DoDEA Military Grants

  • Military-connected children face a unique set of circumstances and challenges. The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) recognizes the impact additional supports and services have on K-12 dependents of military service members. Over the years, the Escambia County School District and DoDEA have infused over $18,000,000 in federal grant funds into our schools through the Military-Connected Academic and Support Program (MCASP) and World Language Advancement and Readiness Program (WLARP) initiative to better serve military-connected students. Funding for these multi-year MCASP and WLARP grants is appropriated annually by Congress.

    Our district currently operates five active DoDEA grants, providing students and teachers at participating military-connected schools additional academic and social-emotional supports through enhancements to the curriculum, extra-curricular activities, summer camps, field trips and excursions, and professional development. A brief synopsis of each 4.5-year project is provided below.

    Local news station WKRG featured a story about Escambia County School District's latest DoDEA grant award.

    CURRENT PROJECTS

    2020 Award | Project Afterburner: Taking Off with Health Science

    Schools Targeted:

    • Beulah Elementary School
    • Blue Angels Elementary School
    • Cook Elementary School
    • Hellen Caro Elementary School
    • Kingsfield Elementary School
    • Navy Point Elementary School
    • Pleasant Grove Elementary School
    • Bailey Middle School
    • Beulah Middle School
    • Brown-Barge Middle School
    • Escambia High School
    • Pensacola High School
    • Tate High School
    • West Florida High School

    Focus: 

    • Health Science

    Activities: 

    • In-class instructional supports and extra-curricular activities to improve Health Science outcomes
    • Immersive on- and off-campus after-school enrichment activities centered around Health Science, Fitness, and Culinary standards
    • Fitness and culinary clubs for elementary students
    • Clubs and competitions that prime middle and high school students for post-secondary opportunities in the Health Science and Culinary fields

    2021 Award | The Knowing and Embracing World Languages (KEWL) Project

    Schools Targeted:

    • Beulah Elementary School
    • Blue Angels Elementary School
    • Cook Elementary School
    • Hellen Caro Elementary School
    • Kingsfield Elementary School
    • Navy Point Elementary School
    • Pleasant Grove Elementary School
    • Bailey Middle School
    • Beulah Middle School
    • Brown-Barge Middle School
    • Ransom Middle School
    • Escambia High School
    • Tate High School
    • West Florida High School

    Focus: 

    • World Languages

    Activities: 

    • In-class instructional supports and extra-curricular activities to improve World Language outcomes
    • Immersive co-curricular and after-school enrichment activities centered around culture and language exploration and learning
    • Addition of 7 World Language instructors at the targeted secondary schools to expand the breadth and depth of language learning opportunities

    2022 Award | All in for the Arts

    Schools Targeted:

    • Beulah Elementary School
    • Blue Angels Elementary School
    • NB Cook Elementary School
    • Hellen Caro Elementary School
    • Kingsfield Elementary School
    • Navy Point Elementary School 
    • Pleasant Grove Elementary School
    • Bailey Middle School
    • Beulah Middle School
    • Brown Barge Middle School
    • Escambia High School
    • Tate High School
    • West Florida High School 
    • Escambia Virtual Academy
    • Escambia Westgate

    Focus:

    • Fine and Performing Arts

    Activities: 

    • Enhance fine and performing arts experiences for students spanning all grade levels
    • In-class instructional supports and extra-curricular activities to expand and enhance arts experiences within the schools and communities
    • Improved access to instructional resources and supplies 
    • Addition of a Fine and Performing Arts coach to provide additional support at the targeted schools

    2023 Award | Esports

    Schools Targeted:

    • Bailey Middle School
    • Beulah Middle School
    • Brown Barge Middle School
    • Ransom Middle School
    • Escambia High School
    • Tate High School
    • West Florida High School

    Focus:

    • Social Emotional Learning - Esports. Building a sustainable competitive gaming ecosystem that is welcoming and inclusive to everyone.

    Activities: 

    • Extra-curricular activities through Esports
    • Engage students in social emotional learning and hands-on problem-solving through a team approach, leading to college and career readiness
    • Build a gaming ecosystem that will motivate, inspire and foster grit within our students
    • Esports Competitions

     

    2024 Award | The Knowing and Embracing World Languages through Outstanding Opportunities (KEWL TOO)

    Schools Targeted:

    • Beulah Elementary School
    • Blue Angels Elementary School
    • Cook Elementary School
    • Hellen Caro Elementary School
    • Kingsfield Elementary School
    • Navy Point Elementary School
    • Pleasant Grove Elementary School
    • Bailey Middle School
    • Beulah Middle School
    • Brown-Barge Middle School
    • Ransom Middle School
    • Escambia High School
    • Tate High School
    • West Florida High School

    Focus: 

    • World Languages

    Activities: 

    • In-class instructional supports and extra-curricular activities to improve World Language outcomes
    • Immersive co-curricular and after-school enrichment activities centered around culture and language exploration and learning
    • World Language instructors at the targeted secondary schools to expand the breadth and depth of language learning opportunities
    • Spanish immersion pilot program at an elementary school

     

    PAST PROJECTS

    2015 Award (Closed) | Flying in Diamond Formation: Students Transitioning and Soaring Together

    Schools Targeted:

    • Blue Angels Elementary School
    • Hellen Caro Elementary School
    • Bailey Middle School
    • Escambia High School

    Focus (Foci):

    • Math & Science Achievement
    • Social/Emotional Learning

    Activities:

    • After-school and summer STEM programs
    • Classroom academic and behavioral supports
    • Student 2 Student and Junior Student 2 Student programs to ease transitions and build peer support

    Highlighted Successes:

    • Established Student 2 Student and Junior Student 2 Student programs at Escambia High and Bailey Middle
    • Improved Biology End-of-Course Exam proficiency at a rate that outpaced the school district's at-large growth
    • Introduced Saturday School test prep and tutoring program that continues to impact students

    2016 Award (Closed) | Smooth Sailing: Making Transitions a Breeze

    Schools Targeted:

    • Blue Angels Elementary School
    • Hellen Caro Elementary School
    • Pleasant Grove Elementary School
    • Bailey Middle School
    • Escambia High School

    Focus:

    • Social/Emotional Learning

    Activities:

    • Capturing Kids' Hearts
    • Saturday Excursions to promote peer relationships
    • Summer Leadership Camp
    • Positive Behavior Supports to improve social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes
    • College campus visits for high school students

    Highlighted Successes:

    • Enhanced professional practice through implementation of Capturing Kids' Hearts program
    • Increased positive student behaviors
    • Decreased student behavior infractions

    2017 Award (Closed) | Operation Cyberworld: A Path to College and Careers

    Schools Targeted:

    • Blue Angels Elementary School
    • Hellen Caro Elementary School
    • Pleasant Grove Elementary School
    • Bailey Middle School

    Focus:

    • College and Career Readiness

    Activities: 

    • Expanded College and Career coursework at the middle school level, including Programming & Logic curriculum and industry certification
    • Introduced computer literacy standards at the elementary school level through IC3 Spark GS5 curriculum and industry certification
    • Summer Robotics & Coding Camps

     

    2019 Award (Closed) | Taking Flight: On to New Heights with STEM

    Schools Targeted:

    • Blue Angels Elementary School
    • Hellen Caro Elementary School
    • Pleasant Grove Elementary School
    • Bailey Middle School

    Focus: 

    • Mathematics through STEM

    Activities: 

    • Provides schools with access to mathematics resources to individualize learning
    • After-school enrichment and tutoring activities
    • Summer STEM programs