TECH PREP OF THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY, INC.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MINIGRANT APPLICATION

 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR APPLICANTS:

1.             Read the information below.                                                   

2.             Complete the Application.

3.             Submit the completed application to either of Tech Prep RGV’s offices by the deadline: 4 p.m. January 22, 2004.  IMPORTANT: Applications must be received by the deadline! See complete instructions below.

 

Amount Available:  A total of $2,000 is available for Tech Prep Professional Development Minigrants for Spring 2004.  The maximum amount of one minigrant is $2,000 for a two-member team. Team members will have to pay their own expenses initially and then be reimbursed.  

 

Eligible Applicants.   Minigrants will be awarded to two-member teams of secondary and postsecondary faculty who teach in articulated Tech Prep programs.  Tech Prep programs include college-level Tech-Prep courses that students take in high school as part of their high school graduation plans.  “College-level Tech Prep courses” are articulated and/or concurrent enrollment career and technology courses taken in high school for which the school district and the college have agreed that you students may receive college credit as part of a Tech Prep graduation plan.  For a listing of approved Tech Prep programs, go to this website address:  http://www.techpreprgv.com/students/scholarships.html, and click on “Download Articulation (Excel format).  For information about articulated courses, review the course crosswalks at this address:  http://www.techpreprgv.com/educators/articulation.html.   

 

Additional information may also be obtained from one of the following college contacts:

 

            STCC:                          Laura Talbot

            TSTC:                          Angel Mendez or David Basler

            UTB/TSC:                        Prisci Roca Tipton

 

Timelines: The timelines applicable to the Tech Prep Professional Development Minigrants are as follows: 

 

            January 22, 2004            Applications must be received by 4 p.m. on this date. 

            February 19, 2004            Committee meets to review applications and select recipients.

            February 25, 2004            Recipients announced.

            August 15, 2004            Last day for travel to be completed.

            August 20, 2004            Last day for reports and reimbursement requests to be submitted.

                     

Requirements.  Minigrant recipients will be required to make a presentation at Tech Prep RGV’s Regional Conference in the fall.  The tentative date for the conference presentation is September 29, 2004.  A final date will be provided to recipients upon announcement of awards.  The conference  presentation must cover that which was learned in the professional development activity and the manner in which this information is being used in 2004-2005 to enhance and improve Tech Prep programs in which the grant recipients teach.

 

Applicable Rules and Funding Source. 

1.            Funding Source:  Professional Development Minigrants are being funded from Carl D. Perkins Tech Prep funds provided to Tech Prep RGV by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board through Tech Prep RGV’s fiscal agent, Texas State Technical College Harlingen.       

2.            Activities and Use of Funds: Funds may be used to pay for travel costs and registration fees for conferences or to pay for travel costs for industry site visits.  Allowable costs will be governed by TSTC’s travel guidelines, which are, generally, as follows: 

            a.            Travel must be made in the most cost-effective manner that is practical.  Mileage log is required for mileage; receipts are required for air fare, taxis, and rent cars.  (Mileage is payable at 35 cents per mile.)

            b.            Maximum allowable for hotel room in Texas is $80 per night plus tax.  Receipts are required.

            c.            Receipts are not required for meals.  Per diem is payable at the rate of $30 per day, based on time of departure and return. 

            d.            Conference registration fees are reimbursable.  Receipts are required.

            e.            Site purchase of items such as textbooks, CDs, software, etc., is reimbursable.  Receipts are required.

            f.            Tips and entertainment costs are not reimbursable.

 

3.         Costs Reimbursement:  Applicants will be required to pay their own staff development costs and then to file an application, supported by appropriate receipts, for reimbursement.  Reimbursement will be made approximately two weeks after a Report and Reimbursement Request has been submitted to Tech Prep RGV on forms provided by Tech Prep RGV.   Travel reimbursement will be at rates allowable under the policies of TSTC Harlingen.  Tech Prep RGV staff will request Social Security numbers for contracts and explain travel guidelines to grant recipients when entering into minigrant contracts.         

 

4.            Submitting an Application: Applications must be RECEIVED by Tech Prep RGV no later than 4 p.m. on Thursday, January 22, 2004.  Applications may be delivered to either of Tech Prep RGV’s offices, as follows:

 

            Main Office:                                      Satellite Office:

            TSTC Tech Prep Building                        STCC

            1902 North Loop 499                         2623 Pecan Plaza

            Harlingen, Texas 78550-3697                   McAllen, Texas  78501

 

Applications must be complete to be considered.  It is the applicants’ responsibility to ensure that Tech Prep RGV receives applications by the date and time specified.  Tech Prep RGV is not responsible for lost or incomplete applications. 

 

The team must be complete, and partners in the team must be teaching at secondary and postsecondary levels of articulated Tech Prep programs.  Applications not consisting of teams as outlined above will be deemed nonresponsive and not considered for funding.

 

5.            Evaluation Criteria:  Responsive applications will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

 

            a.            Quality of Proposed Activity:                                    25 points

            b.            Manner in Which Activity Will Benefit

                        Secondary/Postsecondary Implementation            25 points

            c.            Manner in Which Activity Will Increase

                        Rigor of Tech Prep Program                                    25 points

d.                  Preliminary Plan for Conference

Presentation                                                            25 points

 

6.         General Provisions: Tech Prep RGV reserves the right to make the awards that are most advantageous to promote Tech Prep implementation in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, or to make no awards if no responsive applications are received.


          APPLICATION FOR TECH PREP

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MINIGRANT

 

  PART ONE:

            TEAM MEMBER INFORMATION

                     

Postsecondary Team Member

 

NAME:                                                                                                                                                           .

COLLEGE:                                                                                                                                         .

TEACHING ASSIGNMENT:                                                                                                                     .

WORK ADDRESS/PHONE:                                                                                                                      .

WORK FAX:                                                                                                                                      .

WORK EMAIL:                                                                                                                                   .

HOME PHONE:                                                                                                                                  .

HOME FAX:                                                                                                                                      .

HOME EMAIL:                                                                                                                                   .

HOME  ADDRESS:                                                                                                                                   .

                                                                       

SIGNATURE:                                                                                                                                     .

 

      Secondary Team Member

 

NAME:                                                                                                                                                           .

SCHOOL DISTRICT AND CAMPUS:                                                                                                          .

TEACHING ASSIGNMENT                        _______________________________________________

GRADE LEVEL(S):                                                                                                                             .

WORK ADDRESS/PHONE:                                                                                                                      .

WORK FAX:                                                                                                                                      .

WORK EMAIL:                                                                                                                                   .

HOME PHONE:                                                                                                                                  .

HOME FAX:                                                                                                                                      .

HOME EMAIL:                                                                                                                                   .

HOME  ADDRESS:                                                                                                                                   .

                                                                       

SIGNATURE:                                                                                                                                     .

 

      Note: Attach resumes or vitae for both team members to the application.


  PART TWO

   PROGRAM INFORMATION

 

The Tech Prep program in which the team members teach is as follows:

 

            College:___________________________________________________________

 

            Program Name:_____________________________________________________

 

            Course(s) Taught by Secondary Team Member:___________________________

 

            _________________________________________________________________

 

            Course(s) Taught by Postsecondary Team Member:________________________

 

            _________________________________________________________________

 

             PART THREE

PROPOSED STAFF DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY

 

Description of proposed activity:

                                                                                                                                               

 

Description of manner in which proposed activity will benefit secondary/postsecondary Tech Prep implementation (may be an activity to be conducted jointly):

 

Explanation of the way this opportunity will allow participating faculty to provide more rigor in instructional materials/lesson plans and applications:

 

 

 

 

 

Preliminary idea for conference presentation to be made based on participation in proposed professional development activity:

 

 


 

Proposed Budget (maximum of $2,000):

Description of Item

Funding Requested

                                                           

 

 

 

 

 

                       

 

                           TOTAL FUNDING REQUESTED

 

 

(Please duplicate sheet--or attach information--if additional space is required.)

 

PART FOUR

CERTIFICATION

 

We hereby certify that if this application is approved, we will submit the necessary documentation and will also make a presentation for the Tech Prep Regional Conference in fall 2004.  We commit secure any administrative support necessary to allow our participation in the regional conference.

 

                                                                        TEAM MEMBERS’ SIGNATURES:

 

 

                                                                        _______________________________________

                                                                        Postsecondary Faculty

 

 

                                                                        _______________________________________

                                                                        Secondary Faculty