Focused Impact Award
Beginning in 1997, the Houston A+ Challenge funded 74 Beacon and Lamplighter campuses encompassing six school districts throughout the Greater Houston area in support of school wide reform. As part of the Houston A+ Challenge's continued commitment to effect positive change in the Houston area public schools through the implementation of whole reform practices, we are pleased to offer the Focused Impact Award. All original Lamplighter and Beacon schools that are not currently receiving funding from the Houston A+ Challenge are eligible to apply for funding. Grant recipients will be able to renew their funding annually, for up to five years, pending the successful annual completion of requirements and measurable progress toward stated goals and objectives. Elementary schools are eligible to receive funding up to $40, 000; middle schools up to $50,000; and high schools up to $60,000.
The Focused Impact Award supports whole school reform endeavors in the areas of math, literacy, and fine arts. In addition to addressing at least one of those three areas, the applicant's reform approach must address at least one of the three Annenberg imperatives of personalization (size), community involvement (isolation and/or engagement) and professional development (quality teacher learning).
The primary goal of the Focused Impact Award is to increase student achievement. Our purpose is to support the original Challenge network schools in the ongoing reform process by developing or refining the structures, methods, procedures, or processes in the areas of math, literacy, and fine arts in order to:
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Encourage the establishment or expansion of initiatives, including initiatives involving partnerships;
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Promote initiatives that provide school teachers, principals, and administrators with the capacity to improve classroom instruction through high quality professional development programs including reflective practice, Critical Friends Groups, the New Visions in Leadership Academy, and Speakers Series;
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Support the development and utilization of innovative methods in the school and in the classroom;
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Support the rigorous evaluation of programs;
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To promote and establish the use of fine arts strategies (art, music, dance and drama) in the classroom and throughout the school to bring about systemic change and increased student achievement.
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To utilize the imperatives of personalization, community involvement and professional development in all aspects of the initiative.
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