Request for Qualification

Please complete the following form to submit a request for being a Community Partner in Saint Louis Public Schools for the 2024-2025 school year.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis for each semester.

Saint Louis Public Schools Contact: Erin Kane

Contact Email: Erin.kane@slps.org

 

Instructions

1.     Organizations should submit proposals by 5:00PM on April 23, 2024 for preference for Fall Semester.

2.     Proposals that are not submitted at the time of closing for will be deemed late and may not be considered by the first day of school.

3.     Questions regarding this Request for Qualifications must be submitted to the contact person (Erin Kane) via email by the question deadline listed above. Questions will be answered via an addendum to be posted publicly on the Saint Louis Public Schools website. Organizations are responsible for checking the website for all addenda distributed in response to questions and requests for additional information.

Background

 

Enabling every student to flourish academically and graduate high school, equipped either for workforce integration or continued academic excellence, stands as our overarching objective. Those chosen as Community Partners will wholeheartedly align with SLPS’s Four Student Goal Areas. They will be dedicated to offering programs that complement the standard school curriculum, bolster SLPS's overarching goals, and prioritize student achievement, health, and overall well-being. Selected Community Partners will demonstrate a steadfast commitment to collaborating closely with the Partnerships office and the hosting school site.

Community Partners will engage in a collaborative effort with the school community to craft and implement a top-tier program for the children and youth of the school. Responsibilities of Community Partners include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Facilitating equitable access to high-quality learning opportunities and comprehensive social and emotional development experiences
• Becoming an integral partner in the school community
• Aligning program services to the school’s goals and priorities as well as the District's Four Student Success Goal Areas 
• Ensuring the program adheres to compliance requirements outlined by SLPS and aligns with Missouri DESE standards where applicable
• Engaging in partnership with the SLPS Office of Development and Partnership and other Departments on district expanded learning initiatives, sustainability efforts, and quality improvement system building work
• Developing program plans in close collaboration with school leadership and district personnel
• Leveraging additional grant dollars and in-kind resources for the program
• Ensuring the program reflects quality standards
• Hiring, supervising, training and supporting program staff to support the program if needed

 

This (RFQ) for SLPS Community Partner will result in a list of qualified community organizations that demonstrate the capacity to serve our students, families and school communities. Partner organizations must fulfill District expectations.  The data collected from applicants throughout this RFQ process will drive partnership development discussions and inform the final selection of Community Partners.
We recognize that for SLPS to thrive, we depend on broad community support across various domains of need, including but not limited to:

• Academic Supports for our students
• After school programs
• In-Kind Supports and Resource Closets 
• Enrichment Activities and Experiences
• College and Career Resources
• Leadership Development
• Health, Mental Health and Social Emotional
• Supports for Recreation and Physical Activities
• Mentoring and Tutoring Services

Purpose and Intent
 

Saint Louis Public Schools (SLPS) invites Requests for Qualification (RFQ) from interested community-based organizations (CBOs), non-profit organizations (NPOs), and other entities. These partners will collaborate in designing, planning, coordinating, and operating effective, high-quality programs that support and align with District Goals.

Saint Louis Public Schools is accepting proposals for Community Partnerships for the 2024-2025 School year. Community Partners are a vital part of the school environment, providing a wide array of services that help our students thrive academically, emotionally, and socially. Community Partners are organizations that provide ongoing, recurring, goods, or services in schools, after schools, or to collective groups of SLPS students. The RFQ will include large scale programs as well as smaller programs.

The primary aim of this RFQ is to ensure equitable access to Community Partners for all students, facilitating their achievement. The overarching goal is to align high-quality community programs with schools, focusing on the District's Student Success Goals.

Student Success Goals  

Literacy - 3rd Grade Reading Growth and Proficiency

• The percentage of 3rd grade students scoring Proficient or higher will increase from 21.8% to 39% by May 2026 as measured by the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP)

Math - 3rd Grade Math Growth and Proficiency 

• The percentage of 3rd grade students scoring Proficient or higher will increase from 17.1% to 40% by May 2026 as measured by MAP

College and Career Readiness - High school students prepared for workforce and post-secondary employment 

• The 4-year graduation rate will increase from 69% in 2023 to 80% in 2026 and the percentage of graduating seniors (Class of 2023-2026) who are "positively placed"* will increase from 90.4% to 93%

Culture and Climate: Student Well-being

• The percentage of 6th and 9th grade students who report feeling a sense of belonging (connectedness to school and adults) will increase from 33% to 63% (6th grade) and from 32% to 62% (9th grade), as measured by Panorama Survey results 

 

Saint Louis Public School Strategic Values:

• Highly effective educators and leaders
• Joyful and engaged students
• Authentic family and community partnerships
• Personalized supports an innovative pathways
• Equitable and multiple sources of data
• College and career ready critical thinkers 

 

Focus Students: Every student deserves the opportunity to excel and thrive.  To help ensure each student has the same opportunity, we are committed to closing opportunity gaps.  Focus areas could include low-income students and English Learners. Focus students are defined by one or more of these indicators:

• School entry after the beginning of the year
• Continued progress to meet grade-level standard on state assessments
• Continued progress to meet typical or high growth on state assessments
• Improvement towards passing state End-of-Course exams
• Scored at a Level 1 or 2 on the state English language proficiency test
• Worked towards making gains on the state English language proficiency test
• Challenged in passing one or more core course(s) in middle and high school
• Poor attendance, defined by five or more absences per semester or ten or more absences per year, excused or unexcused
• Experienced an suspension or expulsion

 

Saint Louis Public Schools is committed to assisting community organizations throughout the process. An FAQ sheet is available on our website and inquires can be directed to Erin.Kane@slps.org through April 15.  Additionally, we have developed various useful tools that can be found on our Partnership webpage. https://www.slps.org/RFQ 

Please complete the process by clicking "Submit".