Exchange program in the U.S. for Brazilian Awarded Public School Principals

Description

The United States Embassy in Brasília, Brazil, announces a notification of funding opportunity (NOFO) to support a ten-day exchange program in the U.S. for Brazilian awarded public school principals with up to US$210,000 in FY2020 for a project period not to exceed one year. The preliminary start date for this activity is March 14, 2021, and one award is anticipated as a result of this NOFO. However, should both parties consider the results of this exchange to be positive – and also subject to availability of funds and/or appropriate travel conditions – we may agree to renew this NOFO for up to three additional years. We are seeking for proposals for the development and implementation of a ten-day exchange program in the U.S. for 27 Brazilian public school principals winners of Brazil’s Public School Management Award (Prêmio Gestão Escolar - PGE). These school principals will travel accompanied by one education leader assigned by the National Council of State Secretaries of Education (CONSED), and two representatives from State Secretariats of Education. The total number of participants in this exchange would be 30 educators. This exchange program in the U.S. should provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of the different high school models present in the U.S. educational system, synergies and potential areas for collaboration and follow-on initiatives. U.S. Embassy Brasília-Brazil reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted and will determine the resulting level of funding for the award. The authority for this NOFO is found in the Fulbright Hays Act , as amended. BACKGROUND The National Award for Excellence in School Management (Prêmio Gestão Escolar - PGE) was partially modeled after the U.S. “Principal of the Year” Award, initiative of the U.S. government that Brazilian State Secretaries of Education learned about during a visitor program in the U.S. Since 1999, the National Council of State Secretaries of Education (CONSED), along with public and private partners, selects the best public school principal in each of the 26 Brazilian states and the Federal District. The awarded schools receive cash prizes, educational materials, a certificate of excellence in "School Management and Leadership", and are also featured in a documentary on best practices in education, produced by Brazil’s largest television network’s educational channel. The awarded schools are also highlighted in their communities for their innovation and success and serve as models and mentors for other schools in their communities. The U.S. Embassy has been CONSED's partner since the creation of this award by providing an exchange experience in the U.S. for all 27 awarded school principals, who always travel accompanied by 2-3 education leaders. This exchange program in the U.S. has helped add prestige to PGE and, over the years, consolidate this award as the most important self-evaluation tool for Brazilian public schools. In addition to supporting PGE, the U.S. Embassy sees this exchange as a unique opportunity to support quality Brazilian public education that will better prepare youth to move forward to post-secondary education, as well as be better equipped to face the challenges and opportunities of the 21st Century work environment. PROJECT PURPOSE Through this exchange, we want to expose Brazilian educators to the best of the U.S. educational system, key institutions and specialists, as well as to the different high school models (regular, magnet, vocational-technical, charter, university preparatory schools, etc.), key partnership models with the private sector and the civil society, synergies and potential areas for collaboration. PROJECT GOALS The U.S. educational system, as well as its various curriculum flexibility models, provide the Brazilian government with excellent examples for the structure they would like to implement in basic education over time. By providing Brazilian educators with the opportunity to improve their knowledge of best practices in the U.S. educational system and to build a strong network for future collaboration, we want to highlight our bilateral efforts in the area of education, and thus, maintain the U.S. as Brazil’s strongest and most logical partner in education. PROJECT OBJECTIVES During their exchange experience in the U.S., we would like awarded school principals to: · take a deep dive into the U.S. educational system; · exchange experiences and best practices with education experts and counterparts; · visit different high school models: regular, magnet, vocational-technical, charter, university preparatory schools, etc. · be exposed to innovative learning strategies; · participate in a workshop on school management and leadership; · visit key education institutions and associations in the U.S.; · Develop a program journal that will serve as a basis for the development of an action plan for implementation back in Brazil.

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