How to Write an LSTA GrantHow to Write an LSTA GrantApplications for 2011Applications for 2011

April 15, 2010

Pennsylvania School Librarians AssociationPresented by

Debra E. Kachel, Mansfield Universityand

Nancy L. Henry, Ephrata Middle School

Workshop ObjectivesWorkshop Objectives

Eligibility Grant Requirements The Application & Criteria Collection Analysis Primer Outcomes and Evaluation Electronic submission Q & As

Library Services & Technology Act

Federal funds administered by Commonwealth Libraries

Available for all types of libraries

Competitive; one-year Specific criteria outlined

for each type of grant & library

Due Sept. 10, 2010 Awarded in Feb. 2011

Pennsylvania LSTA Funding History K-12 Grants

The LSTA Collection Development Grant for K-12

$5,000 per library for print and AV materials to support one of these areas:

Science Social studies Career educationYou can also develop special

collections for English language learners and physically disabled students, but must be in the subject areas above.

Collection Development ApplicationCollection Development Application

May apply to multiple schools in a district

Each library must submit a separate grant application

Cannot supplant budget Project supports the

achievement of the PA Academic Standards

Primarily a print grant but not for classroom sets of books or textbooks

Conditions for Special Collections

Address science, social studies or career education

May include AV, software and or equipment, but majority of funds must be for print resources ($2500+)

Equipment may not exceed $600 per item

Equipment must be needed to use the other resources purchased with grant

All resources & equipment must become part of the library & supervised by the librarian

Resources purchased for ELLs and the physically disabled:

Priorities for the CD GrantPriorities for the CD Grant

Librarian-teacher instructional collaboration (20 pts)

Collection assessment, weeding, & collection age (15 pts)

Evaluation/outcomes (10 pts) Others: public library

cooperation (5 pts) & abstract (3 pts)

53 pts total

What you can control: What you may not be able to control:

State Aid Ratio (14 pts)Staffing (14 pts)Library’s Budget (13 pts)Extended library hours (4 pts)Inclusion on school improvement team (2pts)

47 pts totalBased on 100 Based on 100 pointspoints

Required Attachment

Superintendent’s Letter

Signed by Superintendent, Principal and Librarian

School librarian must be involved in the preparation of the grant

Grant money may not supplant local funds

Agree to work with a PDE liaison prior to ordering

Will file required reports

Signed CIPA/Internet Use Policy

Any recipient of LSTA funds must comply with the CIPA/ Acceptable Internet Use PolicyThe letter and policy must be scanned as one uploaded doc’t.

Application must include:

Background infoState aid ratio, budget, books per

student, collection age, school improvement team membership

Staffing & HoursFTE at applying schoolIf 4 days out of a 6-day cycle=.67Or, total hours worked in that school in a

week divided by the hours in the workweek

Ratio of LMS: students (.5 LMS to 500 equals 1:1,000 ratio or .5:500)Go to p.12-13 of

Guidelines

Application must also include:

CollaborationACCESS PA & POWER Library usageLibrarian inclusion in curriculum workLibrarian & teacher collaboration - %Tie to info literacy & national standardsCommunication with special education

teachersPublic Library cooperation

Evaluation plan Measures effectivenessEffect on student achievementImproves collaboration

Go to p.14-15 of Guidelines

Collection Development Plan

1. Identify one of the targeted areas

2. Analyze collection fitting that subject (age, size, strengths, weaknesses)

3. Predict resources and types needed

Science

Will show a sample later

Teacher and/or student survey (shows collaboration)

For Example:

Go to p.14 of the Guidelines

Collection Development Plan

4. Involve teachers in selection

5. Plan to evaluate effectiveness of new resources

6. Weeding

Plan book review day on a staff development time

Survey & circulation data

Must show evidence that 5% of book collection was weeded in 2009-10

For Example:

Kachel’s Collection Analysis Primer

A methodology that can be used to:

Collect data about your library’s print collection

Decide which subject area to address

Include teachers in the selection process

Decide what resources will be added to improve teaching & learning within the selected subject

Evaluate the process and use of new resources

Refer to Handout

Project EvaluationProject Evaluation

Things you can evaluate in a Collection Development grant:

1. Increased # of collaborative units taught2. Increased class use3. Increase in use/circ of X00s compared to previous year 4. Use/circ of new materials5. Improved average collection age of the section targeted

in the grant6. Grades of student projects involving the purchased

resources7. Teacher survey of how new resources impact their

teaching

Outcomes Based EvaluationOutcomes Based Evaluation

Goal(must be measurable)

Data Source

Applied to?

Who does it?

When?

90% of the students will earn a B or better on the science project designed by the science teacher and librarian

Completed science projects

7th & 8th grade students

Science teacher collaborating with the librarian

End of the unit for each class

SMARTSMART – SSpecific MMeasurable AAcceptable RRealistic TTime-based

Commitments if AwardedCommitments if Awarded

1. Must supply a collection development policy that: Includes a weeding policy Includes procedures for

handling a challenge Is officially approved by

the Board or other similar agent within past 10 years

2. File quarterly reports- one narrative, one financial

Additional Requirement for the Additional Requirement for the Collection Development GrantCollection Development Grant

3. Submit a collaboratively developed Resource Guide

that relates to subject or resources purchased

Identifies both print and electronic sources

Aligns to the PA Academic Standards

Go to http://www.pdesas.org/ & click on “Materials & Resources”

Submitting the GrantSubmitting the Grant PDE Website http://www.education.state.pa.us

To get into eGrants:

1.PDE website2.Access Services3.eGrants4.Library Development (LSTA)

Electronic Filing of Grant Electronic Filing of Grant ApplicationsApplications

Create a login and passwordRefer to “How to Apply” section of

each grant application packet. Save frequently as there is a time-out periodHelp at 717-783-6686 or raegrantshelp@state.pa.us

Issues with Electronic Filing Issues with Electronic Filing

No spell check No special formatting Fill-in blocks or limited text

(no. of characters stated) No multiple copies needed 2 attachments total allowed Letter must be scanned and

also sent US Mail Save-Save-Save while workingRefer to

e_Grants Handout

Practical Advice on Practical Advice on GrantwritingGrantwriting

Begin with concise description (abstract) Explain needs, use third person Show documentation of collaboration/

integration Discuss Info Literacy curriculum Document use & instruction of ACCESS PA &

POWER Library databases Evaluation must be student-

centered; project must show student benefit

QuestionsQuestions

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AnswersAnswers