The following instructional strategies have been identified by the NY State Education Department as eligible for Contract for Excellence (C4E) funding within the following six designated program areas.
Student Time on Task
Supplementary Before- or After-School Programs
Additional instruction emphasizing learning standards/subjects required for graduation. Examples include:
- New or expanded arts programs.
- New or expanded career and technical education (CTE) programs.
- Student support services, including guidance, counseling, attendance, parent outreach, behavioral support, and study skills.
Lengthened School Year
Supplementary summer school, which may include:
- Additional instruction emphasizing learning standards or subjects required for graduation.
- New or expanded arts programs.
- New or expanded CTE programs.
- Student support services, including guidance, counseling, attendance, parent outreach, behavioral support, and study skills.
Dedicated Instructional Time
Daily supplemental blocks of time during the regular school day to be used for research-based core instructional programs and are aligned with learning standards. These may include:
- Response-to-intervention
- Individualized intensive intervention
- "Micro-targeting" of groups of students to provide instruction at a reduced class size or PTR relative to the school or grade
- but that does not reduce class size or Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR) at the grade or school level.
- Or address structural changes such as:
- changes to grade offerings,
- creation of “academies”
- schools within schools,
- and/or different teams of teachers to deal with different needs of students
Individualized Tutoring
- Targeted to students who are at risk of not meeting learning standards or not graduating.
- Supplemental to regular curriculum.
- To be provided by a certified teacher, paraprofessional, or qualified tutor.
Teacher and Principal Quality Initiatives
- Programs to recruit and retain Highly Qualified Teachers (HQT).
- Professional mentoring for beginning teachers and principals.
- Instructional coaches for teachers.
- School leadership coaches for principals.
Middle and High School Restructuring
This is only for schools with middle or high school grades.
Schools may allocate C4E funding to implement instructional changes that:
- improve student achievement
- are paired with structural changes to the school’s organization
Instructional changes
- Designed to provide challenging academic and learning opportunities to students.
- May include implementation of academic intervention programs.
Class Size Reduction
New Classroom
An additional teacher relative to the student population, teaching independently, who helps to accomplish class-size reduction in the target grade.
Additional Teacher in an Existing Classroom
An additional teacher relative to the student population, teaching collaboratively with another teacher, who helps to accomplish a reduction in student-teacher ratio in the target classroom.
Full-Day Pre-Kindergarten
Providing opportunities for the integration of students with disabilities into existing full-day pre-kindergarten programs and additional hours to meet the needs of children and families.
Model Programs for Students with Limited English Proficiency
Please see NY State Education Department guidance memo for more details about activities allowable under these strategies:
- Innovative Programs for Underserved ELL Populations.
- Teacher Development, Recruitment, and Retention.
- Parental Involvement and Instruction.
View additional State Regulations and Guidance.