July 20, 2011
(X)
Action Required
Date: August 24, 2011
(X)
Informational
BULLETIN NO. 045-11 K-12 EDUCATION
TO:
Educational Service Districts Superintendents
School District Superintendents
Assistant Superintendents for Business and/or Business Managers
School District Grant Program Administrators
School District Teacher Assistance Program Administrators
Title I-A and Title II-A Program Administrators
Educational Service District Professional Development Ctr. Coordinators
FROM:
Randy I. Dorn, State Superintendent of Public Instruction
RE:
Beginning Educator Support Team (BEST) Grants
CONTACT: Michaela Miller, Director (360) 725-6119, Michaela.miller@k12.wa.us
Agency TTY number: (360) 664-3631
The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) has been tasked by the 2011
Legislature with implementation of a beginning educator support program. This program
is intended to provide an enhanced level of support for the development of early career
educators and educators new to an assignment. It builds on more than two decades of
capacity and infrastructure developed throughout Washington by school districts,
educational service districts (ESDs), and other educational professionals through
funding and assistance by OSPI's former Teacher Assistance Program (TAP).
Beginning Educator Support Team (BEST) grants provide competitive funding to
school districts and/or regional consortia for implementation of a seamless system of
support for early career teachers—from initial hiring and placement, to their first years in
the classroom, and provisional status educators facing new assignments because of
RIF or other financial constraints in districts. In addition to BEST grant funding,
resources and professional development for mentors and district/ESD program
administrators are also provided.
BULLETIN NO. 045-11 K-12 ED
Page 2
July 20, 2011
Required BEST grant components are aligned with state standards for the
induction of novice educators described in Effective Support for New Teachers in
Washington State (CSTP-OSPI, rev. 2008). This document is available online at
http://www.k12.wa.us/BEST/default.aspx.
Required BEST grant components are aligned with the new teacher evaluation
criteria outlined in E2SSB 6696 and the Teacher Principal Evaluation Pilot project
outlined on the TPEP website (http://tpep-wa.org/) and in the final July 2011 report,
which is available online at http://www.k12.wa.us/EdLeg/TPEP/default.aspx and
http://tpep-wa.org/.
BEST Grant Eligibility
All public school districts and educational service districts (ESDs) are eligible to apply.
School districts may apply individually or as a member of a regional consortium which
may include or be led by an ESD.
A regional consortium is defined as two or more school districts which collaborate in
providing one or more of the required program elements. All members of a consortium
are required to meet all program components either individually or collaboratively. A
regional consortium may or may not include an ESD depending on the capacity of the
member districts and the ESD to carry out program requirements. Regional consortiums
using an ESD are encouraged.
Required BEST grant program components include a paid orientation for new
teachers; well-trained, well-matched mentors for first and second year teachers, and
teachers new to an assignment; professional development for beginning teachers;
release time for observations; assistance with development/annual refinement of
mentee Professional Growth Plans; professional development for mentors; and
compensation for mentors. Alignment with the new teacher and principal criteria is
required.
BEST funding to successful applicants will be provided directly to the school district or
to the lead agency of a regional consortium. Grant management components will be
defined in the BEST Grant Program Description, Eligibility, & Application Instructions.
The BEST Grant Program Description, Eligibility, & Application Instructions will be
available beginning Wednesday, July 27th, 2011 on the BEST website at:
http://www.k12.wa.us/BEST/default.aspx.
BULLETIN NO. 045-11 K-12 ED
Page 3
July 20, 2011
Title I, Part A, and Title II, Part A may be used to supplement BEST grant funding to
meet program criteria.
To the extent possible, OSPI staff will strive for an equitable distribution to urban and
rural school districts of varying sizes across the state's geographic regions.
Expected Allocation per First Year Teacher
Expected Allocation per Second Year Teacher
Expected Allocation per Provisional Status Teacher
New to Teaching Assignment
$2,500
$2,000
$ 500
The Beginning Educator Support Team (BEST) grant application will be available
on Monday, August 1, 2011, on OSPI iGrants at:
http://eds.ospi.k12.wa.us/iGrants/Default.aspx.
The application deadline is 5 p.m. on Wednesday, August 24, 2011.
Funding decisions will be announced by Friday, September 2, 2011.
For additional information regarding BEST grants, contact Michaela Miller, Director, at
(360) 725-6119 or michaela.miller@k12.wa.us. The agency TTY number is (360) 6643631; www.k12.wa.us.
K-12 EDUCATION
Alan Burke, Ed.D.
Deputy Superintendent
Michaela W. Miller
Director
RD:mm
OSPI provides equal access to all programs and services without discrimination based on sex, race, creed, religion, color, national
origin, age, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, the
presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a
disability. Questions and complaints of alleged discrimination should be directed to the Equity and Civil Rights Director at
(360) 725-6162 or P.O. Box 47200 Olympia, WA 98504-7200.