Excellence for All Program
Discretionary Grant Application
Office of Instructional Enhancement and
Internal Operations
November 1, 2012
Mississippi Department of Education
Excellence for All Program
Discretionary Grant Application
Application Due: December 6, 2012
This packet includes:
Section I:
Section II:
Section III:
Attachment
General Information
Application Procedures
Application Package
NCEE Program Requirements
Questions:
Questions regarding the Excellence for All Program grant award may be directed to Dr. Kim Benton,
Interim Deputy State Superintendent, Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations at
601-359-3077.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION I: GENERAL INFORMATION
Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1
Grant Purpose ...................................................................................................................... 1
Eligible Applicants ................................................................................................................ 1
Funding................................................................................................................................. 1
Grant Period ......................................................................................................................... 1
Use of Funds ........................................................................................................................ 1
Grant Benchmarks, Reports and Payment Schedule ........................................................... 1
SECTION II: APPLICATION PROCEDURES
Procedures for Delivery of Applications ................................................................................ 2
Risk of Delivery ..................................................................................................................... 2
Conditions of Solicitation ...................................................................................................... 3
Acceptance of Applications................................................................................................... 3
Rejection of Applications ...................................................................................................... 3
Application Requirements ..................................................................................................... 4
Selection Criteria and Procedures ........................................................................................ 4
Timeline ................................................................................................................................ 4
SECTION III: APPLICATION PACKAGE
Application Instructions ......................................................................................................... 4
Programs Fact Sheet ............................................................................................................ 5
Grant Application Checklist ................................................................................................... 6
Application Cover Page ........................................................................................................ 7
Statement of Standard Terms and Conditions ................................................................... 8-9
Assurances and Certifications ....................................................................................... 10-11
Description of Need ............................................................................................................ 12
Evidence of Broad-Based Support ..................................................................................... 12
Budget Narrative ................................................................................................................. 12
Intent to Submit Application Form....................................................................................... 13
ATTACHMENT - NCEE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS .......................................................... 14
I.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Introduction
The Mississippi Department of Education’s (MDE) Office of Instructional Enhancement and
Internal Operations has launched the Excellence for All program pilot initiative to provide
students with the maximum opportunity for success after high school.
Grant Purpose
The purpose of this grant is to award discretionary funds to assist eligible school districts
implementing the Excellence for All program to provide students with the maximum opportunity
for success after high school. The Excellence for All program will also help reduce dropout
rates and better prepare students for a global society.
Eligible Applicants
All public school districts in Mississippi that have not received this grant that demonstrate
commitment to implementing the Excellence for All program with fidelity are eligible. Interested
districts will complete an application for funds.
Funding
Upon State Board of Education approval, awards of $50,000 per district will be made based
upon availability of funds.
Grant Period
The grant period for the grants is January 21, 2013, through June 30, 2013.
Use of Funds
Funds disbursed through this grant may be used for costs to administer the Excellence for All
program such as training, travel, materials and resources, and other related program
expenditures.
Grant Benchmarks, Reports and Payment Schedule
 Grantee must adhere to the program criteria and the proposed project and budget in
accordance with the approved application.
 Grantee agrees to submit an annual written progress report to the Office of Instructional
Enhancement and Internal Operations.
 Reports shall describe the program implementation in stages, major accomplishments
and progress, areas of difficulty or concern and how the grant funds were expended in
accordance with the terms of the discretionary grant.
 Grantees may be required to make progress presentations to the State Board of
Education.
 Each district receiving an Excellence for All grant must agree, successfully apply, and
meet the requirements of this grant opportunity.
 A one-time payment to schools will be disbursed electronically from MDE through the
School Payment System (SPS), upon execution of the grant agreements.
Mississippi Department of Education
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Excellence for All Program Grant Application
II.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
Procedures for Delivery of Applications
One (1) application and an electronic copy saved to a CD in a “read only” PDF format must be
received by 3:30 p.m. Central Standard Time on Thursday, December 6, 2012, based on
the delivery method used:
Hand Deliver Proposals to:
Lorraine Wince
Office of Procurement
Mississippi Department of Education
Central High School, Suite 307
359 North West Street
Jackson, MS
Mail Proposals to:
Lorraine Wince
Office of Procurement
Mississippi Department of Education
Post Office Box 771
Jackson, MS 39205-0771
Ship Proposals to:
(FedEx, UPS, etc.)
Lorraine Wince
Office of Procurement
Mississippi Department of Education
359 North West Street
Jackson, MS 39201
Risk of Delivery
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE GRANTEE

The grantee is responsible for ensuring that the application is delivered by the deadline
and assumes all risks of delivery.

At the time of receipt of the application, it will be date stamped and recorded in Suite 307
of Central High School Building.

Applications and modifications received in the room designated in this document after the
time set in this document will be considered late and will not be accepted or considered
for award.

Incomplete applications will not be evaluated and will not be returned for revisions. No
late, faxed or emailed copies will be accepted.

Applications that do not include the required CD will not be evaluated.

All forms in the application packet must be signed by authorized officials to bind the
grantee to the provisions of the application.
Mississippi Department of Education
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Excellence for All Program Grant Application
CONDITIONS OF SOLICITATION
The release of the discretionary grant application does not constitute an acceptance of any
offer, nor does such release in any way obligate the MDE to execute a grant with any other
offeror. The MDE reserves the right to accept, reject, or negotiate any or all offers on the basis
of the evaluation criteria contained in this document. The final decision to execute a grant with
any offeror rests solely with the MDE.
Before preparing the application, offerors should note that:





The MDE will not be liable for any costs incurred by the offeror that are associated with
the preparation of applications or negotiation of the grant.
All applications, in their entirety, will become the property of the MDE upon submission.
The award of a grant for any proposed program is contingent upon the following:
 Approval of the application by grant review panel selected by MDE.
 Mississippi State Board of Education approval.
 Successful negotiation of any changes to the application as required by the MDE.
The MDE reserves the right to accept any application as submitted for grant award
without substantive negotiation of offered terms, services, or prices. Therefore,
grantees are advised to propose their most favorable terms initially.
Grantees will be required to assume full responsibility for all specified services outlined
in the application package.
ACCEPTANCE OF APPLICATIONS
The Mississippi Department of Education reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to waive
minor irregularities in applications. A minor irregularity is a variation from the application,
which does not affect the price of the application, or give one offeror an advantage or benefit
not enjoyed by other offerors, or adversely impacts the interest of the Department. Waivers,
when granted, shall in no way modify the application requirements or excuse the offeror from
full compliance with the application specifications and other grant requirements if the offeror is
awarded the grant.
REJECTION OF APPLICATIONS
Applications that do not conform to the requirements may be rejected by the MDE.
Applications may be rejected for reasons, which include, but are not limited to the following:








The application contains unauthorized expenditures.
The application is conditional.
The application is incomplete or contains irregularities that make the application
indefinite or ambiguous.
The application contains false or misleading statements or references.
The application does not offer to provide all services required in this document.
The application is submitted without an electronic copy saved to CD in a “read only”
format.
The application is not submitted by the designated deadline.
The application does not include all required signatures.
Mississippi Department of Education
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Excellence for All Program Grant Application
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS


Applications should be complete and meet all program requirements.
Applications should assure compliance with the Standard Terms and Conditions and the
Assurances and Certifications.
SELECTION CRITERIA AND PROCEDURES
Applications must include a clearly articulated plan that is well developed and supports the
district’s commitment to timely implementation of the program. Applications will be evaluated
using the selection criteria denoted. Applications will be reviewed by a panel composed of
Mississippi Department of Education staff and/or external members. Priority will be given to
districts implementing school wide programs for the Excellence for All program. Interviews
with district officials may be scheduled, if needed, as part of the evaluation process to
determine the top ten districts to be awarded.
Evaluation of applications will be based upon the following criteria:




Program Goals.
Description of Proposed Project:
 Course Offerings.
 Coursework Requirements.
 Testing Dates.
 Project Outcomes.
 Method of Evaluating Progress.
 Implementation Timelines.
Evidence of Broad-Based Support (Attach letters of support from the school board, PTA,
public organizations, and documentation of internal communication with district staff.)
Budget Narrative.
TIMELINE
November 1, 2012
November 12, 2012
November 16, 2012
December 6, 2012
December 10 – 21, 2012
January 18, 2013
III.
Application Issued and Posted to MDE Website
Technical Assistance Training for Districts
Intent to Submit Application Form Deadline
Application Deadline
Evaluation of Applications and Interviews with Districts
Recommendation for State Board of Education Approval
APPLICATION PACKAGE
Instructions
The application package consists of the following parts:
 Application Cover Page – Must be signed by the superintendent and the business
manager.
 Standard Terms and Conditions – Must be signed by the superintendent and the
business manager.
 Assurances and Certifications – Must be signed by the superintendent and the business
manager.
 Description of Need.
 Evidence of Broad-Based Support.
 Budget Narrative.
Mississippi Department of Education
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Excellence for All Program Grant Application
Summary of Programs from NCEE Approved Vendor Web Pages
Cambridge International Examinations
University of Cambridge International Examinations is the world’s largest provider of international education
programs and qualifications for 5–19 year olds. Its qualifications are taken in over 160 countries and
recognized by universities, education providers and employers across the world. The Cambridge International
Examinations are part of the Cambridge Assessment Group, a non-profit organization and a department of the
University of Cambridge.
Their mission is to deliver world-class international education through the provision of curricula, assessment
and services. Cambridge International Examinations is committed to extending access to the benefits of highquality education around the globe.
Web Page: http://www.cie.org.uk
Advanced Placement®
The College Board’s Advanced Placement Program® (AP®) enables students to pursue college-level studies
while still in high school. Through AP courses in 34 subjects, each culminating in a rigorous exam, AP provides
willing and academically prepared students with the opportunity to earn college credit, advanced placement, or
both. Taking AP courses also demonstrates to college admission officers that students have sought the most
rigorous curriculum available to them.
Each AP course is modeled upon a comparable college course. College and university faculty members play a
vital role in ensuring that AP courses align with college-level standards by defining the curricular expectations
of each course and reviewing all AP teachers’ syllabi. Talented and dedicated AP teachers help AP students in
classrooms around the world develop and apply the content knowledge and skills they will need in college.
Web Page: http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/Controller.jpf
ACT QualityCore®
QualityCore® high school course standards in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, Language, and Math
are fully aligned to the Common Core State Standards. QualityCore® allows educators, administrators, and
policymakers to:

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


Focus on fewer, clearer, and higher course standards that are the essentials for college and career
readiness.
Use formative assessments to guide instruction and make targeted interventions.
Measure student progress through benchmark and end-of-course assessments.
Provide professional development resources and training opportunities for teachers and leaders.
Customize instruction to the needs of specific classrooms, schools, and districts.
Web Page: http://www.act.org/qualitycore
International Baccalaureate®
The International Baccalaureate® (IB) is a non-profit educational foundation, motivated by its mission, focused
on the student. Their three programs for students aged 3 to 19 help develop the intellectual, personal,
emotional and social skills to live, learn and work in a rapidly globalizing world:



Primary Years Program.
Middle Years Program.
Diploma Program.
Founded in 1968, they currently work with 3,459 schools in 143 countries to develop and offer three
challenging programs to over 1,044,000 students aged 3 to 19 years.
Web Page: http://www.ibo.org
Mississippi Department of Education
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Excellence for All Program Grant Application
EXCELLENCE FOR ALL PROGRAM
GRANT APPLICATION CHECKLIST
District:
Item
Cover Page
For LEA Use
For MDE Use
 Submitted
 Received
 Submitted
 Received
 Submitted
 Received
 Submitted
 Received
 Submitted
 Received
Budget Narrative
 Submitted
 Received
CD in “read only” format
 Submitted
 Received
(Must be signed by the authorized
officials.)
Standard Terms and
Conditions
(Must be signed by the authorized
officials.)
Assurances and
Certifications
(Must be signed by the authorized
officials.)
Description of Need
Evidence of Broad-Based
Support
(Attach letters of support from the
school board, PTA, public
organizations, and documentation of
internal communication with district
staff.)
FOR MDE USE ONLY
Notes:
Mississippi Department of Education
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Excellence for All Program Grant Application
EXCELLENCE FOR ALL GRANT APPLICATION
COVER PAGE
Mississippi Department of Education
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations
(Please type or print clearly)
School District: ___________________________________________________________________
Address: ________________________________________City:____________________________
Zip Code: ____________ Phone Number: ____________________ Fax Number: ______________
Superintendent: ___________________________________________________________________
Email Address: ___________________________________________________________________
Phone Number: ___________________________________________________________________
Business Manager: ________________________________________________________________
Email Address: ___________________________________________________________________
Phone Number: ___________________________________________________________________
Excellence for All Program Being Implemented (select one):
____ ACT QualityCore®
____ International Baccalaureate®
____Cambridge International Examinations
____Advanced Placement®
The applicant certifies that to the best of his/her knowledge, the information in this application is
correct and that the filing of this application is duly authorized by the governing body of this institution.
_____________
__________________________
Date
_____________
__________________________
Date
School Board Chair Signature
Superintendent Signature
_____________________________________________
Business Manager Signature
Mississippi Department of Education
7
_____
Date
Excellence for All Program Grant Application
Mississippi Department of Education
Standard Terms and Conditions
Certain terms and conditions are required. Therefore, the grantee shall assure agreement and
compliance with the following Standard Terms and Conditions:
1. ACCESS TO RECORDS
The grantee agrees that the Mississippi Department of Education, or any of its duly authorized
representatives, at any time during the term of this agreement, shall have access to, and the
right to audit/examine any pertinent documents, paper, and records, related to change and
performance under this agreement. Such records shall be kept for a period of three years after
final payment under this agreement, unless the Mississippi Department of Education
authorizes earlier disposition. The grantee agrees to refund to the State any overpayments
disclosed by any such audit. However, if litigation, claim, negotiation, audit or other action
involving the records had been started before the expiration of the 3-year period, the records
shall be retained until completion of the action and resolution of all issues, which arise from it.
2. APPLICABLE LAWS
The grant shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of
Mississippi, excluding its conflicts of law provisions, and any litigation with respect thereto shall
be brought in the courts of the state. The grantee shall comply with applicable federal and
state local laws and regulations.
3. AUTHORITY TO CONTRACT
Grantee warrants (a) that it is a validly organized business with valid authority to enter into this
agreement; (b) that it is qualified to do business and in good standing in the State of
Mississippi; (c) that entry into and performance under this agreement is not restricted or
prohibited by any loan, security, financing, contractual, or other agreement of any kind, and (d)
notwithstanding any other provision of this agreement to the contrary, that there are no existing
legal proceedings or prospective legal proceedings, either voluntary or otherwise, which may
adversely affect its ability to perform its obligations under this agreement.
4. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS
The grantee understands that the State and its governmental entities are equal opportunity
employers and therefore maintain a policy which prohibits unlawful discrimination based on
race, color, religion, sex, national origin, physical handicap, or any other consideration made
unlawful by federal, State, or local laws. All such discrimination is unlawful and the grantee
agrees during the term of the agreement that the grantee will strictly adhere to this policy in its
employment practices and provision of services. The grantee shall comply with, and all
activities under this agreement shall be subject to, all applicable federal, State of Mississippi,
and local laws and regulations, as now existing and as may be amended or modified.
5. PERSONNEL
The grantee agrees that, at all times, the employees of the grantee furnishing or performing
any of the services specified under this agreement shall do so in a proper, workmanlike, and
dignified manner.
Mississippi Department of Education
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Excellence for All Program Grant Application
6. ASSIGNMENT
The grantee shall not assign or subcontract in whole or in part, its right or obligations under the
agreement without prior written consent of the Mississippi Department of Education. Any
attempted assignment without said consent shall be void and of no effect.
7. REPRESENTATION REGARDING CONTINGENT FEES
The grantee represents that it has not retained a person to solicit or secure a State contract
upon an agreement or understanding for a commission, percentage, brokerage, or contingent
fee, except as disclosed in the grantee’s bid or proposal.
8. REPRESENTATION REGARDING GRATUITIES
The grantee represents that it has not violated, is not violating, and promises that it will not
violate the prohibition against gratuities.
9. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF AMENDMENTS
The grantees shall acknowledge receipt of any amendment to the solicitation by signing and
returning the amendment with the bid, by identifying the amendment number and date in the
space provided for this purpose on the bid form, or by letter. The acknowledgment must be
received by the MDE by the time at the place specified for receipt of bids.
10. AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS
If the funds anticipated for the continuing fulfillment of the agreement are, at anytime, not
forthcoming or insufficient, either through the failure of the federal government to provide funds
or of the State of Mississippi to appropriate funds or the discontinuance or material alteration of
the program under which funds were provided or if funds are not otherwise available to the
State, the State shall have the right upon ten (10) working days written notice to the grantee, to
terminate or modify the agreement without damage, penalty, cost of expenses to the state of
any kind whatsoever. The effective date of termination or modification shall be as specified in
the notice of termination or modification.
_________________________
School Board Chair Signature
________________________
Date
_________________________
Superintendent Signature
________________________
Date
_________________________
Business Manager Signature
________________________
Date
Mississippi Department of Education
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Excellence for All Program Grant Application
Mississippi Department of Education
Assurances and Certifications
a. The applicant shall be an equal opportunity employee and shall perform to all other applicable
requirements; accordingly, the applicant shall neither discriminate nor permit discrimination in
its operation or employment practices against any person or group of persons on the grounds
of race, color, religion, national origin, handicap, or sex in any manner prohibited by law.
Further, the applicant agrees to comply with the Civil Rights Acts of 1964, Title IX of the
Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age
Discrimination Act of 1975, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the No Child Left
Behind Act of 2001.
b. The applicant agrees that the MDE, or any of its duly authorized representatives, at any time
during the term of this agreement, shall have access to, and the right to audit examine any
pertinent books, documents, papers, and records of applicant related to applicant’s charges
and performance under this agreement. Applicant shall keep such records for a period of five
years after final payment under this agreement, unless the MDE authorizes their earlier
disposition. Applicant agrees to refund to the MDE any overpayments disclosed by any such
audit. However, if any litigation, claim, negotiation, audit, or other action involving the records
has been started before the expiration of the five-year period, the records shall be retained
until completion of the action and resolution of all issues that arise from it.
c. The applicant assures that it possesses legal authority to apply for and to receive funds under
this agreement.
d. The grantee certifies they have not been barred from contracting or otherwise doing business
with the State or Federal Governments.
e. This agreement shall not be modified, altered, or changed except by mutual agreement by
representative(s) of each party to this agreement, and must be confirmed in writing through
MDE grant modification procedures.
f. The applicant shall perform all services as an independent applicant and shall discharge all of
its liabilities as such. No act performed or representation made, whether oral or written, by the
applicant with respect to third parties shall be binding on the MDE.
g. The MDE, by written notice, may terminate the grant, in whole or in part, if funds supporting the
grant are reduced or withdrawn. To the extent that the grant is for services, and if so
terminated, the MDE shall be liable only for payment in accordance with payment provisions of
the grant for services rendered prior to the effective date of termination. The MDE, by written
notice, may terminate the application for nonperformance of the application at any time during
the term of the program. The applicant agrees that work, data, etc. created under the auspices
of the program shall be turned over to the MDE upon such termination. The MDE, in whole or
in part, may terminate the program for cause by written notification. Furthermore, the MDE and
the applicant may terminate the agreement, in whole or in part, upon mutual agreement. Either
the Mississippi Department of Education or the awardee may terminate this agreement at any
time by giving written notice to the other party of such termination and specifying the effective
date thereof. The applicant shall be paid an amount which bears the same ratio to the total
compensation as the services actually performed bear to the total services of the contractor
covered by the agreement, less payments of compensation previously made.
Mississippi Department of Education
10
Excellence for All Program Grant Application
h. This agreement, and all matters or issues collateral to it, shall be governed by, and constructed
in accordance with, the laws of the State of Mississippi.
i.
Applicant shall not assign or sub-grant in whole or in part, its rights or obligations under this
agreement without prior written consent of MDE. Any attempted assignments without said
consent shall be void and of no effect.
j.
The local education agency/grantee adheres to the applicable provisions of the Education
Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR): 34 CFR Subtitle A, Parts 1-99.
k. The local education agency/grantee adheres to the applicable regulations of the Office for Civil
Rights, U.S. Department of Education: 34 CFR Subtitle B, Parts 100-199.
l.
The local education agency/grantee adheres to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
Circular A-87 (Cost Principles for State, Local, and Indian Tribal Governments).
m. The local education agency/grantee assures that salary and wage charges will be supported
by proper time reporting documentation that meets the requirements of OMB Circular A-87.
n. The applicant agrees to all program requirements defined in this document including but not
limited to the grant benchmarks, reports and payment schedule.
o. The applicant agrees to comply with the Excellence for All program requirements of the
National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE). See Attachment for program
requirements.
p. The applicant understands that participating schools and districts will continue to participate in
the state accountability and assessment system as determined by the State Board of
Education. Participation may include MCT2, SATP2, Cambridge and/or ACT exams.
By signing this statement, the Grantee hereby certifies and assures that the school district
submitting this application shall comply with Standard Terms and Conditions and Assurances and
Certifications in accordance with state and federal regulations requirements, and MDE policy and
requirements pertaining to this program. The applicant certifies further that the information
submitted on this application is true and correct.
SCHOOL BOARD CHAIR SIGNATURE
DATE
SUPERINTENDENT SIGNATURE
DATE
BUSINESS MANAGER SIGNATURE
DATE
Mississippi Department of Education
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Excellence for All Program Grant Application
1. DESCRIPTION OF NEED
Based on your district’s plan to implement the Excellence for All program, provide a brief summary of
each of the following program criteria:


Program Goals.
Description of Proposed Project:
 Course Offerings.
 Coursework Requirements.
 Testing Dates.
 Project Outcomes.
 Method of Evaluating Progress.
 Implementation Timelines.
2. EVIDENCE OF BROAD-BASED SUPPORT
Attach letters of support from the school board, PTA, public organizations, and documentation of
internal communication with district staff.
3. BUDGET NARRATIVE
Provide a brief but detailed budget narrative that describes the proposed use of funds. Funds
disbursed through this grant may be used for costs to administer the Excellence for All program such
as training, travel, materials and resources, and other related program expenditures.
BUDGET CATEGORY
BUDGETED
AMOUNT
USE OF FUNDS / GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Personnel
Administration
Fringe Benefits
Travel
Equipment
Supplies
Contractual
Other
Grant Total
Mississippi Department of Education
$50,000
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Excellence for All Program Grant Application
EXCELLENCE FOR ALL GRANT APPLICATION
INTENT TO SUBMIT APPLICATION FORM
Mississippi Department of Education
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations
(Please type or print clearly)
Failure to submit this form will not prevent applicants from submitting applications in
response to the RFA.
School District: ___________________________________________________________________
Address: ________________________________________City:____________________________
Zip Code: ____________ Phone Number: ____________________ Fax Number: ______________
Superintendent: ___________________________________________________________________
Email Address: ___________________________________________________________________
Phone Number: ___________________________________________________________________
Business Manager: ________________________________________________________________
Email Address: ___________________________________________________________________
Phone Number: ___________________________________________________________________
Submit this form by mail or fax no later than Friday, November 16, 2012, to:
Mailing
Fax
Mississippi Department of Education
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations
Attention: Dr. Kim Benton
P.O. Box 771
Jackson, MS 39205-0771
(601) 359-2566
SUPERINTENDENT SIGNATURE
DATE
BUSINESS MANAGER SIGNATURE
DATE
Mississippi Department of Education
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Excellence for All Program Grant Application
ATTACHMENT
Source: National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE)
Excellence for All
How Board Examination Systems and Education Gateways
Will Greatly Improve High School Student Performance, Prepare More
Students for Success in College, Enable Graduates to Get Good Jobs
and Reduce the Costs of Our Education System
PROGRAM BRIEF
While student achievement has remained stagnant in the United States for decades, one nation after another has
overtaken us in the major international rankings. The National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE)
has been benchmarking the countries with the most successful education systems for more than 20 years to see
if we could unlock the secrets of their success. We and many other researchers have concluded that one of the
most important of those secrets is their very powerful, coherent and aligned instructional systems, often call
Board Examination Systems.
The indispensable elements of Board Examination Systems are: 1) high school programs comprised of courses
that constitute a whole, coherent core curriculum, typically consisting, at a minimum, of courses in the native
language, mathematics, the sciences, history, and the arts; 2) well-designed courses described by a detailed
syllabus; 3) high quality examinations (typically dominated by essay and constructed response questions to
which the students must write extended responses) that are designed to assess the extent to which the student
has command of the material described in the syllabus and can apply it to unfamiliar problems; 4) professional
scoring of the examinations; and 5) high quality training of the teachers who will teach the courses that is
explicitly designed for this purpose.
Sometimes all of this comes with explicit statements, in narrative form, of what students are expected to know
and be able to do, sometimes not. When they are not explicitly stated, the standards are made evident to all by
the syllabi, the annually released exam questions, and examples of the kind of student work that earned a top
grade. Everyone understands that the students could not be expected to do well on the examinations without the
entire apparatus just described. The experts in these other countries would be deeply puzzled at the idea that a
country could produce high achievement simply by publishing a narrative statement of standards and
administering tests that rely mainly on multiple choice, computer-scored tests.
The United States has taken an important first step in the direction just described, with most states adopting the
Common Core State Standards, a single set of clear education standards for K-12 English language arts and
mathematics, and most states affiliated with assessment consortia that are tasked with developing tests to match
the standards. But the Common Core State Standards cover only English and mathematics, it will be years
before the new tests are ready for widespread use, there are no plans to construct a curriculum that matches
either the standards or the tests, and there is no training available to the teachers who will have to teach to the
new standards and administer the tests. Nor is there any guarantee that when the limited new system is finally
in place, that it will match the quality of the best such systems that the world has already developed.
Mississippi Department of Education
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Excellence for All Program Grant Application
Source: National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE)
ATTACHMENT
Using Board Examination Systems to Get to World-Class Standards and Greatly Improve
Student Performance at a Very Reasonable Cost
A state, of course, could use the Common Core State Standards to create its own set of Board Examinations,
complete with program designs, syllabi for all the courses, examinations, scoring contractors, and teacher
training programs. But when the state was done, it would have examinations only in English literacy and
mathematics. It would not have the matching instructional materials or teacher training that would make it
possible for students all over the state to reach the standards. Developing all the components of full Board
Examination Systems, not just for English literacy and mathematics but for all the subjects in the core
curriculum, would take many years and a great deal of money. And when the state was done, all that it would
have accomplished is to duplicate the systems that the highest performing countries have had in place for years.
There is an obvious alternative. The oldest of these Board Examination Systems — the University of
Cambridge International Examinations — is used by schools in more than 150 countries. So the question is:
Why not use the best Board Examination Systems that have already been developed rather than starting from
scratch? The argument for doing this is very strong. These exams set the real international standard. All over
the world, elite high schools use these curricula and exams. When Singapore set out to produce the most
successful school system in the world, they contracted with the University of Cambridge International
Examinations to build a customized version of the Cambridge "O" Level curriculum and exams.
Using the best instructional systems that are already available makes sense. A state that does this benefits from
many years and many millions of dollars of development and field­testing, all done at someone else’s expense.
By adopting these Board Examination Systems, a state would leap right through national standards to
international standards. These Board Examinations are recognized by universities all over the world, including,
but way beyond, universities in the United States. Much more important than either of these arguments, these
exams have all the power that comes from fully-integrated, highly-aligned, instructional systems, something no
state currently has the capacity to produce for itself, even if we were not in the midst of a financial crisis.
One Instructional System for Lower Secondary, and Another for Upper Secondary
What follows is a description of the way that Excellence for All combines the tools provided by the world’s best
Board Examination Systems, the high school structure used in many top-performing countries, and distinctly
American ideas about educational equity to create a uniquely American high school design.
Most top-performing countries strive to deliver a common curriculum to all students by the age of 16. That
curriculum embodies what they think all students, no matter what they plan to do with their lives, should know
and be able to do. When their students have completed that curriculum, and taken their exams, they go their
separate ways. Until recently, that meant that some would go to work, many would go on to some kind of
technical program, usually two or three years, before entering the work-force, and some would go off to
university. The exams that the students took at the end of their tenth year of schooling would largely determine
which of these routes were taken by which students.
In such a system, the purpose of the exams is to determine whether a student is qualified to go on to work or to
the next stage of his or her education. The standards for moving on are clear. The question is whether the
student has met them. Because the colleges, universities and employers have agreed to the standards in
advance, there is no dispute about what the students' performance on the exams means or about what it takes to
move on. In the American system, the time a student puts in at any given educational institution is fixed but the
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standard that the student meets is variable. In nations with qualifications systems, the standard is fixed, but the
time taken to reach that standard can vary widely.
There is no high school diploma in such systems. There are only the standards and the grades one gets on one’s
exams, and those grades are understood in the same way by the school authorities, the students, the parents, the
employers, and the universities and technical schools. What is effective about such a system is that all students
know just what they have to do to go on to the next stage of their lives. Schools know what they need to teach
for their students to be successful. Employers and universities know how to interpret the information they get
from the exams. Most important, the vast majority of students take tough courses and work hard in school, both
before and after they take their first set of exams at the age of 16, because they see a direct connection between
the effort they put in at school and the path they have decided they want to follow.
The downside of such a system, from an American standpoint, is that, in its traditional form in most countries, it
has been used to sort students into futures from which there is little chance of escape. Americans see education
as a way to open up opportunities, not to close them off. The Excellence for All program does just that.
Under the Excellence for All plan, all students get the same rigorous, internationally benchmarked core
curriculum in their freshman and sophomore years. The standard for successfully completing that curriculum is
the same standard of literacy and numeracy that is required to be successful in the first year of a community
college curriculum, so that any student who is certified as meeting that standard is therefore certified as having
the knowledge and skills needed to enroll in a community college without having to take any remedial courses.
It turns out that the standard to which most internationally benchmarked lower division (9th and 10th grade)
exams are set line up nicely with the literacy and numeracy requirements for succeeding in the first year of our
community college programs. This makes it possible to use these exams as the basis of a system that qualifies
students for entry into our community colleges without remediation.
As matters stand now, students in most states can get a high school diploma and still have literacy levels far
below what is required to succeed in any kind of college, including community colleges, or the workplace. In
2011, only 25 percent of high school graduates met the college readiness benchmarks in English, math, reading,
and science, according to ACT data. The system we are describing would open up a world of opportunity to
millions of American students whose futures are now bleak.
All students will get a curriculum that is designed to get them to the required standard. Students who start out
behind will get extra help from their first day of high school. If the student takes the exam at the end of their
sophomore year and does not succeed, it is the job of the high school to analyze their scores, and put together a
customized program for them so that they will have a much better chance of succeeding when they take the
exams the next time. They can take the exams as often as the exams are offered (in some cases in both the
winter and the spring).
Some students will meet this standard at the end of their sophomore year, some at the end of their junior year
and some only at the end of their senior year. But the job of the high school will be to make sure that all
students reach this standard by the end of high school. When that happens, all students will be qualified to go to
some kind of college and none who arrive at the college door will have to take remedial courses to be prepared
for success there.
Though students who pass their exams will have the option to leave high school, get a performance-based
diploma from their high school and go on to their community college if they want to, they need not do so. They
have other choices.
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They can stay in high school, take an upper division program of demanding academic courses and prepare
themselves to take exams that will get them into some of the most selective colleges in the world. Many high
schools are under a lot of pressure to offer more college prep courses like the Advanced Placement Program
courses in high school and to offer them to many more students. But the success rates in those courses are
plummeting because many of the students enrolling in these courses are not prepared to succeed in them. With
this new program, many, many more high school students will be ready by the end of their sophomore year to
take full advantage of programs like Advanced Placement and the International Baccalaureate Program, because
they will be much better prepared for success. So, just as this design will make a big difference for students
who now struggle in high school or who just drop out, it will make just as big a difference for students who
don’t drop out or struggle, but who fall far short of the achievement they could enjoy, if only they were better
prepared for a strong upper division program.
But not all students who pass their lower division exams and choose to stay in high school will want to enroll in
college prep programs. Some will want to take a program of technical courses that will prepare them to begin a
rewarding career when they graduate from high school. Or they can leave their high school to enroll in a
regional technical high school program that will lead to the same result.
The crucial point here is that the system will not decide which of these options are available to any given
student. Each student will be able to choose freely among these alternatives because every student who passes
their lower division exams will have shown that they are qualified for all of these options. The choice of path is
theirs.
Many students who choose the upper division academic program will be enrolled in courses that count for
college credit in many institutions and so will be able to save both time and money in college. Many who either
leave high school to take a technical program in their community college or who stay in high school for the
same purpose will find that, by the time they are 18 years old, they have a very solid academic background and
also have the training they need to start in a job with good wages and solid growth prospects. And students who
choose a technical education in this system will be able to start work much earlier than is now the case and will
also have the academic skills to pursue higher education later, whenever they wish.
Students who leave high school early to enroll in their community colleges will be able to choose between
general education programs intended to enable them to transfer to four-year colleges and two-year and threeyear certificate and degree programs intended to provide the credentials needed to begin well-paying careers in
a wide range of fields. So students can head for four-year colleges whether they leave high school early or stay.
And they can head for technical education and training leading to good jobs whether they leave high school
early or stay. It is up to the student, whenever that student passes his or her lower division exams. This is the
antithesis of the American tracking system. It is a system of multiple pathways to success.
There has been much talk in recent years about all students being college and work ready. And it has been
widely asserted that the standards are the same for college as for work. Furthermore, the unspoken assertion is
that college-ready is a universal standard, the same for all colleges. But none of this is true. The literacy
requirements for success in the first year in your local community college are not the same as the literacy
requirements for success in the first year at Stanford or Yale. The literacy standards for success in the first year
of a janitor's job are not the same as the literacy requirements for employment as an automotive technician at
your local car dealership (much higher than you think). The system just described acknowledges these
differences, sets qualifications standards that are appropriate for each, lets students pursue their own dreams at
their own speeds, and closes no doors, ever.
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Source: National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE)
This system, which we call Excellence for All, is fairer and far more effective than our current high school
system. It will produce a better-educated citizenry, who have more choices, and brighter economic futures than
the current system. And it will do all this at little if any increase in cost.
A National Pilot Program
NCEE is conducting a national pilot program designed to prove beyond argument that the system just described
can and will produce major gains in student performance for most of our high school students. Twenty-one
high schools are participating, representing diverse demographics, geography, and school types, beginning in
the fall of 2011. The Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan, one of the nation’s most
respected social science research institutes, will conduct an independent evaluation of the pilot. A Technical
Advisory Committee, composed of some of the world's leading experts in curriculum and testing, is overseeing
the technical aspects of the work, including making sure that the assessments used in the program meet the
highest standards of reliability, fairness, and validity. A list of the members of the Technical Advisory
Committee appears on the NCEE website (www.ncee.org/).
In 2010, the Commonwealth of Kentucky, assisted by NCEE, conducted a competitive procurement process
seeking to identify the organizations most qualified to deliver Board Examination Systems to the participating
states and districts. That process culminated in the certification of the Board Examination Systems providers
most highly qualified to offer these programs. The organizations certified to offer lower division Board
Examination Systems were required to offer courses and programs fully aligned with the Common Core State
Standards. Once these organizations were certified, NCEE and Kentucky conducted negotiations with these
organizations to agree on the specific products and services to be offered and the prices at which they are made
available to the participating schools.
Among the candidate products and sponsoring organizations are the following:
Lower Division (9th & l0th Grade)
ACT:
Freshman and Sophomore courses from its QualityCore
offering
University of Cambridge:
International General Certificate of Secondary Education
program
Upper Division (11th & 12th Grade)
ACT:
Junior and Senior courses from its QualityCore offering
University of Cambridge:
International A and AS levels
College Board:
Advanced Placement International Diploma Program
International Baccalaureate: International Baccalaureate Diploma Program
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What Participating Schools and Districts Are Committed To
Each participating school is expected to offer one of the certified lower division Board Examination System
programs in the first year and thereafter. That program must cover English, mathematics, the sciences,
American and world history, and the arts. It also must offer one of the upper division programs, but it can begin
offering that program either in the first year of the pilot or in the third year of the pilot. The next three years,
beginning in the fall of 2011, are the years in which the program is actually piloted in the school, but NCEE
anticipates that schools will continue with their Board Examination Systems aligned-instruction and end-ofcourse exams after the initial pilot concludes. Many more high schools are expected to begin pilots in the fall of
2012.
The school must order and use the relevant instructional material and examinations and must offer the relevant
teacher training from the organization offering the Board Examination System or Systems it has chosen and
must administer the relevant examinations. It also must provide the required data to the program evaluator (The
University of Michigan) and NCEE’s Technical Advisory Committee.
Pilot high schools also need to devise a plan for how they will support students who begin the freshman year
behind grade level in reading, writing, and mathematics, which would hinder their ability to succeed in the
Board Examination program. If students enter high school two or three years behind grade level, the high
school will need to offer a program during the freshman year that will get their students ready to begin the
Board Examination program in their sophomore or junior years.
And pilot high schools will need to develop a program for students who do not succeed on their exams the first
time they take them. The staff should be ready to analyze each student's sub scores on the exams, and devise a
program keyed to areas in which that student did not perform well enough so that the student can succeed in a
subsequent attempt.
The district must agree to this participation on the part of the school and must provide whatever data is required
to help students succeed and to ensure a thorough evaluation of the program. Together, the school and district
need to purchase the necessary products and services from the Board Examination Systems provider, including
the teacher training, and the substitute teachers that might be needed when the teachers are being trained. The
average expenditure ranges from $17,000 to $32,000 per year, but the actual figure will vary depending on the
number of students enrolled and the cost of the particular program the school chooses. Schools participating in
the fall 2011 pilot are using funds from federal grant programs (e.g., School Improvement Grants, Title I, Title I
Part G, Title II, Advanced Placement Programs, or Title V-A Innovative Programs) and seeking funds from
local and state philanthropies. Some states and districts are using state and local tax dollars to fund part of the
program as well. Site-specific cost estimates are available following a further discussion of a school’s unique
needs.
What Participating States Are Committed To
Participating states are committed to offer assistance to schools trying to identify sources of funding for their
participation in this program, to cooperate in providing data for the evaluation, and to make whatever changes
in policy or provide whatever waivers are required to enable students to have the option to graduate from high
school and get a diploma as soon as they pass their board exams (but no earlier than the conclusion of their
sophomore year) and move on to an open-admissions college.
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What Participating Colleges Are Committed To
Open-admissions colleges are under increasing pressure to improve the very low completion rates of those who
sign up as regular full-time students. But they labor under an enormous handicap, namely the fact that a very
large number of students who show up on their doorstep are not prepared to do college-level work. This
program is designed to send them only students who are prepared to succeed in college. That is why some of
the strongest support for this program has come from the nation's open-admissions colleges.
To make the program work as designed, students who pass their examinations as early as the end of their
sophomore year must be given the option to leave their high school (if they choose) and enroll as full-time
regular students in a two-year or four-year open enrollment college. That means that a college, most likely a
community college, near the pilot high school, must be prepared to admit such students and enroll them as
regular full time students when they pass their lower division examinations. These examinations will be set to a
pass point that assures that the student who has passed them has the level of English and mathematics literacy
needed to succeed in their initial credit-bearing courses in these postsecondary institutions. The participating
colleges also must agree not to require these entering students to take remedial courses because they will have
demonstrated that they do not need them. NCEE has assembled a prestigious Higher Education Advisory
Committee, chaired by Molly Broad, the President of the American Council on Education, to advise on the cut
points to be used for this purpose. Key individuals from each participating state are also on this committee.
What the National Center on Education and the Economy Is Committed To
NCEE is committed to provide technical assistance to the states, districts, and schools involved in the program.
It is committed to conducting a rigorous process for certifying that the providers of the Board Examination
Systems meet world-class standards, adapt their products so that they are fully aligned with the Common Core
State Standards, and meet high standards for reliability, fairness, and validity. It is further committed to
significantly funding the research needed to assure that the pass points on the lower division examinations
accurately reflect the levels of literacy and numeracy students need to succeed in initial credit-bearing courses
in the nation’s open admissions colleges. It also is committed to working with the Commonwealth of Kentucky
to make sure that the schools and districts can purchase the materials and services they need from the Board
Examination Systems providers at the best possible prices.
For More Information
If your state, district, or school is interested in learning more about how you might participate in the Excellence
for All program, contact Jason Dougal, Chief Operating Officer, at 202-379-1800, or write him at
jdougal@ncee.org.
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