Teacher Practice
Networks:
The Key to Scaling the
Common Core
Request for Proposal Guidelines
Applications due:
Monday, April 14, 2014
5:00 pm PT
1
Background
While nearly every state in the country has adopted the Common Core Standards in mathematics and literacy,
many teachers are still uncertain about how to put them into practice. At the same time, we know that informal and
formal teacher networks are perhaps the most trusted and often-cited source of information for teachers in
accessing instructional resources. The Common Core calls for teachers and local administrators to make a set of
fundamental instructional shifts in both literacy and mathematics to enable students to meet the new standards.
While there have been some good models of implementation of the Common Core in discrete areas, there is still a
large need to provide widespread access to good tools to teachers across the country.
This RFP is designed to dramatically increase the reach and impact of teacher practice networks focused on
supporting teachers to implement the Common Core. This is the second RFP issued by the College Ready Work
team in two years focused on increasing the capacity of teacher practice networks. We have a network of over 20
teacher practice networks based on an RFP last year with a similar focus and new grantees would join this robust
community of practice.
About the College Ready Work Team
The College Ready Work team focuses on creating systems that support good teachers, that help average teachers
get better, and new teachers learn the profession so they can be good. We make investments in tools to improve
teacher practice and collaboration, as well as invest in districts/networks interested in redesigning their
professional development systems. We are trying to improve both the supply and demand for high quality
professional development and teacher facing tools in the marketplace. We constantly seek partners who treat
teachers as professionals and in particular, use teachers as designers in an effort to increase their individual and
collective capacity to accelerate student success.
What is a Teacher Practice Network?
The definition of a teacher practice network for the purpose of this grant is any organization that works directly
with teachers having a focus on improving teacher instructional practice. This grant focuses on networks that
reach large numbers of teachers and the teacher practice is focused on improving work around the instructional
shifts identified in the Common Core State Standards.
Goals for this RFP
The Foundation seeks to:
 Build on early Common Core math and literacy direct implementation strategies developed by the
Literacy and Math Design Collaboratives (LDC/MDC) by sponsoring new partners to increase the
reach and impact of the LDC/MDC practices and tools Support other innovative approaches to
implementing the Common Core that could be implemented across an organization’s network (e.g.
through participation and use of materials that are part of the Basal Alignment Project).
 Identify scalable solutions to supporting large numbers of teachers that travel across networks
quickly and broadly. While face-to-face training is important, we seek organizations that which to
experiment with and/or broaden their reach by using different forms of digital technologies such as remote
coaching, collaborative platforms or online courses, etc.
 Measure the impact that active/effective teacher practice networks play in improving teacher
effectiveness and student success in specific locations . We seek to expand the impact of teacher
practice networks in districts and states where we may make additional grants to SEAs, LEAs and CMOs to
deepen implement Common Core and/or teacher feedback, development and evaluation systems.
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Applicant Eligibility
We are accepting applications from organizations that have as part of their core mission and activity to engage
large numbers of teachers to share promising instructional practices, research and knowledge. Organizations that
received funding from the Foundation under the “Accelerating the Common Core RFP” that was released in 2013
are not eligible for funding under this RFP. Applicants must provide evidence that the tools and resources they are
promoting within their network are strongly aligned to the Common Core based on research, data or teacher
performance measures. Applicants must also demonstrate that they are able to meet the data collection
requirements outlined in the Results Tracker & Framework outcomes. Successful applicants must support middle
and high school teachers as part of their overall network. Applications from single member LLCs and individuals
will not accepted.
Requirements
Applicants must commit to the following:
 Robust Implementation of the Common Core by 2015 in their network: Have a rigorous plan and
evidence that the majority of teachers in your network have access to supports to drive the instructional
shifts required by the Common Core by the end of this grant. Your proposal should clearly describe the
theory of reach and impact that adds credibility to this goal.
 Use a set of common evaluation measures for tracking and improving implementation/impact on
teacher practice and student achievement as described in the Outcomes in the Results Tracker &
Framework, and which will be standard across all selected applicants. These measures are designed to
help you and us learn about changes in teacher practice due to the Common Core and to capture teacher
voice around their experience in making these changes. We will require winning applicants to cooperate in
the research/measurement of their work
 Scalable Solutions: Your proposed approach must demonstrate high potential to reach 1000+ of teachers
and tens of thousands of students at a reasonable cost.
 Participation in knowledge-sharing activities with other RFP grant recipients; possibly including a
commitment to a summer 2015 convening that will include both network staff and participating teachers.
 Definition of a financial sustainability plan that describes how systems will/can continue post BMGF
funding (to be explicitly addressed in Section VI: Budget Narrative)
 Formally document and share learnings with your peers (e.g., via existing collaboration networks,
presentations at professional conferences)
 Secure additional funding to support this work during and beyond the grant period from other sources as
needed
To learn from this work we will use common metrics identified in Results Tracker & Framework. As part of this
project, we will be measuring:
 The number of teachers reached through your project. (Outcome 1 in Results Tracker & Framework)
 The degree to which your teachers understand and are implementing the shifts required by the Common
Core State Standards based on your support tools/strategies. We will measure success of this goal using a
survey administered to teachers in each participating network to understand their awareness of the shifts
and the extent to which they are implementing those shifts in the classroom (Outcome 2 in Results Tracker
& Framework)
 Depth of the changes in instructional practices that can be documented through evidence of student
learning. We will ask participants to identify measures of a change in teacher practice across their
networks for all participating teachers. (Please specify in Outcome 3 in Results Tracker & Framework).
 Teacher voice and engagement. We ask that you capture teacher 2-3 testimonials of their experience and
examples of practice either in writing or in video. (Outcome 4 in Results Tracker & Framework)
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Award
$100,000 – $300,000 over 12-18 months to support implementation of the Common Core across a robust teacher
network. Funding will be awarded proportionately to potential reach and impact.
Selection Criteria
Only applications from eligible applicants will be reviewed. Applicants will be evaluated and awards issued based
on
 the potential reach in terms of numbers of teachers, actively engaged in dialog and activities oriented
towards improving practice,
 Demonstrated knowledge of the common core instructional shifts and the implications for teacher practice
 Familiarity or expertise in common core supports for teachers, such as MDC/LDC, or others
 Demonstrated track record of designing/delivering professional development and use of
communications/knowledge sharing methods that are multi-modal, and have the potential to scale quickly
across large numbers of teachers within and across districts and states.
 Demonstrated ability to work alongside and across LEAs
Key Dates
Activity
RFP Open
Due Date
March 17
RFP Webinar and Q/A
April 2, 10am PT
RFP Proposals Due
April 14 – 5:00 pm
PT
May
May
June
Follow up Phone interviews
Notification of Finalists and Declines
Notification to Districts about Grant
Awards
Notes
Information can be found on Gates
Foundation.org
Current Grant Opportunities
Login and submission information can be found
on Gates Foundation.org Current Grant
Opportunities
RFP Application documents need to be
submitted through the Applicant Portal
Phone interviews, as needed with applicants
By Email
Webinar
The Informational Webinar and Q&A for interested parties is currently scheduled for April 02, 10:00 -11:00 am PT. Refer
to the RFP informational page for information on how to join.
How to Apply:
Follow the detailed instructions on the RFP informational page on www.Gatesfoundation.org.
Need Assistance?
Please contact [email protected].
4
BILL AND MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION
Teacher Practice Networks:
The Key to Scaling the Common Core
Proposal Narrative
NOTE: Please provide your answers to the Sections and Appendices below in the Proposal Narrative (.doc) and
other templates found on the applicant portal. Use the pages below only for reference.
Table of Contents
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
Executive Summary
Current to Future State
a. Problem and Theory of Action
b. Target Audience
c. What You Hope to Achieve (Future State)
d. The Work Plan
Measurement, Learning, and Evaluation
Risks and Challenges
Budget Narrative
Appendices
Cover Page with Your Project Name
Please provide a name for this project that reflects the vision and energy of the project. Provide contact
information and the project coordinator. Please number all of your pages.
Section I: Executive Summary
One page
Start with the name of your organization, how much money you are requesting over how many months, and a
summary of your goals and project outcomes. Provide high level details of your vision and the primary drivers in
your thinking about the work. Highlight anything particularly innovative about your approach.
Introduce us to your network: its members, and the contexts within which they operate. Describe your teachers in
any way that you think would be helpful for us to get a complete picture of the professional, social and capacity you
have that distinguishes your network from other networks. Describe how the work you will do on this project will
change, support or enhance the work of teachers in your network.
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Section II: Current to Future State
Two pages
a. Theory of Action
In this section we’d like you to describe the current state of your Common Core implementation strategy among
your members e. What is the problem you are planning to address and your theory of action for addressing the
problem?
Your theory of action should explain the underlying assumptions. Explain how your work will advance and scale
the implementation of the instructional shifts in the Common Core. Describe the current state of your support
system for teachers. Provide evidence that the tools and resources you use to support teachers in your network
are highly aligned to the Common Core and of high quality equal to the tools found in the Literacy Design
Collaborative (LDC) and the Math Design Collaborative (MDC). Be sure to include information about the current
state of each of the core components of your implementation strategy. Include any relevant information from your
theory of action in your problem statement.
To make your theory of action specific and measurable, be certain that it is:




Is comprehensive - Clearly identifies causes and effects between inputs and outcomes
Is measurable - Articulates assumptions that can be tested and measured
Is goal-oriented - Frames initiatives as “What do we want to achieve?” rather than “What do we do?”
Is plausible and logical - Evidence suggests that the identified interventions will bring about the desired
outcomes
b. Target Audience/Partners
Describe your target audience/teachers you will engage as part of this project. Who are they, how many will
you engage, what/where /who do they teach? Be specific about the districts/geographies your target teachers
work in. Feel free to paint us a picture of the typical teacher (if there is one in your network) or describe how
you segment your teachers and how your strategies accommodate the different types of teachers you work
with.
c. Future state
Now that you have told us the problem you are trying to solve and theory of action, who you plan to serve as
part of this project, tell us what the future state looks like. If you are successful, what will be different for the
teachers in your network? Summarize your thoughts in a simple table that summarizes current state and
future state. This is an example of a summary chart with some areas that might be included and some broad
ideas on current and future states. This is only an example; you should contextualize it to your project:
Focus Areas
From
To
Teacher literacy
instruction will
change…
Loosely connected reading and writing
across the curriculum opportunities
scattered randomly across
Instruction focused on the CC shifts
with students analyzing complex
texts and writing strong arguments
supported by evidence across all
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content areas
Teacher math
instruction will
change…
Curriculum and instruction based on
learning algorithms and when to apply
them without having a real
understanding of mathematical
concepts
Instruction focused on the CC shifts
helping identify student
misconceptions and providing
support for students to deeply
understand both mathematical
practices and math content
Teacher
collaboration will
change…
Time before or after school allocated to
department meetings and PLC’s that
are designed to meet compliance
requirements for PD time
Time spent with colleagues, both in
person or virtually, deeply engaged
in looking at student and teacher
work to determine how to best meet
student learning needs
Teacher use of
technology will
change….
Technology is used in as a tool to use
only in research, word processing and
programs to provide additional time for
supporting remediation work
Technology as an enabler of learning
for students and teachers by
providing the opportunity to
personalize instruction based on
individual needs
Professional
development will
change….
Fragmented, one size fits all
professional development with no clear
performance impact
Personalized and effective
professional development accessed
directly by teachers
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d. The Work Plan
Two pages
Describe how you will get from your current state to the future state you articulate through your theory of action.
Your workplan should build on the theory of action you describe earlier in the application. For that reason, we
strongly recommend writing the Theory of Action prior to the work plan section. Your work plan should
explain to us how you will seek to bring your theory of action to life. In addition to providing us with more details
around each element of your plan, we’d also like for you to organize the work you propose by phases. Depending
on the quality of the proposals received and our resources, we may only be able to fund certain phases of the
project, for example Phase 1 and 2 but not 3, so we want to be sure we understand how you would like to sequence
your work.
Key elements you should address in your work plan:
 How long will each phase of work be? What components will you work on during each phase? What will
be the outputs of each phase of work?
 What resources will you need in each phase? These can be human, financial, and technological.
 Who will be leading the work in each phase? Who is responsible for overall coordination across phases?
 How does your work plan build in flexibility, create opportunities for adjustment, and re-focus based on
real-time learning and feedback from teachers?
 Who are your target participants at each phase and what geographic regions/districts might you be
covering?
Section III: Measurement, Learning, and Evaluation
One page
This section is meant to explicate the indicators you identify in the Results Tracker. In the previous section
you described your work plan by phases. Describe the practical and useful measures you will use to monitor your
progress overall and by phase (if there is differentiation) and the process you will use to collect the necessary data.
Be sure to include information regarding what systems you have in place or will have to create to measure your
progress and numbers reached. We will also be looking for the explicit measures that your network will use to
track teacher understanding of the shifts in the Common Core.
Section IV: Challenges and Risks
One page
What are the top three or four challenges to the success of this project, including ability to achieve the intended
results within the planned timeframe? What keeps you up at night? How will you plan to overcome or address
them? In addition to identifying the challenges, tell us what risks you are taking to do this work. What do you
consider the most innovative or most disruptive change you are making? Where possible, please describe what
you will do to mitigate the identified risks and address challenges. If there are inherent risks that you are not
mitigating, but rather just accepting, that is fine as well—but please indicate what those are and why you are
comfortable with that approach.
Section V: Budget Narrative
One page
Please describe the costs associated with implementing your plan including other resources allocated towards this
project, including any anticipated grants and philanthropic resources over the course of the two year period.
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Your budget narrative should include the following information
 Explain specifically how your outcomes and milestones are supported by the proposed budget.
 Identify any factors that could significantly affect your organization’s ability to operate within the proposed
budget, and describe how your organization will manage or mitigate those factors.
 To the extent that your organization will be relying on additional funding, describe:
o
The proposed sources of funding (e.g., a grant from another organization or earned revenue
generated by the project)
o
The status of the funding sources (e.g., proposal submitted or grant awarded)
o
The assumptions used to generate any estimates
o
Strategies and timeline for securing the necessary additional funding
Example Budget Narrative Template: Project X
Direct Cost Details: In your responses below, include total project costs including funds requested from the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation as well as other funds being applied to the proposed project. If necessary, feel free to include the direct cost
information requested below as an attachment to the proposal narrative.
Provide the foundation with a description of the direct cost categories of the budget and how you arrived at the proposed
expenses. Feel free to omit any categories in which there are no budgeted expenses.

Personnel and Benefits: What are the roles and responsibilities of each full-time equivalent (FTE) or group of FTEs
supporting the project, the rationale for the number of requested FTEs, and the methodology for estimating the base
salaries (e.g., actual salaries or estimates based on similar job descriptions)? To the extent this project provides
majority funding support for personnel that will be fulfilling functions important to the district after the life of this
project, how will the district support that work after the life of this grant?

Consulting and Professional Fees: Include a brief description of the work to be performed in support of the overall
project, the current status of the contract(s) (e.g., confirmed or projected), and the cost assumptions used (including
estimates of the number of days to be worked and the daily rate).

Materials and Supplies: Describe the item(s) being requested, the business purpose of the item(s) as it relates to
the project, and the cost assumptions used to generate the cost estimate.

Computers and Equipment: Describe the item(s) being requested, the business purpose of the item(s) as it relates
to the project, and the cost assumptions used to generate the cost estimate.

Printing and Publications: Describe the item(s) being requested, the business purpose of the item(s) as it relates to
the project, and the cost assumptions used to generate the cost estimate.

Travel and Accommodations: Include a brief description of the travel required for this project. Include the
methodology used to calculate the total cost estimates for each trip, the assumptions used to determine the
appropriate number of trips, and the rationale for how those trips will support achievement of the results.

Conferences, Conventions, and Meetings: Include a brief description of the meetings required for this project.
Include the methodology used to calculate the total cost estimates for each meeting, including the estimated number
of attendees and total cost per attendee. What is the rationale for how those meetings will support project results?

Direct Facilities: Facility-related costs are typically covered by indirect costs and should not be included within the
direct cost details. However, in rare cases, facility-related expenses can be included as a direct cost when a grantee
requires additional building expenses in order to execute the grant (e.g., starting up an organization or creating a
new regional office).

Other Direct Costs: Describe the item(s) being requested, the business purpose of the item(s) as it relates to the
project, and the cost assumptions used to generate the cost estimate.

Subgrants: Describe the work to be conducted by the subgrantees and the anticipated budget for the work. If any
subgrant exceeds $100,000 or represents 25% or more of the project cost, provide a detailed budget showing the
proposed subgrant expenses.
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Section VI: Appendices
Please include the following documents/information along with the proposal.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Results Framework & Results Tracker
Budget
Organizational Capacity
Intellectual Property Questions
Description of the Tools/Resources used along with documentation on Alignment to the Common Core and
evidence of Effectiveness of the Tools
F. Evidence of Support
G. Tax Status
Appendix A
Please use the Results Framework and Results Tracker (.xls) found on the applicant portal
Appendix B
Please use the Budget (.xls) template found on the applicant portal
Appendix C: Organizational Capacity
No Specific Page Limitations
Describe your organization’s strengths and capacity to implement, manage, and monitor progress of this project,
including:

Briefly explain any changes you foresee to your current and next year’s organizational budget.

Depict any steps your organization would need to take to increase its capacity in order to successfully
implement this project, the plan for doing so, and the organization’s plan for maintaining that capacity
once funding for this project is complete.

Explain any potential financial impact or risk to your organization associated with implementing this
project.

Describe any prior Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation grants your organization has received that are
relevant to this proposal, and the results of those grants.

With regard to any key partner organizations, subcontractors, and subgrantees that you have
previously identified, describe what has made you comfortable with their capacity to perform as will be
necessary for successful execution of this project.

Describe specifically how your organization will administer and manage funds for this project, either
directly or through a third party.
Appendix D: Intellectual Property Questions
No Specific Page Limitations
Intellectual property that is used or generated during the Project or that may be important in the ultimate
commercialization of the Funded Development plays a role in ensuring that Global Access is achieved. The questions
that follow are intended to identify such intellectual property, its ownership and how it will be used to accomplish
Global Access. In completing this form, mark “not applicable” as appropriate.
1. Will this Project use or incorporate Background Technology?
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“Background Technology” means any and all products, services, processes, technologies, materials, software, data
or other innovations that are created by you or a third party prior to or outside of this Project and that are to be
used as part of the Project.
a. If so, please identify all Background Technologies. Where such technologies are the subject of patents or
patent applications, comprise data bases, or are protected by copyrights, please complete the relevant
Technology Reporting Template found in Appendix A.
2. How will the Background Technology be made available for use under the Project?
a. If you, as the direct funding recipient, own the Background Technology, please confirm that you will make
the Background Technology available for use to achieve the proposed Project goals and Global Access.
b. If a third party owns the Background Technology, complete the relevant section in Appendix B to describe
the agreement through which the third party allows use of the Background Technology to achieve the
proposed Project goals and Global Access.
c. Do the existing agreement terms pertaining to Background Technology you own or that is owned by third
parties create any obstacles to achieving the proposed Project goals and Global Access? If yes, please briefly
summarize the obstacles and the specific steps that you will take to address them.
3. Will this project lead to the creation of Funded Developments?
“Funded Development” means any and all products, services, processes, technologies, materials, software, data or
other innovations resulting from the Project (including modifications, improvements and further developments to
Background Technology).
a. If so, will you create or develop the Funded Development? If so, please confirm that you will make the
Funded Development available for use to achieve the proposed project goals and Global Access.
b. If another party to be funded under the Project (such as a contractor or sub-grantee) or a third party will be
engaged in the creation of Funded Developments, complete the relevant section in Appendix B to describe the
agreement through which the third party allows use of the Funded Development to achieve the proposed
Project goals and Global Access.
c. Do the existing agreement terms relating to the creation by you of Funded Developments or with another
party or a third party create any obstacles to achieving the proposed Project goals and Global Access? If yes,
please briefly summarize the obstacles and the specific steps that you will take to address them.
d. Are there are uses or markets for the Funded Development beyond those described in the Project
proposal? If so, please describe.
e. Do you anticipate making any modifications or improvements to the Funded Development after the
proposed Project is completed?
4. Are the activities under this Project directed toward a final product or process that incorporates or
uses the Funded Developments and that is made available to intended markets?
Such activities may include manufacturing, marketing, distribution, offer for sale, sale, or import.
a. If so, please list all such Funded Developments and summarize your plans for the manufacture, marketing,
distribution, offer for sale, sale, or import for the Funded Development and explain how you will achieve Global
Access.
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b. Will you be solely responsible for implementing those plans for the Funded Development? If not, complete
the relevant section in Appendix B to describe any agreements you have in place or anticipate establishing with
other parties funded under the Project or third parties to proceed with such plans for the Funded
Development.
c. Do you foresee any obstacles to achieving the proposed further development goals and Global Access? If
yes, briefly summarize the obstacles and the specific steps that you will take to address them.
Appendix E: Description of the Tools/Resources used along with documentation on Alignment to the
Common Core and evidence of Effectiveness of the Tools
No Specific Page Limitations
Provide a description of your tools and/or supports you will be using with your network and if possible, an
example of one or more of the actual tools or items. Give any documentation you have on the alignment of the
tools and resources to the Common Core and evidence that the use of these tools are effective in supporting
teachers to move students toward the rigor set by the standards. This could be documentation of any research
done, processes used in development, student or teacher growth data, or other documentation that provides
additional information in these areas.
Appendix F: Evidence of Support
No Specific Page Limitations
The Foundation would like to see evidence that the majority of teachers in your network believe that the theory of
action in this proposal, as well as the specific activities proposed, are both relevant and impactful. Compelling
evidence might be results of a survey sent to all members in the network, alignment of proposed activities to
feedback received through other means or that the proposal itself was heavily informed by teachers. If the
majority of teachers you plan to work with are concentrated in a single district and/or state, it would also be
helpful to include evidence of support from district/state leadership as a way to ensure that efforts undertaken as
part of this grant will be coherent with other system-driven common core implementation activities.
Appendix G: Tax Status.
Check Box
The foundation will make grants in reliance on the correct representation in your grant application as to the tax
status of your organization. You must indicate which of the following descriptions applies to your organization.
The organization is:
□
Exempt from United States Federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal
Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”) and not a private foundation;
□
A United States government unit described in section 170(c)(1) of the Code;
□
A foreign government or an agency or instrumentality of a foreign government that will be treated by the
foundation as an organization described in section 509(a)(1) of the Code;
□
A foreign (non-U.S.) non-profit charitable organization that has provided to the foundation, prior to the
execution of the grant agreement, a completed Foreign Public Charity Equivalency Affidavit sufficient to
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allow the foundation to make a good faith determination that your organization is described in section
501(c)(3) of the Code and not a private foundation or a Equivalency Determination Certificate from
NGOsource indicating that your organization is described in section 501(c)(3) of the Code and not a private
foundation;
□
Not a tax-exempt organization under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or a private foundation under
such U.S. tax law. As a result, the foundation is required to exercise expenditure responsibility with respect
to this grant. As a condition to receipt of the grant funds, you agree to take all actions necessary to facilitate
the foundation’s compliance with its expenditure responsibility obligations.
[Note: Grantees that are not public charities may subject to expenditure responsibility and have additional
requirements under the grant agreement]
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