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Board renews data‑sharing and adopts UF tutoring memorandum; community groups push Rocket Phonics volunteer tutoring
Summary
Superintendent announced the district’s memorandum with the University of Florida and the Florida Tutoring Advantage Program to provide research‑based one‑on‑one math tutoring at nine Title I elementary schools; community volunteers asked for comparable access to student progress data to evaluate volunteer programs such as Rocket Phonics.
The Sarasota County School Board’s consent agenda included a renewal of a data‑sharing agreement with the Laurel Civic Association and approval of a memorandum of agreement with the University of Florida and the Florida Department of Education’s Florida Tutoring Advantage Program to provide targeted, research‑based one‑on‑one tutoring in mathematics at nine Title I elementary schools.
Superintendent Connor described the memorandum of agreement during his report, saying the district is partnering with the University of Florida and the state‑sponsored program “to provide target research based tutoring at 9 of our Title 1 elementary schools, which will be providing 1 on 1 support in mathematics.” The consent agenda motion, which bundled the MOA and other routine items, passed as part of the committee’s consent approvals.
Multiple public commenters backed expanded tutoring access. Stephen Gaffanti praised the University of Florida partnership and urged the district to expand volunteer access and clear data sharing for evaluation. Speakers associated with the Rocket Phonics Foundation — including David Oakes and Bill Neece — requested the same type of memorandum to allow volunteers to access test data and demonstrate program effectiveness; they said Rocket Phonics had helped local students and cited partnerships in other counties.
Board action
- Consent agenda approval (includes MOA with University of Florida and data‑sharing agreement with Laurel Civic Association). Outcome: approved 5–0.
Why it matters
District and community tutoring partnerships are central to the district’s strategy to improve literacy and math outcomes; community groups argued that clear data access would allow volunteer programs to show impact and expand service.
Next steps
District staff will implement the MOA with the University of Florida and follow standard data‑sharing procedures; community tutoring organizations said they would pursue memoranda to secure comparable access for evaluation and program coordination.
