (e.g., math specialists, facilitators, trainers)?

Course Development and Materials

The co-design teams will include the state lead, a math consultant from the DEW math team, at least one professor of mathematics from an Ohio college or university and regional facilitators from each pathway nominated or recommended by DEW math team members and/or the Ohio Department of Higher

Education.

Through a co-design process, each pathway training team will review the existing training for high school math teachers new to pathway implementation to define the following:

• Articulate an appropriate scope and sequence for that course,

• Define learning objectives including knowledge and skills for implementing effective instructional strategies,

• Identify the knowledge and skills for assessing student learning, and for providing interventions, if needed.

Then, the co-design training team will design valid and reliable measures of learning outcomes to ensure each pathway teacher has demonstrated minimum competency to implement the pathway with fidelity.

After articulating the scope and sequence, and reviewing the content with a designated DEW lead, the co-design team will define tools to support the universal protocol for a school team to complete to ensure all components of implementation are met.

The Contractor and subcontractors will leverage DEW’s Learning Management System to ensure a cohort delivery system for pathways training. Accordingly, the project lead for training tools will be responsible for ensuring that digital assets are developed in a way that allows DEW personnel the ability to import into the state’s LMS.

Tools, Protocols and Procedures

Prior to committing to implement any Algebra 2 Equivalent course, the following is the protocol that will be recommended by pathway state leads, regional facilitators, DEW representatives, and others when consulting with LEA staff including curriculum leaders, principals, school counselors, and teachers as they consider implementing one or more high school math pathways:

Establish a Local Pathways Implementation Team –Participants on the LEA pathways implementation team minimally should include the classroom teacher(s), school administrator, school counselor, district-level or ESC-level curriculum specialist, and representative of specialized support. Other recommended participants could include one or more of the following - students, families, community/business representatives, and/or higher education representatives.

Assess Conditions for Teaching and Learning –LEA pathways implementation team assess conditions for teaching and learning to ensure adequate support Algebra 2 Equivalent application with fidelity. The ecosystem for teaching and learning includes availability of instructional resources, including access to internet-enabled devices, connectivity, and high-quality instructional materials and classroom supplies to deliver pathway instruction seamlessly.

Articulate and Communicate a Leadership Vision –LEA pathways implementation team ensures that school leadership articulates and effectively communicates a vision for pathways implementation, including structures for support and progress monitoring. This should include a process for local formative program evaluation, regular teacher feedback, and ongoing engagement in a community of practice with other pathways principals and administrators.

Application Process

Following completion of the pathway readiness protocol and affirmation to proceed, the school or district will complete and submit an application for one or more pathways for the following school year.

The application will gather the following information which will be critical for each pathway state lead to share important information with participating districts:

• District contact information

• District representative contact information

• School name

• School contact information

• Pathway selected for implementation

• Name(s) of teachers responsible for math pathway instruction

• Name(s) of teachers/specialists responsible for supporting students in the course, if different from instructor

• Teacher email

• A statement from the pathway implementation team on why the school has chosen to teach this course and articulating a vision for the course

• Statement of support from school leadership to offer the course

Pathways applications will be open indefinitely and reviewed on a rolling basis by the state lead, allowing schools to make their pathways implementation decision in their own time.

The application process will be another opportunity to clarify that all Algebra 2 Equivalent course curricula and training modules are available to public school districts, community schools, and nonpublic schools at no cost.

Additional coaching, instructional supplies, and/or release time for teachers to participate in webinars or facilitated training are the responsibility of the LEA.

Facilitator Guides

Facilitator guides will help standardize facilitated training protocols throughout the state. Each pathway co-design team will also design and develop facilitator guides to support in-person or webinar training led by regional facilitators.

Each pathway facilitator guide will include outcomes, big ideas, and guiding principles for instruction within that pathway. Facilitator guides will also include slides with scripted notes for each learning module, digitized master copies of participant materials, a resource list including videos and supporting documents, and suggested learning activities.

Communities of Practice

As part of the existing High School Math Pathways structure, each math pathway state lead in partnership with a

DEW math team consultant hosts regularly scheduled virtual CoPs for teachers implementing and sustaining pathways instruction. ESC regional facilitators also participate in these communities of practice. This work will expand access to any teacher who wishes to participate in a CoPs sessions. State pathways coordinators and ESC regional facilitators will explore options for matching math pathways mentorships Year 1 teachers to other more experienced pathways teachers.

CoPs will be hosted by the OESCA communications coordinator and facilitated by the state lead for each pathway. Math pathway CoPs for teachers (middle school and high school) will be scheduled monthly after school and last 90 minutes. Any teacher across the state in any year of implementation is invited and encouraged to join and attend the monthly learning communities.

Structured activities in the CoPs will include sharing successes and challenges in implementing Algebra 2 equivalents. During this time, teachers will have the opportunity to learn instructional strategies that have accelerated student engagement and learning, progress monitoring, tiered interventions of support, and elements of high-quality instruction and teacher support aligned to Ohio’s Curriculum Support Guide.

Additionally, CoPs for school leaders and school counselors will be hosted quarterly. These sessions will be 45 to

60 minutes in length and will give administrators and counselors opportunities to discuss issues around scheduling, staffing, and local policies that may create unforeseen challenges at the onset of math pathways implementation. Quarterly CoPs will enhance knowledge and understanding of Algebra 2 equivalents and effective strategies and sustainable structures that promote coherence and competency, including metrics for measuring and monitoring impact on student preparedness for college

Timeline

Item Date

Kickoff Meeting via Microsoft Teams Oct. 14, 2024

Communication Strategy Oct.-Nov. 2024

1. Develop & disseminate survey with guidance from DEW and OESCA Oct. 1-Oct.4, 2024

2. School Interviews Oct. 7-Oct.31, 2024

3. Present Methodology Oct. 14. 2024

4. Present preliminary findings Oct. 24, 2024

5. Final analysis findings Nov. 28, 2024

Promote HS Math Pathways

6. Prioritize key messages Oct. 15, 2024

7. Design digital assets Cot. 16-Oct. 23, 2024

8. Disseminate via Email Campaign Cot. 28, 2024 (then monthly)

Item Date

9. Promote through OESCA social media channels Oct. 28, 2024 (then as scheduled)

Engage State Education Associations

10. Co-host webinars & seminars Oct. 16-Oct. 31, 2024

11. Create informational materials Oct. 16-Oct. 23, 2024

Promote pathways in the Ohio Professional Learning Directory

12. Targeted email campaign Oct. 30, 2024 (then monthly

13. Introductory webinars Oct. 30, 2024 (then as scheduled)

14. Feature open-source content & webinars Oct. 30, 2024 (then as scheduled)

Courses and Materials

Co-Design Training Modules

1. Convene math pathways training co-design teams Oct. 17, 2024 (then as scheduled)

2. Define tools to support readiness protocol Nov. 15, 2024

3. Articulate pathway training scope & sequence Dec. 13, 2024

4. Define learning objectives for training Jan. 14, 2025

5. Design valid & reliable measures of learning outcomes Feb. 11, 2025

6. Review training content with designated DEW lead Feb. 28, 2025

Build training modules and upload to DEW LMS

7. Digitize content in Ohio Learning Community Mar. 1-Apr. 30, 2025

8. Beta test modules, revise per feedback May 1-May 8, 2025

Application Process

9. Design & finalize application process Oct. 17-Oct. 31, 2024

10. Open application process Nov. 29, 2024

11. Review & approve pathway applications Jan. 3-31, 2025 (then as submitted)

12. Notify schools & provide support as needed Feb. 3-Feb. 28, 2025

13. Clarify that course curriculum & training resources are available at no cost, while additional coaching, instructional supplies, and/or release time for teachers to participate in webinars or facilitated training will be the responsibility of the LEA

Launch Training

14. Open training courses for teachers May 22, 2025

15. Complete facilitator guides May 30, 2025

Community of Practice

Strengthen math pathways through communities of practice

1. Monthly virtual meetings via Zoom Oct. 22, 2024 (then monthly)

2. Explore options for matching math pathway mentorships Year 1 teachers to other experienced pathways teachers Nov. 29, 2024

3. Recognize active community members Jan. 21, 2025 (then quarterly)

4. School leadership virtual meetings Oct. 29, 2024 (then quarterly)

Virtual Status Meetings

1. Virtual status meetings via Zoom Oct. 24, 2024 (then monthly)

Final Report

1. Develop CoP pre/post evaluation tool Oct. 18, 2024

2. Collect, review, & synthesize relevant project data Jan. 23, 2025 (then quarterly)

3. Synthesize key findings Nov. 1-Nov.14, 2025

4. Generate recommendations for sustainability Nov. 14-Nov.19, 2025

5. Create communication assets Nov. 19-Dec. 4, 2025

6. Present final report to DEW Dec. 11, 2025

Personnel

Name Title Entity Duties

Gale Marsh Authorized Representative ESCCO

• Organizational oversight

• Designee for ESC superintendent

David Varda CFO/Treasurer ESCCO

• Fiscal Agent representative

• Review & approve MOUs with ESCs, Contractors, & other regional providers

• Provide approval for all budget related items

Jill Reinhart Director ESCCO

• Program supervisor

• Monitor progress of deliverables

• Forster relationships with ESCs

Joe Weitz Communications Director ESCCO

• Project lead

• Communications strategy development

Dr. Tom Reed Project Manager OESCA

• Manage & coordinate day to day operations

• Primary point of contact for all work

• Complete & provide status reporting prior to each monthly meeting

Allyson Robinson Communications

Coordinator OESCA • Facilitate communication across ESCs

Gabby Cajuste Project Coordinator OESCA

• Coordinate promoting resources

• Publish courses, tools, & resources in the OPLD

• Metric monitoring

Joseph Hailpern Landscape Survey

Facilitator InnovateK12 • Landscape Survey lead

Matt Fannon Math Consultant ESCCO

• Project lead for development & dissemination of training resources, tools, protocols, & processes

Dave Clark Curriculum & Technology

Specialist

Butler County

ESC

• Oversee & facilitate content development

Steve Miller State Math Lead-Modeling

& Reasoning Summit ESC

• Coordinate & facilitate virtual COPs

• Coordinate with ESC regional facilitators

Frank Carraher State Math Lead-Math &

Computer Science

ESC Western

Reserve

• Coordinate & facilitate virtual COPs

• Coordinate with ESC regional facilitators

Michael O’

Shaughnessy

State Math Lead-Data

Science Foundations

Montgomery

County ESC

• Coordinate & facilitate virtual COPs

• Coordinate with ESC regional facilitators

Budget

FY25

Deliverable QTY Unit of Measure Unit Cost Extended Cost

Kickoff Meeting 1 Each $525 $525

Communication Strategy 1 Amount $305,760 $305,760

Cohorts 4 Each $10,395 $41,580

Virtual Status Meetings 9 Each $1,050 $9,450

Courses & Materials 1 Amount $237,195 $237,195

Total:

- - $594,510

FY26

Deliverable QTY Unit of Measure Unit Cost Extended Cost

Cohorts 4 Each $6,930 $27,720

Virtual Status Meetings 6 Each $1,050 $6,300

Courses & Materials 1 Amount $158,130 $158,130

Final Report 1 Each $14,490 $14,490

Total: - - - $206,640

*Appropriation for state fiscal year 2026 which for the purposes of this contract are from July 1, 2025 until December 31, 2025 will not be available until approval by the Controlling Board of the State of

Ohio are obtained for said fiscal year. Funds for this Agreement are from a Federal source and therefore are deemed to be obligated in their entirety upon the last date of signature of the relevant parties.

Appendix B: Communication Tactics and Performance Metrics

1. Leverage OESCA and ESCs to communicate directly to schools to promote pathways

Tactics Performance Metrics

a. Leverage OESCA, Communications & Marketing

Staff, OESCA website & social media channels, OESCA PR & marketing committee members, & subcontractor about the options for Algebra 2

Equivalents, application process, impact & use cases of prior participants.

a. Establish a direct email campaign & social media strategies to disseminate key messages related to

HS math pathways & monitor open rates and click throughs of users

b. Regional webinars will be coordinated & facilitated by state leads to introduce Algebra 2 equivalents to district administrators, principals, school counselors, & math dept. chairs & explain its benefits, relevant research, review application process

b. The number of regional workshops conducted will be documented along with participant feedback

c. Develop communications toolkit for ESC usage with schools and districts that will include the implementation protocols & related resources, social media messages, slide decks, etc.

c. Number of toolkit downloads will be captured by

ESCs quarterly

d. Establish feedback loop through ESCs to gather insights on implementation challenges & successes

d. Collect quarterly feedback from applicable ESC personnel

2. Collaborate with State Education Associations to enhance PD.

a. Partner with associations to co-host webinars on implementation importance

a. Document number of co-hosted webinars & attendance

b. Develop materials to disseminate at conferences b. Obtain participation feedback from joint events

3. Promote Pathways in the Ohio Professional Learning Directory

a. OESCA will launch a targeted email campaign to educators highlighting new courses & resources

a. Track number of educators accessing courses & resources

b. OESCA will offer introductory webinars to navigate

& utilize the directory for professional growth

b. User engagement metrics, such as course completion & time spent in directory

c. OESCA staff will collaborate with course co-design teams to feature open-source content & Algebra 2 equivalent webinars for directory users

d. Increased usage of and participation in Algebra 2 equivalent content & webinars through the OPL and OESCA website.

4. Strengthen pathway implementation in the Ohio Learning Community

a. State leads will organize & facilitate or co-facilitate monthly virtual meetings for educators to discuss implementation strategies & share experiences.

a. Participant attendance in OLC will be tracked.

b. Mentorship program will be explored by pathway leads where more experienced educators can guide new teachers in implementing courses.

b. Mentorship program participation and feedback will be tracked & monitored

c. Pathway leads and regional facilitators will feature active community members who contribute significantly to discussions & resource sharing.

c. Recognize/feature active members of each pathway learning community & the high schools with which they are associated utilizing the statewide network.