Loading...
AmeriCorps Vista Project Application_Third Grade Reading InitiativeTHE CITY OF Dui Masterpiece on the Mississippi TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager SUBJECT: Approve 3rd Grade Reading VISTA Project Grant Application DATE: March 10, 2014 Dubuque band AI -America City r 2007 • 2012 • 2013 Leisure Services Manager Marie Ware recommends City Council approval of the VISTA grant application to the Corporation for National and Community Service for four VISTA positions focused on the Third Grade Reading Initiative. Each of the positions has a specific focus — one is summer learning, one is attendance, one is early learning and the last is data. The total cost for the four VISTA positions is $79,544, and the financing commitment is the sponsoring organization cost share for one of the four VISTA members, for a total cost share of $11,136. This cost would be split with the City paying $2,784 and the School paying $8,352, as one position is at the City and three at the School. I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council approval. l. Mic ael C. Van Milligen bd-t44 , MCVM:jh Attachment cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager Teri Goodmann, Assistant City Manager Marie L. Ware, Leisure Services Manager THE CITY OF Dui Masterpiece on the Mississippi TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager FROM: Marie L. Ware, Leisure Services Manager DATE: March 6, 2014 SUBJECT: Approve 3rd Grade Reading VISTA Project Grant Application Dubuque trati a -America City '111' 2007 • 2012 • 2013 INTRODUCTION The purpose of this memorandum is to request approval of an AmeriCorps VISTA Project Application e -filed with the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). BACKGROUND As you are well aware the City has been very involved in the third grade reading initiative. Many of us commented that we would need some extra hands to work successfully on the initiative. As a city and department we have very effectively used the AmeriCorps VISTA program to build capacity within the organization on a variety of topics. The sustainability and volunteer initiatives are both great recent examples. Last year we were awarded four VISTA member positions for our Third Grade Reading Initiative. They each have a focus -- one is summer learning, one is attendance, one is early learning and the last is data. We have had members working in the first three areas and in April the next will start working as the Data Coordinator. The Summer Learning Coordinator is placed at Leisure Services and the other three are supervised and placed at Dubuque Community School District. Each of these VISTA members works 40 hours a week fora year. Each of the VISTA members work with the Steering Committee as well as the subcommittees of each of the three initiative areas. The beauty of having four is that they can cross collaborate with and between all agencies involved and themselves. VISTAs work on poverty reduction efforts and the third grade reading initiative dovetails well with this effort. The City was the applicant for the VISTAs as we have a past record of success with the VISTA program. We had the opportunity to reapply for another year of the four members. DISCUSSION When we applied for VISTA resources we found that you are awarded members for a full year but also the opportunity to renew each year after for a total of three years. VISTAS are working to build capacity and it is understood that it may take more than a year to build the capacity needed. We were asked to reapply for our four VISTA positions to continue work for the Third Grade Reading Initiative. I have worked on the reapplication with the Community Foundation and School District personnel. If the reapplication is accepted we will again be awarded four VISTAfor a year. They each work full time for the organization so we would have four persons continuing work full time on making the CSAP that was awarded the All America City award a reality. PROJECT COST - BUDGET IMPACT The total project is $79,544. The financial commitment is that the sponsoring organization cost share for one of the four VISTA members. This cost share is $11,136. This cost would be split with the City paying $2784 and the School paying $8,352 as we would have one and they will have three. Additionally about $1,000 of expenses for mileage and training would be provided. Shirley has committed funds from the school for their portion ($9 )352). I recommend the City portion of $3,284 be paid for with the approved Third Grade Reading Improvement Package funds in the FY 2014 budget. $66,408 is paid by the Corporation for National and Community Service. ACTION TO BE TAKEN I respectfully request approval of the VISTA grant application to CNCS for four VISTA positions for the Third Grade Reading Initiative. Prepared by: cc: M LW:et Eric Dregne, Vice President of Programs Community Foundation Shirley Horstman, Director of Student Services DRAFT PART I - FACE SHEET APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE Modified Standard Form424 (Rev.02/07 to confirm to the Corporation's eGrants System) 1. TYPE OF SUBMISSION: Application Q Non -Construction 2a. DATE SUBMITTED TO CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE (CNCS): 2b. APPLICATION ID: 14VS158757 3. DATE RECEIVED BY STATE STATE APPLICATION IDENTIFIER: 4. DATE RECEIVED BY FEDERAL AGENCY: FEDERAL IDENTIFIER: 13VSNIA001 5. APPLICATION INFORMATION LEGAL NAME: City of Dubuque DUNS NUMBER: 093105302 NAME AND CONTACT INFORMATION FOR PROJECT DIRECTOR OR OTHER PERSON TO BE CONTACTED ON MATTERS INVOLVING THIS APPLICATION (give area codes): NAME: Marie Ware TELEPHONE NUMBER: (563) 589-4264 FAX NUMBER: INTERNET E-MAIL ADDRESS: my are@cityofdubuque.org ADDRESS (give street address, city, state, zip code and county): 1550 Clarke Dr Clarke University MS#1546 Dubuque IA 52001 - 3117 County: Dubuque 6. EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (EIN): 426004596 7. TYPE OF APPLICANT: 7a. Local Government - Municipal 7b. Local Government, Municipal 8. TYPE OF APPLICATION (Check appropriate box). NEW 1 1 NEW/PREVIOUS X CONTINUATION I I AMENDMENT If Amendment, enter appropriate letter(s) in box(es): A. AUGMENTATION B. BUDGET REVISION C. NO COST EXTENSION D. OTHER (specify below): GRANTEE 9. NAME OF FEDERAL AGENCY: Corporation for National and Community Service 10a. CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE NUMBER: 94.013 10b. TITLE: VISTA State 11.a. DESCRIPTIVE TITLE OF APPLICANT'S PROJECT: Dubuque's Third Grade Reading Initiative Program Type: Standard Cost Share: 11.b. CNCS PROGRAM INITIATIVE (IF ANY): 12. AREAS AFFECTED BY PROJECT (List Cities, Counties, States, etc): Dubuque, low a Dubuque Community School District 13. PROPOSED PROJECT: START DATE 04/20/14 END DATE: 04/19/15 14. CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT OF: a.Applicant I IA 01 I b.Program 1 IA 01 I 15. ESTIMATED FUNDING: Year #: 2 16. IS APPLICATION ORDER 12372 PROCESS? 0 YES. THIS PREAPPLICATION/APPLICATION TO THE REVIEW DATE: SUBJECT TO REVIEW BY STATE EXECUTIVE WAS MADE AVAILABLE STATE EXECUTIVE ORDER 12372 PROCESS FOR ON: IS NOT COVERED BY E.O. 12372 a. FEDERAL $ 0.00 b. APPLICANT $ 13,136.00 c. STATE $ 0.00 d. LOCAL $ 0.00 © NO. PROGRAM e. OTHER $ 0.00 17. IS THE APPLICANT DELINQUENT ON ANY FEDERAL DEBT? 0 YES if "Yes," attach an explanation. ® NO t. PROGRAM INCOME $ 0.00 g. TOTAL $ 13,136.00 18. TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE AND BELIEF, ALL DATA IN THIS APPLICATION/PREAPPLICATION ARE TRUE AND CORRECT, THE DOCUMENT HAS BEEN DULY AUTHORIZED BY THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE APPLICANT AND THE APPLICANT WILL COMPLY WITH THE ATTACHED ASSURANCES IF THE ASSISTANCE IS AWARDED. a. TYPED NAME OF AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE Marie Ware b. TITLE: Leisure Services Manager c. TELEPHONE NUMBER: (563) 589-4264 d. SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE: e. DATE SIGNED: Page 1 DRAFT Target Populations Low-income youth Low-income communities Narratives Executive Summary EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. Provide a brief description of the proposed project, including the project goals(s) as well as an overview of the activities the requested VISTAs and Leaders will perform. Proposed Project and Goals: The proposed project will address the CNCS Strategic Plan Focus Area of Education (K-12 Success and School Readiness). The project will focus on four areas including 3rd grade reading achievement (Goal: 90% of 3rd grade students proficient on the reading comprehension portion of the Iowa Testing Program (ITP)), School Attendance (Goal: No student shall miss more than io% of the school year), Summer Learning (Goal: Change focus of activities to be purposeful activities that foster reading, math, and science skills instill a love for life-long learning, healthy living, and connection to school), and School Readiness (Goal: All young people in Dubuque are school ready). All goals will need measurements and evaluative tools. A Third Grade Reading Community Solutions Action Plan (CSAP) was developed with involvement of seventeen local organization and community input in March of 2012. The plan can be found at http://dbqfoundation.org/OurInitiatives/ThirdGradeReading.aspx. This plan will become a guiding document for all four VISTA positions requested. Overview of Activities: To realize our overarching vision we will strive for impact in the way we collaborate, share resources, and engage the community. This can only be done by focused efforts of the VISTAs that will explore and evaluate the current and potential collaborations, resources and engagement. They will research best practices from across the country on models that have been successful in each of their respective areas of school attendance, summer learning, school readiness and measurements and evaluation. Currently 86% of 3rd grade students in the Dubuque Community School District read at grade level. We are focusing on the remaining 14% of our young people who do not read at grade level, many of For Official Use Only Page 2 DRAFT Narratives whom are hardest to reach. Focusing our efforts on improving 3rd grade reading achievement among the targeted low income and minority students will require initiatives that reach well beyond our current efforts. Facilitating transition from birth to school requires the work of multiple agencies working collaboratively across the community. In fact, given the demographics of the Dubuque community it is essential that our efforts serve to unite our entire community around initiatives that will serve to bridge race, class and socio-economic distinctions. The four VISTA's requested will work independently on their specific area and collectively with each other. One will focus on school attendance, one for summer learning, one for school readiness and one for development of measurements and evaluation of these three areas. They will work to create broader strategies including improved coordination of efforts and resources, and aligning provided and proposed services with a Collective Impact model. The collective impact model includes a common agenda, shared measurement, mutually reinforcing activities, continuous communication and backbone support. The VISTAs will become the backbone support using this model. The VISTA's will work to build the capacity within partner organizations to achieve the vision and goals for the 3rd Grade Reading Initiative, by identifying gaps as well as strengths and bringing new partners and volunteers to the table. All will be a team for the Third Grade Reading Community Solutions Action Plan that will work with the seventeen original partners and more. The VISTA's will work with subcommittees of the third grade initiative that are already established and representative of the seventeen original partners and a growing list of new partners and volunteers. 2. How many VISTAs and Leaders are you requesting? 4 VISTA members 3.What is the estimated length of time required to complete the project? We currently have set out a three year plan with long term goals in each of the areas of school attendance, summer learning and school readiness. Each of the three plan areas has goals for community, families and policy for each of the first three years and longer term goals after that. For Official Use Only Page 3 DRAFT Narratives 4. Briefly describe your organization's mission, history and the beneficiaries of your organization's programs. The City of Dubuque's mission is to deliver excellent municipal services that support urban living, and contribute to a sustainable city. The City plans for the community's future, and facilitates access to critical human services. The result is a financially sound city government and citizens getting services and value for their tax dollar. Dubuque's population is 57,637 and the city serves this population. Our proposal is for a community wide effort. The Dubuque Community School District (DCSD) is partnering with the city in this VISTA application as a sub -recipient of three of the four VISTAs requested. The mission of the Dubuque Community School District is to develop world-class learners and citizens of character in a safe and inclusive learning community. DCSD serves nearly 10,500 students in two high schools, three middle schools, thirteen elementary schools, and an alternative program that provides multiple pathways to graduation. There are 848 kindergartners, 827 1st graders, 717 2nd graders and 772 3rd graders in the current school year. In the state sponsored preschool program there are 307 being served by Dubuque Community School District and 497 being served in other programs that are under the DCSD community sub -sites. Summary of Accomplishments Attendance Coordinator Nicole Yockey's accomplishments to date: Nicole has worked hard on the September Attendance Awareness campaign and did much of the coordination of the materials that were used during that campaign. In addition, she also worked at Dubuque School booths at the City Expo and also the Kids Expo and talked to families about the importance of good school attendance. She also wrote a grant to the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque and received funding for materials such as banners for the awareness campaign, jelly bracelets and pencils for students, and brochures for parents. Another major accomplishment of Nicole to date is her work with our attendance data. Nicole has learned how to run reports from our student information system and is doing monthly attendance reports to all of our schools. These reports break down attendance by grade level and also categories of student absenteeism that is matched to promising practices. Our schools look forward to these monthly reports since they are easily able to see what students are getting close to being chronically absent. This baseline data will also allow us to see patterns of chronic absenteeism across our schools and better address the barriers our families face with getting their children to school on time, every day. She is also just beginning to attend meetings at some of our For Official Use Only Page 4 DRAFT Narratives elementary buildings that want to work on solving their chronic absentee issues. Summer Learning Coordinator Stacy Seyer's accomplishments: Researched and used 14 Best Practices in Reading to evaluate the 2013 pilot program, Summer Academy. She also evaluated the program on its program goals and made recommendations for improvements in subsequent years. Input data from DIBELs pre- and post- assessments and communicated results to teachers. Evaluated student performance and graphed results per grade and overall success of Summer Academy. Analyzed each Summer Academy classroom's schedule to determine how students were spending their time. She graphed the results and then compared with overall results of DIBELs to see which class setup produced the best results. Answered the question, ZWhat does Dubuque look like during summer for kids?z After interviewing summer program providers, she created a database and sorted activities by type, time, age, etc. With the results, she created a community asset map of programs with census data information on ArcGIS software. Researched best practices for 10 other Summer Learning Programs and compared them with Summer Academy. Created a spreadsheet of programs to show components of each program. Researched curriculums used for Summer Programs and created pricing spreadsheet along with program components. Worked in collaboration with NICC and Unified Therapy to create a partnership with an afterschool provider to get tutoring to students struggling in reading. Helped them secure $1,000 to offset costs and offer tutoring at lower rate for low income students. Coordinated a book drive for an MLK Day service project. Set up collection sites, secured crates for collections, and designed advertisements for community and Dubuque Advertiser. Organized volunteers to put crates together, deliver to collection points, and also host mini book drives at work. Books will be used to fill 5 Little Free Libraries built and installed by a local construction company, TriCon. Worked with Tri-State Blind Society and St. Vincent De Paul to donate books to keep Little Free Libraries stocked in those areas. Nicole and Megan also helped with the book drive. Began work on a Summer Learning Loss advertising campaign focused on getting parents more involved in their child's education during the summer. It's an interactive game with prizes for families who complete the activities together and then, write about their favorite learning experience during summer 2014. Researching, writing, designing game for production in Leisure Services For Official Use Only Page 5 DRAFT Narratives Brochure. Early Learning Coordinator Megan Leslie began in mid-November. She wrote an article about attendance for an early learning newsletter. Need State in measurable and quantifiable terms the specific poverty -related needs(s) identified by the community(ies) that the VISTA project will address, including the number of low-income people directly affected by the problem(s). If your program will operate at multiple sites, demonstrate a need in each community you propose to serve. The poverty rate in Dubuque has increased, including child poverty. According to the 2010 US Census report Dubuque's child poverty rate is 13%; for young people under 5 it is 20.6% in 2012. The effects of childhood poverty on learning and reading achievement are well documented. In addition to social and developmental problems, young people living in poverty often lack access to books and other reading materials. Children in poverty can also be deficient in oral vocabulary and background knowledge that are critical to reading comprehension. Dubuque Community School District data shows dramatic changes: * 13% of students in poverty, up 51% since 2000 * 38% qualify for free or reduced lunch vs. 37% for Iowa, up 10.3% since 2000 * Special education, 15% are entitled vs. 13% for Iowa currently The biggest challenge facing our community is disproportionate achievement rates of minority students and students in poverty. While overall our students are achieving at a high level, a disproportionate rate of minority students are entitled to Special Education services: 11.45% black, 2.37% Hispanic, and 2.72% multi -racial in 2011-12 according to Dubuque Community School District data. Whether we look at reading achievement, school attendance, or school readiness, the story is the same. In addition, while many Dubuque students demonstrate success in 3rd Grade Reading Achievement based on the Basic Reading Inventory, of the 14% of students not meeting 3rd grade reading targets, half (7%) are entitled. The remaining 3rd grade students are overwhelmingly black, male and receive free and reduced lunch services. This according to Dubuque Community School District data. For Official Use Only Page 6 DRAFT Narratives Dubuque students arrive at kindergarten ready to learn and data shows our four-year old preschool is a major factor in driving these school readiness rates. However, the program is at risk due to state funding challenges and a disproportionate number of students from at -risk populations are still not school -ready by age 5. Similarly, while the Average Daily Attendance (ADA) rate in DCSD schools is 95%, the opportunity remains to reach the most at -risk students who are not attending at rates that promote achievement. Improving summer learning opportunities may be our community's most significant opportunity. While we have an abundance of summer activities for our young people, there is little coordination among these activities and a significant need to incorporate learning opportunities into these programs to support the school curriculum especially emphasizing STEM. Finally, we must consider how our policies can better ensure: * More proportionate density of poverty and minorities within schools * Improved access to summer learning opportunities for all young people * An engaged health community that provides lead -testing and wellness care * High attendance standards for kindergarten and four-year-old preschool * Employer awareness of how policies affect parents' abilities to support children * Issues like attendance are addressed in community-based organization programming * School attendance policies are fair and consistently enforced district -wide. Our goal is to find models to help impact these most vulnerable students. We will build on our strong history of partnerships, collaboration, and innovation to move our 3rd Grade Reading Achievement from good to great. This entire project includes looking at and changing our infrastructure to help more effectively bring individuals out of poverty or assisting them from being on that path as they grow up. Strengthening Communities 1. Describe current activities your organization or other organizations are undertaking to address the problems identified in your need statement. Describe how the proposed project will complement this work. St Marks Youth Enrichment, Multicultural Family Center, Dubuque County Extension, Dubuque Community School District, Carnegie Stout Public Library, and City of Dubuque Leisure Services held For Official Use Only Page 7 DRAFT Narratives a summer pilot program to address summer learning loss. The second year's academy is in the formative stages now but all participants are excited to collaborate again and build on our successful pilot. It was our hope that the pilot would engage more organizations in the and it did with 24 other organization participating and collaborating to make the pilot a success. The Dubuque Community School District piloted a school attendance program in one of their schools. They provided a paraprofessional to work hand in hand with specific parents and children having attendance issues in one school to improve their attendance rate and assist the child with help on homework or reading as necessary before school. VISTA's are now working with this pilots now in its second year to expand, measure, update, change and research complementary work and/or expansion of these pilots. The work of this project will complement and expand upon these pilot programs. 2. Describe how the new or enhanced programming created by your project will address the needs of the community and bring individuals and ultimately, the community out of poverty. Low education attainment has a strong link to poverty. By building the capacity of our community to impact education attainment, beginning with early childhood, VISTA's engaged in this effort will have a direct role in creating antipoverty outcomes. VISTAS will play a critical role in building infrastructure and capacity for our community's schools, non-profit partners, local government and philanthropy that will ensure Dubuque's most vulnerable children succeed. Too many children coming to preschool and kindergarten neither prepared nor ready to succeed -- school readiness gap. Too many children are missing too many days of school -attendance gap. Too many children lose too much ground over the summer months returning to school further behind than when they left in June --summer slide. These three areas are most affected by low income children, however our goal is to reach all children that are reading below grade level. This effort which is a collaborative effort has already brought many organizations to the table. We have and will continue to research best practices, work on pilot programs, measure outcomes, track successes and systematically improve all our efforts to insure all of our Dubuque children can read at grade level by third grade. We are focusing on the hardest to reach population which ultimately is many times For Official Use Only Page 8 DRAFT Narratives children in poverty. This will focus on the skills that can help the children to be successful. Reading skills can change a child for life. Research by the Campaign for Grade Level Reading tells us that children who are not at grade level reading by third grade are more likely to be behind for the rest of their life. In fact, 74% of students who do not read at grade level by end of third grade will not catch up in time to graduate with their class. Every year more than 8o% of low income children will miss this critical milestone. If this continues this means more poverty in the next generation, a workforce that is less competitive in the global economy and a military less ready to protect our nation's security. Each and every child that will learn to read at grade level will have improved chances for success while in school as well as jobs in the future. VISTA's will connect community resources and volunteers to researched best practices that impact school readiness, school attendance, summer learning, overall grade level reading achievement and ensure all children in Dubuque have the education and tools needed to thrive in the 21st century. 3.How will you involve the community to ensure the sustainability of the proposed project? As the VISTA members research best practices and involve the various partners we will begin to see areas where current resources may be reallocated. There are a lot of resources currently out there related to each of the three plan areas but never before has an effort focused on working together so closely. As we begin to measure and evaluate our efforts we will likely determine some activities need not be continued as they were not effective. This will allow resources to be moved to either programs that are performing or start up pilots that will be measured for effectiveness before rolling out across the community. This part of the effort is highly sustainable as it uses current resources in new ways and measures how we are doing. The Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque (CFGD) has made a long term commitment to ensuring that every child in Dubuque receives five promises --a Caring Adult, Safe Places, Healthy Start, Effective Education and Opportunities to Serve through its long standing commitment of funding and resources to the Every Child/Every Promise initiative (ECEP). Together with ECEP the Foundation has made a multi-year commitment to support and fund Dubuque's Grade Level Reading For Official Use Only Page 9 DRAFT Narratives Campaign. Together with the Steering Committee partners, there is a firm commitment to ensuring the initiative is sustainable and reaches it goals. In fact, steering committee partners have signed an MOU to highlight that commitment. MOU will be sent to the state office for file. The third grade reading coalition and its subcommittees met to formulate the plan and now continue to meet as we begin to implement the plan. VISTA members will seek additional partners. Community involvement and empowerment is key to the success of this initiative. To write the Plan not only did seventeen partnenagencies come together but over loo community members came together to provide input that became a part of the Community Action Plan. A second community meeting was held with over 120 participants that brainstormed ideas and made commitments to third grade reading. Those present were business and community members ready to help make this plan a reality understanding that this is not a year long process but a process that will take time and additional commitment in the future. Philanthropists have expressed a desire to help financially. As the initiative continues we will match their interests with program or activities that we have developed measures and evaluations and show outcomes that can lead to other financial support in the future. Dubuque has a history of being very successful in finding funding for proven strategies - whether through philanthropists, non -profits, grants, or other methods. Additional community meetings are being planned once every six months to provide updates, get feedback, share successes and ask for specific commitments to continue to reach our goals outlined in the plan. These will all create more buy -in and greater sustainability. 4. Is the program that you are trying to expand/start new in your community? Field? To your organization? If ongoing, is it effective? How do you know? This program/initiative is new to the community and to the City organization. There are communities that have begun working in the area of a third grade reading initiative in Iowa and around the Country due to the National Civic Leagues All America City Award this year that focused solely on third grade reading and creating Community Solutions Action Plans. We will continue to For Official Use Only Page 10 DRAFT Narratives network with those cities as they continue their work and learn from each other's efforts and successes. VISTA's will have a significant impact on the community by developing improved systems that ensure all children read proficiently by the end of 3rd Grade. In addition, VISTA's work will improve community capacity of the Campaign, partnerships, and systems that support School Readiness, School Attendance, and Summer Learning. The impact will be measured by; a. Improved attendance, especially for families and children who are experiencing chronic absence measured by new systems and improved data about attendance. b. Improved summer learning program partnerships, and data that demonstrates the impact of quality summer programs. c. Improved school readiness strategies. d. Increased partnerships among service providers, schools, business and nonprofits aligned to support the Grade Level Reading Campaign goals and community solutions action plan. e. Volunteers engaged in supporting the grade -level reading program. Recruitment and Development 1. Describe in specific terms how your organization will recruit qualified VISTA(s) to service on this project. What challenges do you anticipate in recruiting qualified individuals? The City of Dubuque and Dubuque Community School District will use all of their typical position recruitment methods including print, website advertising and social media in addition to posting the positions through the Corporation for National and Community Services website. This includes listing locally with Access Dubuque, the areas web -based outreach for jobs available in the area. We will also specifically reach out to the colleges and universities in the area--Loras College, University of Dubuque, Clarke University, Wartburg Seminary, Emmaus Bible College, and University of Wisconsin Platteville. We will also be reaching out to other universities that may have strong programs that relate to qualifications for each VISTA placement. The biggest challenge anticipated is the timing of the recruitment and availability for April start. With the requirement that the VISTA must not be full time in college this causes problems as potential candidates could be graduating in very early May and at the time of application and acceptance into the program be a full time student. We may lose good candidates due to this. For Official Use Only Page 11 DRAFT Narratives Each VISTA will be recruited for skills, knowledge and abilities to help them be successful. They may come from a variety of backgrounds. We would likely recruit education majors of those that want work experience after four years and before going on to grad school. We might recruit a doctoral candidate that will work with this project as a part of a thesis. We could recruit a recently retired teacher that has a lot of classroom experience. For the data and measurements position we would likely recruit from a student of statistics or other measurements driven field that would have hands on experience of data management as well as measurements. Again, this might be a doctoral student that can research and also turn this research into workable formats for use in the field. This could again be a recently retired person that was heavily involved in qualitative and quantitative measurements as a part of their career. Having a team of VISTAs from a variety of backgrounds that are at different places in their career would be a dream team. We would recruit to gain the best applicant pool possible. 2. Describe the service -related transportation needs of the VISTA(s) and your plans for meeting those needs. The VISTA members will need transportation to and from meetings that will be held in various locations throughout the community. If the VISTA member has a vehicle there would be reimbursement for mileage and if the VISTA does not the city has a public transportation system that could be used and a bus pass could be provided. 3. Briefly describe plans for orienting VISTA(s) to your organization and the community. Describe any training opportunities and technical assistance that will be available to members throughout their service. The following is a general orientation plan for the VISTAs: A. Welcome to the City of Dubuque and Leisure Services as well as Dubuque Community School District -- Introductions, structure of city, workspace area to use, websites of organization, policies and procedures, equipment orientations, administrative policies B. Community Tour and Organizational Purpose and Mission and the VISTA project -- Touring the For Official Use Only Page 12 DRAFT Narratives community and neighborhoods as well as the community as a whole, meeting with persons in the City and School that will work with on a daily and weekly basis, exploring the organizations more in- depth, understanding in depth the VISTA project and how it came about and what it is hoped to achieve C. The Member Assignment, Supervisory Relationship and Community Investigation -- Review of the job description and VAD, performance reviews, clear outcomes of the project, performance expectations and objectives, supervisory support and support structure, communications, reporting, accountability, working relationships, discipline, work styles, upcoming meetings D. Independent Community Investigation -- member exploring the community and mentally inventorying assets, needs, cultural practices E. Deepening the Understanding of the Community and the Project -- Several experts of our community sharing about low-income populations, community leaders sharing about the community, meeting community partner organizations as well as other AmeriCorps National program members F. Team Building -- This will be very important for the four VISTAs as well as with their supervisors to build trust and mutual understanding, meet other VISTAs in the community. They will be considered full members of the City and the School team. G. Outreach -- Starting to reach out in the Community both with organizations and individually Training opportunities will be sought throughout the term of service specific to each of the VISTA members. They will all go through the intercultural competency training held by the City of Dubuque Human Rights Department each year. They will meet with the City Departments that will assist them in being successful with each of their assignment areas. Each will participate in the Distinctively Dubuque sessions sponsored by Greater Dubuque Economic Development which orients them to the Dubuque Community. The City and the School District host trainings at various time of the year that the VISTA members For Official Use Only Page 13 DRAFT Narratives may be invited to. These types of trainings might be leadership oriented or specific to their areas of work. Community trainings like a recently held Chamber of Commerce Diversity Summit would also be available to VISTA members. The VISTAs will attend a Bridges out of Poverty training sponsored by the city's Housing Department. Technical assistance will be available for various city and school departments. For example, information services would be available for training on computer related software or for technical assistance with computer questions or problems. There are experts in many fields that are a part of the City staff and departments. This is true of the school district as well. 4. Describe the accessibility of services provided to members of the community with disabilities. Is your organization able to accommodate VISTAs with disabilities? Accessibility of city and school services is critical to the community and required. To the greatest extent possible through reasonable accommodation, all offices and facilities of the city and school district are accessible and usable by employees with disabilities and persons who utilize the services of the city or the Dubuque Community School System. In addition, the City has a Section 504 Advisory Committee that is responsible to ensure compliance of Section 504 and the ADA. VISTA Assignment 1. Summary of Activities: (To be submitted with the project application.) Provide a summary of the general tasks and activities VISTAs will perform to implement the proposed project. These tasks and activities should logically relate to the project goals you propose in the Project Plan. In each of the four focus areas -summer learning, school attendance, school readiness and data and measurements the four VISTA members will participate in the following activities related to the goals outlined in this application: • Build and expand partnerships with Dubuque public and private sector organizations/businesses; • Outreach by taking the "show on the road" for the lunch speakers network by doing public speaking on the third grade reading initiative and ways for individuals, businesses, organizations, non -profits, and service clubs to get involved in the effort; • Help to develop sponsor infrastructure which may include developing new programs and/or updating existing ones; For Official Use Only Page 14 DRAFT Narratives • Engage residents of the low-income community to become active in the future of their children and the development of programs that meet their needs and their children's needs; • Recruit, train and coordinate part-time volunteers and work with the VISTA Volunteer Coordinator in the City's Human Rights Department; • Write grant applications for funding and other resources and solicit donations and other in-kind support for sponsor programs that are directly involved with pulling people out of poverty; • Market and publicize the project and results as they are measured and achieved; • Create measurement systems that work for organizations yet maintain HI PPA standard; • Continue community events to support the project and update the public on progress and gather continuous individual commitments through the VISTA project and beyond; • Mobilize resources in- and outside the community in support of the project; and • Promote project sustainability by focusing on building the capacity of individuals, organizations and the community. • Train direct service providers especially in the summer learning focus area and/or set up train the trainer sessions. As they look at effectiveness VISTAs may encourage total reworks of current programs, for example, the City of Dubuque has hosted a summer playground program in 17 locations across the community for many, many years. There are resources of personnel, equipment, supplies and staff that run this program. The VISTAs may look at that current program and recommend changes to structure of the program, locations held, hiring staff with different skill sets, reallocate funds to achieve greater success related to summer learning, or recommend curriculum. This same thing could be done with many of the partner agencies to align efforts across various community organizations around the adopted goals listed above. As the VADs are established this will create an outline for the each VISTA to follow throughout the year. Each program supervisor will discuss with the VISTAs individually and as a group at least quarterly their progress on the overall goals and milestones established in this document. The first year much work was on brining partners together and doing research. This work will continue in the second year. More time will be spent in the field at schools, with building principals, with school administration, at summer programs, and with community members and parents. The concrete impacts will come as these meetings and research progress completed. The VISTA members will more For Official Use Only Page 15 DRAFT Narratives clearly understand the community, the partners and the opportunities and the threats. They will work with their site supervisors as well as the Third Grade Reading committee and subcommittees. The action plans submitted as a part of this application show at the end of the second year impacts that include but are not limited to research, partnerships built, informing, awareness and marketing to parents and the community, commitments made, and pilots established and evaluated. All of these are concrete impacts and the establishment of a stable foundation upon which to build in the coming years. While the average daily attendance rate is 95% for the DCSD the opportunity remains for the 5% which are the most at -risk students who are not attending at rates that promote achievement. This is about 15o children in the current school year that are in need of efforts to increase attendance and thus achievement for each of these children. 2. VISTA Assignment Description (VAD) -- to be submitted after approval. (sent as attachment) Project Management 1. Describe how you will supervise the project and provide daily supervision of VISTAs. Specify if supervision will be full-time or part-time responsibility. Marie Ware, City of Dubuque Leisure Services Manager, will supervise the project with a total of four VISTA members. Marie is a full-time staff member for the City of Dubuque. This will be a part-time responsibility of her position. Daily supervision of the VISTA member related to summer learning will be provided by Marie Ware. Marie will supervise the School as the sub -recipient. 2. If individual sites other than your organization will host/supervise members, please list the name of those organizations, the cities and states if different from your own, and describe the structure of their relationship to your organization. Also, list the names and titles of the site supervisors, along with the number of VISTA(s) requested for each site. What are your plans for providing programmatic orientation, sub -site supervisor training and technical assistance to your services sites (supervisors and VISTAs)? For Official Use Only Page 16 DRAFT Narratives The City of Dubuque and the Dubuque Community School District (DCSD) have had a very active partnership for many years and strong working relationships. This third grade reading initiative is just the latest example of partnerships. Leisure Services works with the District on numerous projects, activities, partnerships and initiatives with the School District. Partnerships are so important that the City Council has called out in its 2012-14 high priorities of implementation of the third grade reading strategy and continued parks and schools joint projects and services. Daily supervision of the school attendance and measurements and evaluation VISTAs will be from Shirley Horstman, Director of Student Services for DCSD. Lynne Devaney, Associate Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction will be supervising the school readiness VISTA. All three supervisors work full time and a part of their responsibility will be the supervision described for the VISTA members. The VISTA on-site orientation and training plan for the VISTAs will be developed by Marie Ware with assistance from Shirley and Lynne. Certain parts of this orientation and training will be the same for all four and other parts will be specific to the VISTA position and placement. Marie has seen the effectiveness of a well thought out orientation and training for the VISTA member through a past placement. This sets the tone for the entire year of service as well as an overall understanding of the long term vision and goals of the initiative. Spending time in the beginning is critical for the entire year's work and then having systematic check in's, progress reporting and discussions throughout the term on things going well and problem areas is critical. Methods for this will be set up in the beginning of each term. 3. Are 51 percent or more of the persons on your board of director's members of low income community? The Grade Level Reading Campaign steering committee will engage representatives from the Circles Initiative -- an innovative research -based program that assists low-income families with developing the skills needed to transition out of poverty -- who will serve on advisory committee to inform the work of the VISTA'S supporting the Grade Level Reading Campaign. The advisory committee will meet as often as quarterly and members from the Circles Initiative, representing low-income families For Official Use Only Page 17 DRAFT Narratives and individuals representing each focus area will make up the committee. 4. Briefly describe your plans for evaluating progress towards achieving your project's anticipated goals and milestone. What information and data will you use to demonstrate the concrete impacts of the project? As the VADs are established this will create an outline for the each VISTA to follow throughout the year. Each program supervisor will discuss with the VISTAs individually and as a group at least quarterly their progress on the overall goals and milestones established in this document. The second year work will continue on bringing partners together and doing research. Time will be spent in the field at schools, with building principals, with school administration, at summer programs, and with community members and parents. Additional pilots or trials of new methods in programs will happen. The concrete impacts will come as these meetings and research progress. The VISTA members will more clearly understand the community, the partners and the opportunities and the threats. They will work with their site supervisors as well as the Third Grade Reading committee and subcommittees. The performance measures submitted as a part of this application show at the end of the second year impacts that include but are not limited to research, partnerships built, informing and marketing to parents and the community, commitments made, and additional pilots or programs established. All of these are concrete impacts and the establishment of a stable foundation upon which to build in the coming years. 5. How, if at all, will you collaborate with other national service programs (Senior Corps, Learn & Serve America, etc) in order to support the proposed project? Please note that VISTAs may NOT mange or work on other CNCS-sponsored grants. The City of Dubuque's AmeriCorps Partners in Learning receives CNCS resources and has 48 members. AmeriCorps Partners in Learning will be a very active partner in the initiatives related to the work of these four VISTA members. This program is a division of the Leisure Services Department supervised by Marie Ware and directed by Deb Bell, AmeriCorps Director. This program has For Official Use Only Page 18 DRAFT Narratives submitted their new grant with a total emphasis on third grade reading placing 2 AmeriCorps members at each elementary school in grade levels K-3 and in the summer playgrounds programs offered by Leisure Services working on reading strategies but making it fun. The four VISTAs will be a big part of seeing how we build this capacity and then have the service members make it a reality through hand -on work in the schools and throughout the summer. The VISTAs will not manage or work on the CNCS-sponsored grants. Deb Bell will work with the AmeriCorps Partners in Learning. The Dubuque National Service Partners will also become very involved in this effort as well. In the local community we have RSVP through Finley Hospital, Foster Grandparents through Project Concern, Iowa Campus Compact VISTA program through Loras College and Clarke University, and Iowa AmeriCorps State of Promise program through the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque. The VISTAs will not manager or work on these either. Their work will be on building capacity through these programs as resources. Organizational Capability ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY 1. Address your organization's capacity to manage the proposed project including previous experience working with community volunteers and/or national service participants. Was your organization previously assigned VISTAS? If so, specify sponsoring organization (if different from your own), years and numbers of members. Briefly describe how the proposed service activities differ from what your members did previously. Also, if your agency is currently receiving CNCS resources, specify which program and the number of members. The City of Dubuque has been very active with the national service programs. Our most active involvement is with the AmeriCorps Partners in Learning program. The program has been successful over the past 12+ years in working with the Dubuque Community Schools and community partners. The program has had over 55o members during its existence. The Partners in Learning Program Director is a part of the third grade reading initiative and a member of the Dubuque National Service Partnership. This partnership works on joint service and training projects. The City has also been a sponsor to various VISTA positions in the Leisure Services, Human Rights and Sustainability Departments. We have had 6 VISTA in our recent past. These positions have been involved in volunteer program development efforts, sustainability efforts, and human rights program For Official Use Only Page 19 DRAFT Narratives development. Leisure Services and the City are also very familiar with working with community volunteers. We are in our second year with a VISTA related to this and have seen outstanding success to date with the efforts. The work proposed would be complementary to these efforts. Marie Ware has been assigned currently to work with the VISTAs as a part of this application. Should something happen to her, the City Manager would assess the right person to take over these duties within the City organization. As you will see from the attached organizational chart there are numerous departments or he might choose another person in the Leisure Services organization. 2. What resources are available for the project? Identify the names of partner organizations. Is your organization able to contribute financially for all or some of costs related to VISTA(s) and Leaders(s)? Please indicate if you are able to support a cost -share member (approximately $1o,000-15,000/year). The City of Dubuque and Dubuque Community School District will partner together on the cost share of $11,136 for one member of the four VISTA's requested. They will also provide a computer, office space, mileage reimbursement or bus pass, professional development and training for each of the VISTA members. Overall the VISTA's will be supervised by Marie Ware, Leisure Services Manager for the City of Dubuque, whom has overseen the AmeriCorps Director for Dubuque's Partners in Learning Program and oversaw a VISTA in the development of a volunteer center and program for the community. Marie serves on the Summer Learning subcommittee. Additionally Shirley Horstman, Director of Student Services for DCSD will be directly involved with the VISTA members. Shirley has been involved with the AmeriCorps Partners in Learning program in the schools and has managed numerous grants for the District. She is on the School Attendance subcommittee. Lynne Devaney, Associate Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction has also been involved in numerous leadership positions and managed numerous grants as well. She is on the School Readiness subcommittee. Both Shirley and Lynne are very involved in data and measurements at the School District and their expertise will assist the VISTA in this area. The VISTA's will interact and partner extensively with the following partners that are a part of an active Third Grade Reading Coalition: Carnegie Stout Public Library, Clarke University, Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, Crescent Community Health Center, Dubuque Community School District, Dubuque Community School District Foundation, Dubuque County Early Childhood, Every For Official Use Only Page 20 DRAFT Narratives Child 1 Every Promise, Four Oaks: Parents as Teachers, Greater Dubuque Development Corporation, Holy Family Schools, Iowa State University Extension & Outreach, Leisure Services, Loras College, Multicultural Family Center, Northeast Iowa Community College, Operation New View: Head Start, St Mark's Youth Enrichment. See attached Memorandum of Understanding signed by all agencies. 3. If your agency is currently receiving other CNCS resources, specify which program and the number of members or national service participant. Also, identify your intended plan for using the various CNCS resources to enhance the VISTA activities if applicable. The City of Dubuque's AmeriCorps Partners in Learning receives CNCS resources and has 48 members. AmeriCorps Partners in Learning will be a very active partner in the initiatives related to the work of these four VISTA members. The Dubuque National Service Partners will also become very involved in this effort as well. In the local community we have RSVP through Finley Hospital, Foster Grandparents through Project Concern, Iowa Campus Compact VISTA program through Loras College and Clarke University, and Iowa AmeriCorps State of Promise program through the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque. Other Identify how this program reflects the CNCS strategic focus areas. The four VISTA members will directly be working on the CNCS 2011-15 Strategic Plan focus area of Education. Specifically their work will collaboratively through the partner organizations improve school readiness for economically disadvantaged young children and improve educational outcomes of student in low achieving elementary schools. The VISTA will not be involved in the direct service however their work will be with the many organizations involved in direct service related to school attendance, school readiness and summer learning. They will leverage human, financial and material resources to increase the capacity of organizations related to the Third Grade Reading initiative working with low-income children. Each of these elements is critical to meeting the CNCS goals listed above. City Council Approval of Submission This application was submitted and authorized by Marie Ware, City of Dubuque Leisure Services Manager. Final authorization was completed by the action of the City Council. The City Council met For Official Use Only Page 21 DRAFT Narratives on March 17, 2014 at which time it will be fully authorized. Staff is authorized to submit applications and the City Council acts upon them at the meeting following submission so a copy of the application can be provided. The City Manager is provided a copy of the submission at the time of submission as well. Intermediary Justification N/A For Official Use Only Page 22 DRAFT Site Name: City of Dubuque Leisure Services Address:2200 Bunker Hill Rd Dubuque, IA 52001-3010 Contact:Marie Ware Site Name: Dubuque Community School District Address:2300 Chaney Rd Dubuque, LDubuque, A 52001-3059 Contact:Shirley Horstman Sites EIN: 42-6004596 Phone: 5635894264 EIN: 42-6001531 Phone: 5635529125 For Official Use Only Page 23 Type: PM and Placement SA: Email: mw are@cityofdubuque.org Type: PM and Placement SA: Email: shorstman@dbgschools.org Servic ea DRAFT Action Plan dnool 1 lrnelan The community need statement While Dubuque has an abundance of summer activities for young people, there is little coordination among these activities sponsored by over 15 organizations. The role of most summer programs is to keep kids busy with limited emphasis on learning and more emphasis on fun. Summer school has not been a successful concept in past years by the Dubuque Community School District, with low enrollment and the children that would benefit are not the ones attending. A new summer program focused on reduction of summer learning loss but is not summer school needs to be developed. Goal Statement: The focus of summer programming will change from keeping kids busy to purposeful activities that foster skills, including reading, math and science retention and/or growth through coordinated efforts of at least 12 organizations providing summer programming. The programs will not be stratified so that it is only the highest need children but rather a cross section of the population. The program will be for children K -3rd grade. The program will be curriculum based with established data points and measurements of success. By the end of the third summer, the Kindergarten through 3rd grade participants will begin to see summer learning retention levels increasing from the start of the VISTAs work in April 2013. Perfomance Milestone Planned Period of Accomplishment: 08/2013 Milestone: One-on-one and joint meetings held w ith providers of summer programs for children up to 3rd grade w ill assess and document all details of programming done by each program. This w ill include but not be limited to documentation of current offerings, financial and human resources, philosophy of program, curriculum used, activities currently offered in the program, numbers of children involved up to 3rd grade, staff training, current evaluation and measurements, etc. From the meetings the VISTA w ill ascertain resources available, gaps, readiness and desire to become active partner in the Third Grade Reading summer learning initiative. Meetings held and information documented with 90% or 15 of 17 summer providers for children up through 3rd grade. Indicator/Evidence of Progress: Individual meetings held with 90% or 15 out of 17 providers of summer programming and all data related to each program is documented. Target : 90% How Measured: Sign -in sheet Description of Data Collection: The summer learning VISTA w ith the assistance of the data and measurement VISTA met w ith each program and documented information show n above. Perfomance'Milestone : Planned Period of Accomplishment: 07/2013 Milestone: Meet w ith and/or survey at least 50 parents as to their needs for summer programming and summer learning. At least one-half of those parents must have children in poverty or w ith low reading achievement scores. Feedback is received on program start and end dates, expectations, concerns, start and end times of the program. For Official Use Only Page 24 DRAFT Indicator/Evidence of Progress: Target: Meeting(s) and other methods will be used to gather feedback and input from at least 50 parents with at least one-half of the parents that have children in poverty or with low reading achievement scores. Target : 50 How Measured: Interview Description of Data Collection: Summer learning and data and measurements VISTA w ill collect information from parents before and at the start of summer. The information w ill assist in designing a program that meets the needs and overcomes the concerns of children and parents. Perfomance Milestone : Planned Period of Accomplishment: 11/2013 Milestone: Research at least one dozen successful summer learning programs for best practices from around the country as w ell as curriculums that have been successful w ith summer learning loss reductions that are applicable to the circumstances related to Dubuque and its partners. Relationships established w ith programs throughout the country creating a strong foundation upon w hich to build a summer learning program in Dubuque. Indicator/Evidence of Progress: Recommend a summer learning model that is appropriate for the population the size of Dubuque by researching at least 12 success summer learning programs. Target : 12 How Measured: Interview Description of Data Collection: Summer learning and the data and measurements VISTAs w ill gather data from programs across the country. The relationships established w ill mean that the VISTAs can continue to call upon successful programs as the next steps are undertaken. Planned Period of Accomplishment:12/2013 Milestone: The VISTA member for summer learning w ill take the above performance milestones and organize for success. This w ill mean assisting organizations in reformatting summer programming to reduce summer learning loss. At least six organizations signed a new Memorandum of Understanding that has details to each organization's role in a successful summer learning loss reduction program to be held the summer of 2014. This w ill be completed through development of a shared vision w ith providers and the community and identification of numerical target for the vision, goals and objectives developed through research, best practices and data driven systems and measurements that connect school year and summer outcomes. For Official Use Only Page 25 DRAFT Indicator/Evidence of Progress: A vision, goals and objectives are developed and a 6 new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) developed and signed for the implementation of a pilot program for 50 children in the summer of 2014. Target : 6 How Measured: Community Partner Survey Description of Data Collection: The VISTA w ill have signed MOUs from participating organizations. Perfomance Milestone : Planned Period of Accomplishment: 03/2014 Milestone: Summer pilot for 2014 is 100% developed and prepared for implementation starting in June of 2014. Marketing materials ready to send out to parents and teachers the end of March. A target marketing campaign developed, adopted and being kicked off. Implementation of the summer pilot w ould be addressed in the next years milestone. Indicator/Evidence of Progress: Details of the summer program(s) have been developed and agreed upon by participating organizations. Marketing materials have been developed and provided to appropriate outlets. The summer program location(s) has been established and booked. Target : 100% How Measured: Activity log Description of Data Collection: The marketing plan w ill be implemented through its targeted approach. Target may be checked off once implemented by the summer learning V ISTA. Service Category School Readinessli ead to arly C ildh od EdM atlon _ ___ _ . The community need statement Quality Care and Preschool Since 1990, with the creation of the Dubuque County Empowerment Board, Dubuque has examined, developed and increased access to quality care and preschool. However, there is still work to do. We intend to increase measures of quality for 0-8 early childhood homes and institutions; increase the access of early childhood programming for families; increase the quality of early childhood instruction. uc Strengthen Families; Strengthen Children In 2007, the Dubuque Community School District was awarded $2,000,000 annually for the support of free four-year old preschool throughout the community. An important part of the program is access to the Parents as Teacher (PAT) program. Access to this program is more limited than we intend. We intend to offer every family access from birth to age 8 an evidence -based sustained parent education program. For Official Use Only Page 26 DRAFT Building Cohesive Systems With the development of Dubuque County Empowerment and Every Child, Every Promise, two agencies whose mission is to support and collaborate around the needs of children, Dubuque has made substantial gains in collaborating around programs with blended finances and talent. We intend to build a community -wide vision and co-ordinating system that supports the work of multiple agencies assisting with early childhood transitions. Sustainable Workforce Since we have added early childhood programs and expanded preschool options, we have a need to hire highly qualified individuals to work with parents and children. We intend to create multiple pathways of employment training identified for early childhood professionals; sustained job -embedded high quality professional development; expand the availability of specialized early childhood professionals. To do this we will work with our high school students, community college and liberal arts colleges (4) to create career pathways. Goal Statement: To support efforts that children read proficiently by the end of 3rd grade, the VISTA member will: ensure that quality childcare and preschool is accessible and implemented within the community to enhance school readiness and children's prospects for attaining high levels of academic achievement. ensure quality supports that strengthen families (developmental domains of: language, thinking skills, motor and social/emotional; housing, health, finances, safety, cultural confidence) and therefore, support children's school readiness. Perfomance Milestone : Planned Period of Accomplishment: 03/2014 Milestone: Quality Care and Preschool Our goal is to prepare preschool children for school -ready skills in kindergarten. A quality experience prior to entering formal school (childcare or preschool) is a key element in children's development of school readiness skills. The goal is for all licensed home and center providers to use the Quality Rating System (QRS) and achieve a 3 or 4 rating as identified on that rating scale. Supporting organizations w ill operate w ith staff trained and implementing QRS. Indicator/Evidence of Progress: Increase by 10% licensed home and center providers trained in QRS. Increase by 50% licensed home and centers achieving a 3 or 4 on the QRS rating system. 90% of children demonstrate school -ready skills per Creative Curriculum Gold. Target : 90% How Measured: Teacher Observation Form and Log Description of Data Collection: VISTA coordinates & collates data for participants. Measures of quality for QRS participation & ratings collected by Childcare Resource & Referral by info provided by staff. School -ready skills measured by teacher by IA assessment, Creative Curriculu For Official Use Only Page 27 DRAFT Perfomance'Milestone : Planned Period of Accomplishment: 03/2014 Milestone: Parents as Teachers (PAT) is a program that teaches parents to be their child's first and best teacher. It also provides early detection of developmental delays and health issues. Families w ho utilize PAT services increase their child's school readiness and school success. By increasing the number of families utilizing PAT services more children w ill be ready to learn w hen they enter kindergarten. Indicator/Evidence of Progress: 90% of all participants in PAT demonstrate program outcomes as defined by PAT. Target : 90% How Measured: Interview Description of Data Collection: VISTA member collate & evaluate aggregated & disaggregated outcomes. PAT educators collect outcomes evidence through each home visit w ith families. Enrollment data & program outcomes collected per the protocol established by national PAT. Service;( egory utner aucat The community need statement The average daily attendance (ADA) rate is 95% for Dubuque Community School District elementary schools overall. This rate ranges from 91-98% depending upon the specific elementary school. The need is to reach this most difficult 2-9%. These students are the most at -risk when not attending regularly affecting not only their achievement rates now but also in the future. Attendance habits are lifelong habits. Goal Statement: A two pronged approach of policy research and revision related to truancy and raising the awareness of parents between the connection of attendance and student achievement will be used. This will be accomplished through a better defined policy and practices that will achieve improved school attendance and connecting at- risk parents with engaged mentor parents, raising awareness among parents and developing an early bird attendance program. Perfomance Miles Planned Period of Accomplishment: 03/2014 M ilestone: All Title 1 schools w ill identify students w ho miss more than 10% of the school year. The Vista w ill w ork w ith the schools to identify 'model' parents w ho w ill be paired w ith parents of students chronically absent. The Vista w ill w ork w ith these volunteer "mentor" parents and develop training materials to train these volunteers w ith so that they are able to successfully w ork w ith parents of chronically absent students. Indicator/Evidence of Progress: Training materials are developed, volunteer parents are recruited and trained. 80% of chronically truant students have improved attendance after their parents are paired with volunteer For Official Use Only Page 28 DRAFT "mentor" parents. Target : 80% How Measured: Teacher Observation Form and Log Description of Data Collection: The building principals w ill determine model parents and pairings w ith assistance from teachers, nurses, coaches and counselors at each Title 1 school. Attendance of chronically absent child tracked for changes once pairing made w ith model parents. Perfomance Milestone : Planned Period of Accomplishment: 03/2014 Milestone: Early bird attendance program w ill be developed for implementation in a future school year w hich w ill be used to access school services such as homew ork help, library access and breakfast prior to the start of the school day. Funding w ill be sought based upon specific measurements to be established as the program is being researched and developed. End target: 80% chronically absent students improve attendance. Indicator/Evidence of Progress: Early bird attendance program pilot 100% developed. Funding mechanisms researched 100%, grant written -50%. Target : 100% How Measured: Activity log Description of Data Collection: Research of successful attendance programs. Perfomance Milestone : Planned Period of Accomplishment: 03/2014 Milestone: Review and research the current school district attendance policy, state law s on school attendance. Identify opportunities for improvements. Create an aw areness campaign w ithin the schools on the importance of school attendance. School truancy program w ill w ork w ith existing partner agencies to put emphasis on improved school attendance w hich leads to better school achievement. Indicator/Evidence of Progress: Review 50% complete. Awareness campaign developed to be implemented for 2014 school year. Target : 50% How Measured: Focus groups Description of Data Collection: For Official Use Only Page 29 DRAFT Current DSCD policy, state law , other school district attendance policies used in formulation of a draft that w ID be shared w ith many school committees and personnel for feedback. Aw areness materials developed and undergoing same review . For Official Use Only Page 30 DRAFT # of Capacity Capacity City of Dubuque Performance Measures Building PM's per # of VISTA's Building Goal Building 0 E Effectiveness# 1 00.0% PCT7 Leisure Service Requested Goal 100.0% PCT8 Per Capacity Effectivenees4 Effectiveness - Full Time Capcity Goal: Effectiveness Objective: Capacity Building & Leverage Project Year: 2 # of VISTA'S Requested: 1 Output: G3-3.4: Number of organizations that received capacity building services Target: 3 Organizations Measured By: Activity Log Described Instrument: Actvity log kept by VISTA of capacity building activities with each organzation Outcome: G3-3.10: Number of organizations reporting that capacity building helped make them more effective Target: 3 Organizations Measured By: Pre/Post Organizational Assessment Tool Described Instrument: Organizations will do a pre and post survey regarding activities perfome and their effectiveness Service Activitity: Expand/strengthen partnerships/networks Description: Determine overlaps and gaps and compare with needs of the population to be served Service Activitity: Program Development and Delivery Description: Share effective program methods and best practices Anti -Poverty PM 1.2 - K-12 Success Focus Area: Education Objective: K-12 Success # of VISTA'S Requested: 1 For Official Use Only Page 31 DRAFT Performance Measures City of Dubuque Leisure Service Anti -Poverty Output: Number of targeted student K-3 that reduced summer slide Target: 0 Measured By: Described Instrument: Anti -Poverty Outcome: Increased interest in school Target: 0 Measured By: Described Instrument: Anti -Poverty Program/Strategy Community School Partnership Intervention: Description: Work with District and partners focused on non -proficient and/or bubble students to participate in programs with learning interventions weaved into program For Official Use Only Page 32 DRAFT Performance Measures Dubuque Community School Di. Effectiveness - FutI Time Capcity Goal: Effectiveness Objective: Capacity Building & Leverage Project Year: 2 # of VISTA'S Requested: 3 Output: G3-3.4: Number of organizations that received capacity building services Target: 3 Organizations Measured By: Activity Log Described Instrument: Logging activities performed with different organizations Output: G3-3.5: Number of staff and community volunteers that received training (of one or more types) Target: 20 Staff and Community Volunteers Measured By: Attendance Log Described Instrument: An attendance log will be kept at each training Outcome: G3-3.10: Number of organizations reporting that capacity building helped make them more effective Target: 5 Organizations Measured By: Pre/Post Organizational Assessment Tool Described Instrument: Pre and post assessment survey Outcome: G3-3.11: Number of new systems /business processes or enhancements put in place Target: 6 Systems, Business Processes or Enhancements Measured By: Activity Log Described Instrument: member will track activities used with organizations Service Activitity: Program Development and Delivery Description: Attendance requires work through attendance programsin the schools, partnering with outside organziations on health and mental health and more Service Activitity: Expand/strengthen partnerships/networks Description: Early learning requires partnerships build with child care providers, preschool and organizations such as parents as teachers Service Activitity: Technology use Description: Research and use of data on specific students and groups of students Anti -Poverty PM 3.4 - K-12 Success For Official Use Only Page 33 DRAFT Performance Measures Dubuque Community School Di Focus Area: Objective: # of VISTA'S Requested: Education K-12 Success 3 Anti -Poverty Output: (PRIORITY) ED2: Number of students who completed K-12 education programs Target: 250 Measured By: Students Attendance Log Described Instrument: At each program an attendance log will be taken for number of students participating and completing specific programs Anti -Poverty Outcome: (PRIORITY) ED5: Number of students with improved academic performance in literacy and/or math Target: 50 Students Measured By: Standardized Test Described Instrument: DIBELS or other standardized test as adopted by the district Anti -Poverty Program/Strategy Intervention: Out -of -School Time Description: Carrying over learning into out of school time when appropriate to gain additional supports for children that need it. Anti -Poverty Program/Strategy Other Classroom Support Intervention: Description: Give principals and teachers data that assists them with specific children and families Anti -Poverty Program/Strategy Community School Partnership Intervention: Description: Work with community organizations, preschools and day care providers in early learning strategies Anti -Poverty Program/Strategy Summer Learning Intervention: Description: Work wtih community organization on summer literacy learning opportunities Anti -Poverty Program/Strategy Family Involvement Intervention: Description: Working with families on attendance importance and strategies For Official Use Only Page 34 DRAFT Required Documents Document Name Status Articles of Incorporation Not Applicable Auditor's Statement Page Already on File at CNCS Board of Directors Not Applicable Negotiated Indirect Cost Agreement Not Applicable Organizational Chart Already on File at CNCS Supervisor's Job Description Already on File at CNCS Supervisor's Resume Already on File at CNCS Tax -Exempt Status Form Not Applicable Two Letters of Support Sent For Official Use Only Page 35 February 24, 2014 10:02 AM Dubuque's Third Grade Reading Initiative City of Dubuque Application ID: 14VS158757 Budget Dates: 12/30/2012 - 04/19/2014 Total Amt CNCS Share Grantee Share Member Support RPT BGT_424 Program Type: Standard Cost Share Section I. Volunteer Support Expenses A. Project Personnel Expenses Supervisor 0 0 0 0 B. Personnel Fringe Benefits FICA Health Insurance Retirement Life Insurance C. Project Staff Travel Local Travel Long Distance Travel Total Total Total $0 $0 $0 $0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 D. Equipment E Supplies F. Contractual Service Payroll 0 0 0 0 I. Other Volunteer Support Costs Communications Printing Logistics Total Total $0 $0 $0 $0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 $0 $0 $0 $0 J. Indirect Costs Section I. Subtotal $0 $0 $0 $0 Section 11. Volunteer Expenses A. Personnel Expenses Living Allowances Full Time (Federal) 33,408 0 0 33,408 Full Time (non -Federal) 11,136 0 11,136 0 Summer Associate (Federal) Summer Associate (non -Federal) Education and End of Service Aw ards Education Award 22,200 0 0 22,200 Education Aw and - Summer Associate 0 0 0 0 End of Service Stipend - Regular 0 0 0 0 End of Service Stipend - Leader 0 0 0 0 End of Service Stipend - Sumner Associate 0 0 0 0 Total $66,744 $0 $11,136 $55,608 B. Fringe Benefits Health Insurance Health Insurance 10,800 0 0 10,800 FICA FICA 0 0 0 0 C. Travel G. Other Volunteer Expenses Federal COLA Increase Non -Federal COLA/Costshare Increase Section 11. Subtotal Total $10,800 $0 $0 $10,800 2,000 0 2,000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total 52,000 $0 $2,000 $0 $79,544 $0 $13,136 $66,408 Form424A Modified SF -424A (4/88 and 12/97) Page 1 February 24, 2014 10:02 AM Budget Totals Budget Total Percentage Required Match # of years Receiving CNCS Funds Dubuque's Third Grade Reading Initiative City of Dubuque RPT_BGT_424 Program Type: Standard Cost Share $79,544 $0 $13,136 $66,408 0% 17% n/a n/a Form 424A Modified SF -424A (4/88 and 12/97) Page 2 Budget Narrative for 14VS158757 Page 1 of 5 Budget Narrative: Dubuque's Third Grade Reading Initiative for City of Dubuque Program Type: Standard Cost Share Section I. Volunteer Support Expenses A. Project Personnel Expenses PositionJTitle -Qty -Annual Salary -% Time CNCS Share Grantee Share Total Amount Member Support Supervisor: - person(s) at each x % usage 0 0 0 0 CATEGORY Totals 0 0 0 0 B. Personnel Fringe Benefits Item -Description CNCS Share Grantee Share Total Amount Member Support FICA: 0 0 0 0 Health Insurance: 0 0 0 0 Retirement: 0 0 0 0 Life Insurance: 0 0 0 0 CATEGORY Totals 0 0 0 0 C. Project Staff Travel Local Travel Purpose -Calculation CNCS Share CNCS Share Grantee Share Member Support Total Amount Member Support 0 0 CATEGORY Totals 0 0 0 0 Long Distance Travel Purpose -Destination -Other Travel -Trans. Amount -Meals/ Lodging CNCS Share Grantee Share Total Amount Member Support CATEGORY Totals 0 0 0 0 D. Equipment Item/Purpose -Description -Qty -Unit Cost CNCS Share Grantee Share Total Amount Member Support https://egrants.cns.gov/espan/main/report.j sp?sid=kTMTTLPLMhQyhcnVTSzVQ 1 QrfQp4... 2/24/2014 Budget Narrative for 14VS158757 CATEGORY Totals 0 0 0 Page 2 of 5 0 I E. Supplies Item -Calculation Purpose -Calculation CNCS Share Grantee Share Grantee Share Total Amount Member Support Member Support 0 CATEGORY Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 F. Contractual Service I. Other Volunteer Support Costs Item Purpose -Calculation Grantee Share CNCS Share Grantee Share Communications: Total Amount Member Support 0 Payroll: Printing: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 CATEGORY Totals 0 0 0 0 0 I. Other Volunteer Support Costs Item CNCS Share Grantee Share Total Amount Member Support Communications: 0 0 0 0 Printing: 0 0 0 0 Logistics: 0 0 0 0 CATEGORY Totals 0 0 0 0 J. Indirect Costs Description -Negotiated Rate -Claimed Rate -Cost Type CNCS Share Grantee Share Total Amount Member Support CATEGORY Totals 0 0 0 0 SECTION Totals 0 0 0 0 PERCENTAGE 0% 0% Section II. Volunteer Expenses A. Personnel Expenses Living Allowances Full Time (Federal) https://egrants.cns.gov/espan/main/report.j sp?sid=kTMTTLPLMhQyhenVT5zVQ 1 QrfQp4... 2/24/2014 Budget Narrative for 14VS158757 Page 3 of 5 Description/Sites - # Mbrs -Allowance Rate CNCS Share Grantee Share Total Amount Member Support City of Dubuque/Dubuque County: - 3 x 11136 0 0 33,408 33,408 CATEGORY Totals 0 0 33,408 33,408 Full Time (non -Federal) Description/Sites - # Mbrs -Allowance Rate CNCS Share Grantee Share Total Amount Member Support City of Dubuque/Dubuque County: - 1 x 11136 0 11,136 11,136 0 CATEGORY Totals 0 11,136 11,136 0 Summer Associate (Federal) Description/Sites - # Mbrs -Allowance Rate CNCS Share Grantee Share Total Amount Member Support CATEGORY Totals 0 0 0 0 Summer Associate (non -Federal) Description/Sites - # Mbrs -Allowance Rate CNCS Share Grantee Share Total Amount Member Support CATEGORY Totals 0 0 0 0 Education and End of Service Awards Item - # Mbrs -Rate CNCS Share Grantee Share Total Amount Member Support Education Award: - 4 x 5550 0 0 22,200 22,200 Education Award - Summer Associate: - 0 x 1175 0 0 0 0 End of Service Stipend - Regular: - 0 x 1500 0 0 0 0 End of Service Stipend - Leader: - 0 x 3000 0 0 0 0 End of Service Stipend - Summer Associate: - 0 x 250 0 0 0 0 CATEGORY Totals 0 0 22,200 22,200 B. Fringe Benefits Health Insurance Grantee Member https://egrants. cns. gov/espan/main/report.j sp?sid=kTMTTLPLMhQyhcnV T5zV Q 1 QrfQp4... 2/24/2014 Budget Narrative for 14VS158757 Page 4 of 5 Item/Description - # Mbrs -Rate CNCS Share Share Total Amount Support Health Insurance: - 4 x 2700 0 0 10,800 10,800 CATEGORY Totals 0 0 10,800 10,800 FICA Item/Description -Rate (%) -Stipend Amount CNCS Share Grantee Share Total Amount Member Support FICA: -0x5.65% 0 0 0 0 CATEGORY Totals 0 0 0 0 C. Travel Item/Description -Calculation CNCS Share Grantee Share Total Amount Member Support CATEGORY Totals 0 0 0 0 G. Other Volunteer Expenses Item -Description CNCS Share Grantee Share Total Amount Member Support Federal COLA Increase: 0 0 0 0 Non -Federal COLA/Costshare Increase: 0 0 0 0 Training: Initial and ongoing training. 4 VISTA's x $100 per training x5 trainings=$2000 0 2,000 2,000 0 CATEGORY Totals 0 2,000 2,000 0 SECTION Totals 0 13,136 79,544 66,408 PERCENTAGE 0% 17% BUDGET Totals 0 13,136 79,544 66,408 PERCENTAGE 0% 17% Total MSYs 4.00 Source of Funds Section Section I. Volunteer Support Expenses Description https://egrants.cns.gov/espan/main/report.j sp?sid=kTMTTLPLMhQyhcnVT5zVQ 1 QrfQp4... 2/24/2014 Budget Narrative for 14VS158757 Page 5 of 5 Section II. Volunteer Expenses https://egrants.cns. gov/espan/main/report. j sp?sid=kTMTTLPLMhQyhcnV T5zV Q 1 QrfQp4... 2/24/2014 ASSURANCES Page 1 of 4 ASSURANCES As the duly authorized representative of the applicant, I certify, to the best of my knowledge and belief, that the applicant: • Has the legal authority to apply for federal assistance, and the institutional, managerial, and financial capability (including funds sufficient to pay the non-federal share of project costs) to ensure proper planning, management, and completion of the project described in this application. • Will give the awarding agency, the Comptroller General of the United States, and if appropriate, the state, through any authorized representative, access to and the right to examine all records, books, papers, or documents related to the award; and will establish a proper accounting system in accordance with generally accepted accounting standards or agency directives. • Will establish safeguards to prohibit employees from using their position for a purpose that constitutes or presents the appearance of personal or organizational conflict of interest, or personal gain. • Will initiate and complete the work within the applicable time frame after receipt of approval of the awarding agency. • Will comply with the Intergovernmental Personnel Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. 4728-4763) relating to prescribed standards for merit systems for programs funded under one of the nineteen statutes or regulations specified in Appendix A of OPM's Standards for a Merit System of Personnel Administration (5 CFR 900, Subpart F). • Will comply with all federal statutes relating to nondiscrimination. These include but are not limited to: Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (P.L. 88-352) which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin; (b) Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended (20 U.S.C. 1681-1683, and 1685-1686). which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex; (c) Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 794), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability (d) The Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended (42 U.S.C. 6101-6107), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of age; (e) The Drug Abuse Office and Treatment Act of 1972 (P.L. 92-255), as amended, relating to nondiscrimination on the basis of drug abuse; (f) The Comprehensive Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation Act of 1970 (P.L. 91-616), as amended, relating to nondiscrimination on the basis of alcohol abuse or alcoholism; (g) sections 523 and 527 of the Public Health Service Act of 1912 (42 U.S.C. 290dd-3 and 290ee-3), as amended, relating to confidentiality of alcohol and drug abuse patient records; (h) Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3601 et seq.), as amended, relating to nondiscrimination in the sale, rental or financing of housing; (i) any other nondiscrimination provisions in the National and Community Service Act of 1990, as amended; and (j) the requirements of any other nondiscrimination statute(s) which may apply to the application. • Will comply, or has already complied, with the requirements of Titles Il and III of the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 (P.L. 91-646) which provide for fair and equitable treatment of persons displaced or whose property is acquired as a result of federal or federally assisted programs. These requirements apply to all interests in real property acquired for project purposes regardless of federal participation in purchases. • Will comply with the provisions of the Hatch Act (5 U.S.C. 1501-1508 and 7324-7328) which limit the political activities of employees whose principal employment activities are funded in whole or in part with Federal funds. • Will comply, as applicable, with the provisions of the Davis -Bacon Act (40 U.S.0 276a and 276a-77), the Copeland Act (40 U.S.0 276c and 18 U.S.C. 874), and the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act (40 U.S.C. 327-333), regarding labor standards for Federally assisted construction sub -agreements. • Will comply, if applicable, with flood insurance purchase requirements of Section 102(a) of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-234) which requires the recipients in a special flood hazard area to participate in the program and to purchase flood insurance if the total cost of insurable construction and acquisition is $10,000 or more. • Will comply with environmental standards which may be prescribed pursuant to the following: (a) institution of environmental quality control measures under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (P.L. 91-190) and Executive Order (EO) 11514; (b) notification of violating facilities pursuant to EO 11738; (c) protection of wetlands pursuant to EO 11990; (d) evaluation of flood hazards in floodplains in accordance with EO 11988; (e) assurance of project consistency with the approved state management program developed under the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.0 1451 et seq.); (f) conformity of federal actions to State (Clean Air) Implementation Plans under Section 176(c) of the Clean Air Act of 1955, as amended (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.); (g) protection of underground sources of drinking water under the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974, as amended (P.L. 93-523); and (h) protection of endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (P.L. 93-205). Will comply with the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 (16 U.S.0 1271 et seq.) related to protecting components or potential components of the national wild and scenic rivers system. Will assist the awarding agency in assuring compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 470), EO 11593 (identification and protection of historic properties), and the Archaeological and Historic Preservation Act of 1974 (16U.S.C. 469a -I et seq.). Will comply with P.L. 93-348 regarding the protection of human subjects involved in research, development, and related activities supported by this award of assistance. https://egrants.cns.gov/cnsmisc/eAssur.htm 2/23/2014 ASSURANCES Page 2 of 4 • Will comply with the Laboratory Animal Welfare Act of 1966 (P.L. 89-544, as amended, 7 U.S.C. 2131 et seq.) pertaining to the care, handling, and treatment of warm blooded animals held for research, teaching, or other activities supported by this award of assistance. • Will comply with the Lead -Based Paint Poisoning Prevention Act (42 U.S.C. §§ 4801 et seq.) which prohibits the use of lead based paint in construction or rehabilitation of residence structures. • Will cause to be performed the required financial and compliance audits in accordance with the Single Audit Act of 1984, as amended, and OMB Circular A-133, Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non -Profit Organizations. • Will comply with all applicable requirements of all other Federal laws, executive orders, regulations, application guidelines, and policies governing this program. For AmeriCorps State and National Applicants ONLY If you are not applying for a grant through AnzeriCor ps *State and National, you may ignore this section. Will comply with all rules regarding prohibited activities, including those stated in applicable Notice, grant provisions, and program regulations, and will ensure that no assistance made available by the Corporation will be used to support any such prohibited activities. • Will comply with the nondiscrimination provisions in the national service laws, which provide that an individual with responsibility for the operation of a project or program that receives assistance under the national service laws shall not discriminate against a participant in, or member of the staff of, such project or program on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, political affiliation, disability, or on the basis of religion. (NOTE: the prohibition on religious discrimination does not apply to the employment of any staff member paid with non -Corporation funds or paid with Corporation funds but employed with the organization operating the project prior to or on the date the grant was awarded. If your organization is a faith -based organization that makes hiring decisions on the basis of religious belief, your organization may be entitled, under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, 42 U.S.C. § 2000bb, to receive federal funds and yet maintain that hiring practice, even though the national service legislation includes a restriction on religious discrimination in employment of staff hired to work on a Corporation -funded project and paid with Corporation grant funds. (42 U.S.C. §§ 5057(c) and 12635(c)). For the circumstances under which this may occur, please see the document "Effect of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act on Faith -Based Applicants for Grants" on the Corporation's website at: http://www.usdoi.gov/archive/fbci/effect-rfra.pdf. • Will comply with all other federal statutes relating to nondiscrimination, including any self-evaluation requirements. These include but are not limited to: (a)Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (P.L. 88-352) which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin; (b) Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended (20 U.S.C. 1681-1683, and 1685-1686). which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex; (c) Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 794), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of handicaps (d) The Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended (42 U.S.C. 6101-6107), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of age; (e) The Drug Abuse Office and Treatment Act of 1972 (P.L. 92-255), as amended, relating to nondiscrimination on the basis of drug abuse; (f) The Comprehensive Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation Act of 1970 (P.L. 91-616), as amended, relating to nondiscrimination on the basis of alcohol abuse or alcoholism; (g) sections 523 and 527 of the Public Health Service Act of 1912 (42 U.S.C. 290 dd-3 and 290 ee-3), as amended, relating to confidentiality of alcohol and drug abuse patient records; (h) Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3601 et seq.), as amended, relating to nondiscrimination in the sale, rental or financing of housing; and (i) the requirements of any other nondiscrimination statute(s) which may apply to the application. • Will provide, in the design, recruitment, and operation of any AmeriCorps program, for broad-based input from — (1) the community served, the municipality and government of the county (if appropriate) in which the community is located, and potential participants in the program; and (2) community-based agencies with a demonstrated record of experience in providing services and local labor organizations representing employees of service sponsors, if these entities exist in the area to be served by the program; • Will, prior to the placement of participants, consult with the appropriate local labor organization, if any, representing employees in the area who are engaged in the same or similar work as that proposed to be carried out by an AmeriCorps program, to ensure compliance with the nondisplacement requirements specified in section 177 of the NCSA; • Will, in the case of an AmeriCorps program that is not funded through a State, consult with and coordinate activities with the State Commission for the state in which the program operates. • Will ensure that any national service program carried out by the applicant using assistance provided under section 121 of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 and any national service program supported by a grant made by the applicant using such assistance will address unmet human, educational, environmental, or public safety needs through services that provide a direct benefit to the community in which the service is performed; • Will comply with the nonduplication and nondisplacement requirements set out in section 177 of the National and Community https://egrants.cns.gov/cnsrnisc/eAssur.htm 2/23/2014 ASSURANCES Page 3 of 4 Service Act of 1990, and in the Corporation's regulations at § 2540.100; • Will comply with the grievance procedure requirements as set out in section 176(0 of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 and in the Corporation's regulations at 45 CFR § 2540.230; • Will provide participants in the national service program with the training, skills, and knowledge necessary for the projects that participants are called upon to perform; • Will provide support services to participants, such as information regarding G.E.D. attainment and post -service employment, and, if appropriate, opportunities for participants to reflect on their service experiences; • Will arrange for an independent evaluation of any national service program carried out using assistance provided to the applicant under section 121 of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 or, with the approval of the Corporation, conduct an internal evaluation of the program; • Will apply measurable performance goals and evaluation methods, which are to be used as part of such evaluation to determine the program's impact on communities and persons served by the program, on participants who take part in the projects, and in other such areas as required by the Corporation; • Will ensure the provision of a living allowance and other benefits to participants as required by the Corporation; • Has not violated a Federal criminal statute; • Ha state applicant, will ensure that the State subgrants will be used to support national service programs selected by the State on a competitive basis; • If a state applicant, will seek to ensure an equitable allocation within the State of assistance and approved national service positions, taking into consideration such factors as the locations of the programs, population density, and economic distress; • If a state applicant, will ensure that not less than 60% of the assistance will be used to make grants to support national service programs other than those carried out by a State agency, unless the Corporation approves otherwise. For Learn and Serve America Applicants ONLY If you are not applying for a grant through Learn and Serve America, you may disregard this section. • Will keep such records and provide such information to the Corporation with respect to the programs as may be required for fiscal audits and program evaluation. • Will comply with the nonduplication, nondisplacement, and grievance procedure requirements of 45 CFR Part 2540. • Will, prior to the placement of a participant, consult with the appropriate local labor organization, if any, representing employees in the area who are engaged in the same or similar work as that proposed to be carried out by the program, to prevent the displacement and protect the rights of those employees. • Will comply with the 45 CFR 2540.200-207 criminal history check requirements for all individuals receiving a living allowance, stipend, national service educational award, or salary through a program receiving assistance under the national service laws— regardless of the type of service the individual is performing or the individual's access to vulnerable populations. • Will comply with the parental involvement requirements 45 CFR 2540.330. • Will, for school-based grants, make efforts to: 1. ensure that students of different ages, races, sexes, ethnic groups, disabilities, and economic backgrounds have opportunities to serve together; 2. include any opportunities for students, enrolled in schools or programs of education providing elementary or secondary education, to participate in service -learning programs and ensure that such service -learning programs include opportunities for such students to serve together; 3. involve participants in the design and operation of the programs; 4. promote service -learning in areas of greatest need, including low-income or rural areas; and 5. otherwise integrate service opportunities into the academic program of the participants. For Social Innovation Fund Applicants ONLY If you are not applying for a Social Innovation Fund grant, you may disregard this section. https://egrants.cns.gov/cnsmisc/eAssur.htm 2/23/2014 ASSURANCES Page 4 of 4 • Will use the funds received through the award in order to make subgrants to community organizations that will use the funds to replicate or expand proven initiatives, or support new initiatives, in low-income communities. • Will consult with a diverse cross section of community representatives in making decisions about subgrants for communities (including individuals from the public, nonprofit private, and for-profit private sectors). • Will make subgrants of a sufficient size and scope to enable the community organizations to build their capacity to manage initiatives, and sustain replication or expansion of the initiatives; • Will not make any subgrants to-- • the parent organizations of the applicant, • a subsidiary organization of the parent organization of the applicant, or, • if the applicant applied for a SIF award as a partnership, any member of the partnership. • Commits to meeting the matching fund requirements of section 198k(i) of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. §12653k(i)). • Commits to use data and evaluations to improve the applicant's own model and to improve the initiatives funded by the applicant. • Commits cooperate with any evaluation activities undertaken by the Corporation. • Has adopted and implemented standard of conduct policies and procedures in regard to procurements which meet the requirements of either 45 C.F.R. §2541.360(b)(3), or 2 C.F.R. §215.42 and 45 C.F.R. §2543.42. • Has adopted and implemented policies and procedures in regard to the applicant's subgrant competitions which will provide reasonable assurance that conflicts of interest (or appearances of conflicts of interest) on the part of reviewers or decision -makers are identified and appropriately mitigated. https://egrants.cns.gov/cnsmisc/eAssur.htm 2/23/2014 CERTIFICATIONS Page 1 of 2 CERTIFICATIONS Certification — Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters This certification is required by the government -wide regulations implementing Executive Order 12549, Debarment and Suspension, 2 CFR Part 180, Section 180.335, What information must I provide before entering into a covered transaction with a Federal agency? As the duly authorized representative of the applicant, I certify, to the best of my knowledge and belief, that neither the applicant nor its principals: Is presently excluded or disqualified; • Has been convicted within the preceding three years of any of the offenses listed in § 180.800(a) or had a civil judgment rendered against it for one of those offenses within that time period; • Is presently indicted for or otherwise criminally or civilly charged by a governmental entity (Federal, State, or local) with commission or any of the offenses listed in § 180.800(a); or Has had one or more public transactions (Federal, State, or local) terminated within the preceding three years for cause or default. Certification — Drug Free Workplace This certification is required by the Corporation's regulations implementing sections 5150-5160 of the Drug -Free Workplace Act of 1988 (P.L. 100-690), 45 CFR Part 2545, Subpart B. The regulations require certification by grantees, prior to award, that they will make a good faith effort, on a continuing basis, to maintain a drug-free workplace. The certification set out below is a material representation of fact upon which reliance will be placed when the agency determines to award the grant. False certification or violation of the certification may be grounds for suspension of payments, suspension or termination of grants, or government -wide suspension or debarment (see 2 CFR Part 180, Subparts G and H). As the duly authorized representative of the grantee, I certify, to the best of my knowledge and belief, that the grantee will provide a drug-free workplace by: A. Publishing a drug-free workplace statement that: a. Notifies employees that the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession, or use of a controlled substance is prohibited in the grantee's workplace; b. Specifies the actions that the grantee will take against employees for violating that prohibition; and c. Informs employees that, as a condition of employment under any award, each employee will abide by the terms of the statement and notify the grantee in writing if the employee is convicted for a violation of a criminal drug statute occurring in the workplace within five days of the conviction; B. Requiring that a copy of the statement described in paragraph (A) be given to each employee who will be engaged in the performance of any Federal award; C. Establishing a drug-free awareness program to inform employees about: a. The dangers of drug abuse in the workplace; b. The grantee's policy of maintaining a drug-free workplace; c. Any available drug counseling, rehabilitation, and employee assistance programs; and d. The penalties that the grantee may impose upon them for drug abuse violations occurring in the workplace; D. Providing us, as well as any other Federal agency on whose award the convicted employee was working, with written notification within 10 calendar days of learning that an employee has been convicted of a drug violation in the workplace; E. Taking one of the following actions within 30 calendar days of learning that an employee has been convicted of a drug violation in the workplace: a. Taking appropriate personnel action against the employee, up to and including termination; or b. Requiring that the employee participate satisfactorily in a drug abuse assistance or rehabilitation program approved for these purposes by a Federal, State, or local health, law enforcement, or other appropriate agency; F. Making a good faith effort to continue to maintain a drug-free workplace through implementation of paragraphs (A) through (E). Certification - Lobbying Activities As required by Section 1352, Title 31 of the U.S. Code, as the duly authorized representative of the applicant, I certify, to the best of my knowledge and belief, that: https://egrants.cns.gov/cnsmisc/eCerts.htm 2/23/2014 CERTIFICATIONS Page 2 of 2 • No federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid, by or on behalf of the applicant, to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a member of Congress, an officer of Congress in connection with the awarding of any federal contract, the making of any federal loan, the entering into of any cooperative agreement, or modification of any federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement; • If any funds other than federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a member of Congress in connection with this federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement, the applicant will submit Standard Form -LLL, "Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying," in accordance with its instructions; • The applicant will require that the language of this certification be included in the award documents for all subcontracts at all tiers (including subcontracts, subgrants, and contracts under grants, loans and cooperative agreements) and that all subrecipients will certify and disclose accordingly. Certification - Grant Review Process (State Commissions Only) I certify that in conducting our review process, we have ensured compliance with the National and Community Service Act of 1990, the Corporation's peer review requirements, and all state laws and conflict of interest rules. For AmeriCorps State and National Applicants ONLY If you are not applying for a grant through AmeriCorps*State and National, you may ignore this section. Erroneous certification or assurance The assurances and certifications are material representations of fact upon which we rely in determining whether to enter into this transaction. If we later determine that you knowingly submitted an erroneous certification or assurance, in addition to other remedies available to the federal government, we may terminate this transaction for cause or default. Notice of error in certification or assurance You must provide immediate written notice to us if at any time you learn that a certification or assurance was erroneous when submitted or has become erroneous because of changed circumstances. Definitions The terms "debarment", "suspension", "excluded", "disqualified", "ineligible", "participant", "person", "principal", "proposal", and "voluntarily excluded" as used in this document have the meanings set out in 2 CFR Part 180, subpart I, "Definitions." A transaction shall be considered a "covered transaction" if it meets the definition in 2 CFR part 180 subpart B, "Covered Transactions." Assurance requirement for subgrant agreements You agree by submitting this proposal that if we approve your application you shall not knowingly enter into any lower tier covered transaction with a person who is debarred, suspended, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this covered transaction, unless authorized by us. Assurance inclusion in subgrant agreements You agree by submitting this proposal that you will obtain an assurance from prospective participants in all lower tier covered transactions and in all solicitations for lower tier covered transactions that the participants are not debarred, suspended, ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from the covered transaction. Assurance of subgrant principals You may rely upon an assurance of a prospective participant in a lower -tier covered transaction that is not debarred, suspended, ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from the covered transaction, unless you know that the assurance is erroneous. You may decide the method and frequency by which you determine the eligibility of your principals. You may, but are not required to, check the List of Parties Excluded from Federal Procurement and Nonprocurement Programs. Non -assurance in subgrant agreements If you knowingly enter into a lower tier covered transaction with a person who is suspended, debarred, ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction, in addition to other remedies available to the federal government, we may terminate this transaction for cause or default. Prudent person standard Nothing contained in the aforementioned may be construed to require establishment of a system of records in order to render in good faith the assurances and certifications required. Your knowledge and information is not required to exceed that which is normally possessed by a prudent person in the ordinary course of business dealings. https://egrants.cns.gov/cnsmisc/eCerts.htm 2/23/2014 February 20, 2014 Marie Ware Leisure Services Manager City of Dubuque 2200 Bunker Hill Rd Dubuque, IA 52001 Dear Marie, Please share our enthusiasm and support for your application for a VISTA program to support the Dubuque Campaign for Grade -Level Reading. The Community Foundation is proud to facilitate the Campaign in strategic alliance with Every Child / Every Promise. Together with the support of the City of Dubuque and other partners we are committed to supporting the activities, training and development of VISTAS in the year ahead. If the past years efforts are any indication, continuing to have VISTA support of the Campaign will build our community's capacity to ensure young people are ready for school, have strong attendance and thrive in the summer months. I look forward to working with you and the Dubuque Community Schools to support VISTAs who will impact our School Readiness, School Attendance, Summer Learning and Data strategies that will ensure all of Dubuque's children read proficiently by the end of 3rd Grade. Thank you for making the application and for your support. Eric Dregne Vice President of Strategic Initiatives Dubuque COMMUNITY SCHOOLS February 20, 2014 To Whom it May Concern: Shirley Horstman Director of Student Services Dubuque Community School District 2300 Chaney Road Dubuque, IA 52001 Phone: (563) 552-3083 Fax: (563) 552-3102 shorstman@dbqschools.org On behalf of the Dubuque Community Schools, I write in support of the continuation of the AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers for the community -wide Third Grade Reading Campaign. These VISTA volunteers are critical for building capacity that is needed to continue moving this initiative forward in Dubuque. The Dubuque Schools will continue to provide supervision for the school readiness, attendance, and data VISTA. In addition, the schools will provide space within our buildings, a computer, phone and other necessary supplies that these folks will need for their day to day work. During the initial year of VISTA volunteers, many great processes were started such as a database for tracking students who are chronically absence and a community -wide educational campaign for school attendance. We look to build upon processes such as these and to further expand the collection of data across all areas of the Third Grade Reading Campaign. In addition, we look to build additional capacity with our community and district pre-schools around the area of school readiness. The Dubuque Schools urge you to support this application for the continuation of VISTA volunteers in Dubuque. It will allow for ongoing support and capacity building of the Third Grade Reading Campaign within our community. Sincerely, /Oa //0 Shirley Horstman