Addendum No. 2 RFP 24-576 for the Teaching and Learning Curriculum Audit Services

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Agenda Item

a. RFP 24-576 for the Teaching and Learning Curriculum Audit Services (Not to exceed $350,000) ~ Updated 4.9.2024

Summary: Presented by: Ms. Stacy E. Stepney, Chief Academic Officer, Curriculum & Instruction, 678-676-0731
Request: It is requested that the Board of Education approve the award for RFP 24-576 for the Teaching and Learning Curriculum Audit Services to Insight Education Group as the most responsive and responsible bidder to conduct a comprehensive curriculum audit in an amount not to exceed $350,000.
Why: The desired outcome of the teaching and learning curriculum audit is to provide the school district with recommendations regarding the DeKalb County School District’s existing curriculum and curricular management practices. The audit should analyze current curriculum and assessment resources and practices for content areas relative to state and national content area standards. Content areas included in the audit are as follows: English Language Arts, mathematics, science, social studies, world language, health and physical education, visual and performing art, music, career, technical, and agricultural education, special education, English learner, early intervention program, Montessori, International Baccalaureate, and gifted programs.

Components of the curriculum and assessment audit must include, but are not limited to:

• Evidence of alignment to state and national content area standards;
• Evidence of vertical and horizontal articulation of standards across the curriculum and assessments;
• A review of the school district’s organization chart and job descriptions to maximize direction and support for impacting change to deliver better instruction for all students;
• Evidence of consistency in the implementation of the curriculum and assessments district wide;
• Evidence of technology integration across all K-12 content areas;
• Evidence of curriculum and assessment materials that reflect the diversity of the student population;
• A review of the policies and controls that govern the curriculum development process; and
• A review of budgets to support the curriculum creation, review, revision, and implementation process.
Details: In accordance with the formal procurement procedures published by the Georgia Department of Education, the Request for Proposal (RFP) was issued January 18, 2024. Electronic notification was sent to 188 vendors from the DCSD vendor list, 3,012 vendors through the State of Georgia Procurement Registry (GPR), and 588 vendors through IonWave, the DeKalb County School District’s solicitation portal. The solicitation was advertised in the Champion Newspaper for two (2) consecutive weeks beginning January 18, 2024. Six (6) proposals were received on February 13, 2024, for the teaching and learning audit services. Five (5) proposals were deemed responsive and evaluated on the following criteria: the firm’s profile including ownership structure, history, and organization chart; scope of services including methodology and strategies; relevant experiences in comparable K-12 school districts; and three written references.
Financial impact: The total contract amount will not exceed $350,000.
Contact: Ms. Stacy E. Stepney, Chief Academic Officer, Curriculum & Instruction, 678.676.0731
Dr. Sean R. Tartt, Deputy Chief Academic Officer, Curriculum & Instruction, 678.676.0731
Effective: April 16, 2024 - April 15, 2025
Status: Solicitation Reviewed and Approved by General Counsel
    1701 MOUNTAIN INDUSTRIAL BOULEVARD, STONE MOUNTAIN, GA 30083
              https://dekalbschoolsga.ionwave.net/Login.aspx



TO: ALL OFFERORS UNDER REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL)

RFP 24-576 Teaching and Learning Curriculum Audit Services

FROM: Procurement Department, DeKalb County School District



                                     ADDENDUM NO. 2

RFP 24-576 Teaching and Learning Curriculum Audit Services is hereby amended
as follows:

1. This addendum was created to provide responses to the Q&A via IonWave.

2. All other conditions remain in full force and effect.

3. All offerors under this solicitation are kindly requested to acknowledge receipt of this
Addendum 1 by signing the page below and uploading with your proposal.




                                  _____________________________________________

                                 COMPANY NAME/CERTIFYING OFFICIAL SIGNATURE
                                    Q & A Response
       The purpose of this document is to provide answers to vendor questions. Please
       see Questions and Answers included herein.

                                                Solicitation Title:
                                                Teaching and Learning Curriculum Audit
Solicitation Number: RFP 24-576                 Services
Requesting Department:
Curriculum & Instructional                      Date: 02/09/2024
                                                RFX Initially Posted to Internet:
Buyer: Sierra McGhee-Adams                      01/18/2024
Email Address:
solicitationquestions@dekalbschoolsga.org       Telephone: 678-676-0532
        RESPONSES MUST BE RECEIVED IN THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT:

              DEADLINE TIME - Before 2:00 PM, Tuesday, February 13, 2024

                    VIRTUAL PUBLIC ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OPENING
                         At 3:00 PM, Tuesday, February 13, 2024

                RESPONSES TO BE OPENED: Beginning at 3:00 PM EST.

                                    Via Microsoft Teams
                               DeKalb County School District
                                  Purchasing Department
                             1701 Mountain Industrial Boulevard
                                 Stone Mountain, GA 30083
                                               Referenced
#                Questions                     RFX Section                  Answers
     What is the district's ideal start date                 The services will start after the DeKalb
     for this curriculum audit?                              County Board of Education approves the
                                                             award and once there is a fully executed
1.                                                           contract in place.
     Why specifically is the district                        The district is interested in a teaching and
     interested in a teaching and learning                   learning curriculum audit to determine
     curriculum audit?                                       the alignment of the instructional
                                                             resources, instructional frameworks,
                                                             fiscal resources and human resources
                                                             that directly and/or indirectly impact
2.                                                           student achievement.
   Who are the results of the audit                          The results of the audit will be presented
   intended for and what would the                           to the Board of Education.              The
   district like to see happen in August                     commendations and recommendations
   of 2025? For example, will the                            will be shared across the district to
   findings be presented to the board to                     develop strategic plans for continuous
3. support future work?                                      improvement.
   Does the district have a specific audit                   The district is flexible with the audit
   schedule that they’d like to follow?                      schedule. It is the request that the audit
                                                             is completed within the 2024-2025
4.                                                           school year.
     Are there curriculum adoptions                          Yes, there are instructional resources
     happening currently?                                    adoptions currently in progress in the
5.                                                           district.
   The RFP lists a number of content                         The curriculum audit is for all grades, all
   areas. Are there certain grade band(s)                    content areas and programs as listed in
   and/or content area(s) that the district                  the Scope of Work.
   would prioritize? If so, which content
6. area(s)? Which grade band(s)?
   What are the current curricular                           The current curricular resources will be
   resources being used in each of the                       made available after the selection of the
   listed grade bands/content areas:                         vendor for the audit.
   English Language Arts,
   Mathematics, Science, Social studies,
   World language, Health/PE, Visual
   and performing arts, Music, Career,
   Technical, and Agricultural
7. Education
                                             Referenced
#                Questions                   RFX Section                  Answers
    How should the vendor reflect                          The lump sum cost should include all costs
    variable audit costs, which would                      associated with completing the services
                                                           requested in the RFP. Please see Revised
    impact our ability to present a lump                   Attachment A as part of Addendum No. 2.
 8. sum cost?
    Does the district have a set budget                    DCSD does not disclose specific project
    for this work?                                         budget information.
 9.
    What data will we have access to in                    The data that can be made available
    order to gain insight into operations                  include student achievement, user
    and tech integration?                                  implementation, organizational charts,
                                                           student enrollment, program (Special
                                                           Education, Gifted, Early Intervention
                                                           Program, Montessori, CTAE, English
                                                           Learners, etc.) and all others upon
10.                                                        request.
    Do “Company Profile” (p. 23 of                         Company Profile and Firm’s Overview can be
    RFP) and “Firm’s Overview” (p. 24                      presented as one section within the Technical
                                                           Proposal.
    of RFP) need to be presented as two
    distinct sections within the Technical
    Proposal, or can that information be
11. combined into “Firm’s Overview”?
    We plan to work with another                           The company that would be entering into
    company as a strategic partner. How                    a contract with DCSD should provide all
    should we plan to upload company                       of the required attachments and
    documents?                                             information.

    Should only the primary company
    submit attachments (business license,
    financial statements, etc) and then
    show how we would partner in the
12. Technical Proposal?
    What are the anticipated start and                     The services will start after the DeKalb
    end dates for the project? We note on                  County Board of Education approves the
    RFP page 15 under L. Contract                          award and once there is a fully executed
    Terms that “services will begin on or                  contract in place.
    about June 2024. The initial contract
    duration shall be for one year from
    the final execution date of both
    parties with no additional renewal
13. periods” however we also note the
                                             Referenced
#               Questions                    RFX Section                 Answers
    request on RFP page 5 to “specify
    our earliest and latest service
    commencement dates after receipt of
    award letter” - will the duration
    always be 1 year from start date, and
    is it possible to start before June
    2024?
    Approximately how many audits do                       We do not anticipate          any   other
    you anticipate ongoing concurrently?                   curriculum audits.
    Do you have a priority list you can
14. share?
    What is the format of curriculum                       The curriculum is available through a
    (digital, print, a mix?) and are all                   mix of digital and print resources. The
    subjects/grade levels of curriculum                    district can arrange for an orientation of
    located on a digital curriculum                        the LMS that hosts the digital aspects of
    management system. If so will we                       the curriculum.
15. receive training on that system?
    Can you confirm the grade levels that                  The grade levels for the various
    will be part of the curriculum audit                   programs are International Baccalaureate
    for the following areas: International                 (K-12), Visual and Performing Arts (K-
    Baccalaureate, Visual and                              12), Music (K-12), Special Education
    Performing Arts, Music, Special                        (K-12), English Learners (K-12), and
    Education, English Learners, Gifted                    Gifted Learners (K-12).
16. Learners.
    What are the grade levels for Early                    The grade levels for the Early
    Intervention Program? Can you                          Intervention Program is K-5. The content
    provide any details on how that                        for the Early Intervention Program fits
    content fits into the district’s                       into the curriculum as a Tier II resource
    curriculum?                                            based upon the Multi-tiered System of
17                                                         Supports.
    Can you provide details to help us                     The Montessori Program is a school
    understand how DCSD currently                          choice option available at two
    uses Montessori programs and                           elementary schools for students in grades
    methods? Is this for all of elementary                 K-5.
18. or K-2 only?
    Does DCSD currently have a                             The district does not have a DEI/CRE
    DEI/CRE rubric or guidelines that                      rubric or guidelines. The selected vendor
    would be the basis for the equity and                  would be expected to utilize an existing
19. access audit or would we utilize or                    document to conduct the audit.
                                               Referenced
#                 Questions                    RFX Section                  Answers
      existing instruments (or modified
      version of those instruments) to
      conduct the audit?
      Do all schools in the district use the                 All schools in the district utilize the same
      same curriculum? Is the expectation                    Tier I curriculum. It is the expectation
      one audit report per grade                             that there is one audit report inclusive of
      level/course or might there be                         multiple grades, subject areas, and
      multiple curriculum audits within a                    programs.
      grade/subject area?

20.