Karen Cameron

Final Grant Proposal

Executive Summary
The Caldwell Freshman Academy is seeking a grant to implement the use of laptops to
provide for differentiated education in math with the objective to increase the mathematical skills
of our most at-risk students. All students attending the Caldwell Freshman Academy (CFA) are
at risk. CFA is a tier-three-intervention program for students who struggle to succeed in the
mainstream classroom. These students are behind their mainstream peers in basic math skills
and problem solving skills. One of the main components students will have access through the
use of computers is Khan Academy. Khan Academy is a non-profit organization created by Sal
Khan in 2006. The website includes over 3000 math videos to help students build the skills from
the foundations of math through calculus. Khan Academy uses short videos, most less than ten
minutes, to explain mathematical concepts. After each video is the opportunity for the student to
complete a set of eight questions related to the topic. Their scores are stored on their profile
page and made available to the teacher. The scores are ranked as just beginning, proficient, and
needs review. Each ranking is color coded to make it easy for a teacher to see exactly where the
student is making progress and which topics the student is struggling to understand. This allows
the teacher to help a student on an individual basis in an area specific to meet their needs. This
resource will bring increased gains to the skills of at-risk students. Funding to purchase sixteen
student laptops, one teacher laptop, eight computer desks, sixteen student chairs and provide gift
cards for student incentives eight times throughout the year totals $25,107.

Needs Assessment
The Caldwell Freshman Academy has ninety students, forty-five are considered far below
grade level in math. Seventy percent of these students are Hispanic and of those, forty percent
are English Language Learners. These combinations make learning math, especially Algebra,
difficult. Increasing the use of technology in the classroom will target three major needs: the
learning gap, technology gap and the basic need for more technology.
The learning gap between students at CFA and others in mainstream schools exists
because CFA students require differentiated, personalized instruction. A learning gap exists
when a student does not have the necessary skills to continue without remedial assistance. The
traditional learning environment does not work for these students. Report card grades and state
standardized test scores prove that students have not learned the required state and national
standards presented at each grade level. This data shows that a traditional classroom with a
teacher lecturing and then distributing homework is not the best way for these students to learn.
A classroom with daily technology use and access to Khan Academy will increase student math
skills. Khan Academy provides the student with instant feedback on assignments because the
student enters their answers into the computer and the program corrects them. Khan Academy
allows the student to practice new concepts correctly because of instant feedback; this diminishes
the possibility of a student practicing incorrectly and establishing bad habits.
Providing daily use of technology in the classroom will help relieve the digital divide
established between CFA students and students from an affluent family. Overcoming the digital
divide requires four components: knowing that the information or information service is
available, owning or having access to the equipment necessary to access the information, the
ability to connect to the information source, the ability to gain access to the information service

and knowing how to operate the necessary hardware being computer literate. A deficiency in
any one of these areas causes access issues. If a student cannot afford the technology or has
never learned how to operate a computer correctly, even though they may want to access the
information, they cannot because they do not have the necessary skills. This creates a gap
between the information poor and the information rich. Often times it is hard to recognize a
digital divide because it seems everyone has a cell phone and most have a smart phone. The
digital divide does not just address inadequate access to technology, but also the lack of training
to properly access technology. Providing students with daily access to laptops and the internet
will increase their ability to access information and use it properly.
Finally, students at CFA will have access to top of the line technology on a daily basis.
Students can access the internet, practice math skills and develop their abilities to be successful
in online learning. The state of Idaho is establishing new initiatives and standards for all high
school students to meet. There may in the years to come, be a requirement to take an online
class. Students who have prior experience with online learning will be more successful than
those that do not. Idaho set a goal for all high school students to GO ON to something more.
This includes attending a college or university to receive a four-year degree, a community
college to receive a two-year degree or a technical school to receive some form of certification.
Providing students with daily access to laptops and the internet will increase the opportunity for
students to GO ON after high school.

Goals and Objectives

Goal: All students at the Caldwell Freshman Academy will have the math skills
necessary to be successful in high school and beyond.

Objective 1: Students will use laptops daily to access Khan Academy.

Currently students at the Caldwell Freshman Academy do not use technology in the
mathematics classroom aside from a calculator. This grant will provide each student enrolled in
Algebra I access to high performing computers. Each computer will be equipped with
appropriate programs to assist in mathematical understanding. Each computer will be internet
ready; this will allow students to access Khan Academy on a daily basis. Khan Academy is an
online learning tool for teachers and students. Khan Academy has over 3000 math videos,
ranging from topics of basic addition to complex calculus. Khan Academy provides students
with practice problems after each video and gives instant feedback to the student assessing their
understanding.
Objective 2: Students will score proficient on the Idaho Standards Achievement Test.
The Idaho Standard Achievement Test (ISAT) requires assessment of all students in
Idaho between third and tenth grade. A student must score in the proficient category in order to
graduate high school. There are four categories possible: advanced, proficient, basic and below
basic. Advanced scores are reached by students performing above grade level, proficient scores
indicate a student is performing at grade level, basic scores indicate a student is performing at
least one grade level below and below basic means a student is performing more than two grade
levels below their current grade. The students enrolled in this math class received scores on the
previous years ISAT in the basic category or below. This is unacceptable. These students
deserve to score proficient on the ISAT, in order to do that, they require differentiated instruction
and a different approach. Daily use of laptops and the internet and using Khan Academy will
provide students with a different way of learning mathematical concepts. The progress shown on

student profiles allows the teacher to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of all students.
Students will no longer spend extra time on mastered concepts.
Narrative
The Caldwell Freshman Academy limits class sizes to no more than sixteen students.
Reduced class sizes at CFA allow teachers to meet the needs of all students. Providing a laptop
for each student permits the student to work and excel at his or her own pace. The Khan
Academy design individualizes education. Khan Academy provides goals for the student to meet
and, when they do, provides them with a badge or an award for their profile. These awards
provide the student gratification for their effort. Khan Academy enables the teacher to set goals
for students as well. These goals will include mastery of state required standards. Teachers refer
to data on each individual student to review goal mastery and determine the direction their
learning needs to take. Reviewing student data permits the teacher to locate mathematical
deficiencies promptly and provide intervention immediately.
Students at CFA are familiar with Khan Academy. From my experience, Khan Academy
encourages students to push forward and master their skills to earn badges. Khan Academy
creates a friendly competition among students, classes and gender. In my experience, boys are
excited and driven to be successful using Khan Academy, they find satisfaction achieving the
highest score. Friendly competition entices a student to gain more knowledge and success. Gift
card incentives for reaching goals and earning the most points will encourage students in a
positive manner.

$225

$10

Gift Cards

ChiFlipper Table 72x24

Virco 900 Series

Supplies/materials
Planning Meetings
IT Support for new
devices
Student Incentives

Computer Desks
Computer Chairs

$224.95
$27.95

$918
$15
$40
$411

HP ProBook - Teacher
Student Headphones
6 sided color coded
Access Point
computer tables and
chairs

Technology Unit Price* Number of Units

$830

Description

HP EliteBook

Equipment
Hardware (iPad,
laptop, netbook, etc)
Hardware (iPad,
laptop, netbook, etc)
Headphones
Surge Protector
Wifi

Budget Categories

8
16

384

16

1
16
4
2

16

Total

Name of Organization: Caldwell Freshman Academy, Karen Cameron, 9th grade math
Name of Fiscal Agent:
Fiscal Agent Contact Information

1799.6
447.2

0
3840 to give each student incentive to exceed goals set, eight times per year

3600 to give each student adequate working space

0

918.22 to provide the teacher with necessary hardware to maintain proper daily use of technology in the classroom
$240
$160
822 to provide enough access points for students to access the internet daily with interruption or delay

13279.84 to provide daily access to technology and online learning opportunities

0
0

Rationale

Budget

Evaluation
Evaluation results will include reports that compare mathematic benchmark assessments
given to students throughout the year. Khan Academy does not provide a benchmark
assessment; therefore, to assess students four times per year, CFA will use Ames-Webb, a
nationally recognized program. Ames-Webb is a timed test and scores a student based on right
or wrong answers. These reports will include the number of students participating in the course
and detailed levels of mathematic improvement.
Khan Academy records the time a student spends on a specific topic and the proficiency
level attained regarding each topic. This information will demonstrate increased usage of
technology in the classroom on a daily basis. Khan Academy provides instant feedback to a
teacher on performance levels of students, accurate answers to questions, how long a student
spends answering a particular question and the amount of time a student spends watching videos,
including which videos the student watches repeatedly. Comparing this data with monthly
assessments will show growth in understanding and mathematical ability. Students will gain
confidence in technology and increase skills. Increasing these skills and access to technology
will improve academic achievement as measured on state and national standardized tests.
Increasing technology decreases the digital divide and provides the student with necessary skills
to Go On after high school. Khan Academy provides the students skills needed to succeed in
an online learning program.