Check grammer and mechanics

Achievement Gap

In the last decade MCPS has made many strides to close the achievement gap between minorities and their fellow white/asian students. The MCPS achievement gap is closely related to a student’s ethnicity, race and income level. The MCPS system is divided between its advanced high schools where White and Asian students attend; and its low-scoring ranked minority high schools. Most of these low performing schools are located in Silver Spring, Md. According to the findings of the County Council’s Office of Legislative Oversight found in MCPS website, “Since 2010, the economic, racial and ethnic stratification of students among MCPS high schools has increased . . . the achievement gap between high- and low-poverty high schools has widened [since 2008] ” (p. 9). Achieving as well as maintaining high grades in these schools is increasingly harder for struggling students of all walks of life, leading several students to drop out and forgo continuing their education.

Nevertheless MCPS states on their website, they will narrow the gap by adding more teachers. As well as decrease classroom sizes specifically in high schools [where there is more need], this will allow a more focused attention to students who are experiencing difficulty in school (p.1). Under these circumstances, creating an after school-tutoring program would be most beneficial to the community. Together with focusing MCPS’s resources on failing students, we can increase MCPS’s chances of lowering the achievement gap. Correspondingly, struggling students will experience a sense of community through our program as well as giving them the confidence needed to engage in becoming active participants in furthering their education.

Discovery Program Initiation

Undoubtedly there is a substantial amount of work ahead of MCPS, but Discovery can help the community by making MCPS’s work load a little lighter. The after school program will be called Our Life’s Discovery, the program will encourage student involvement in their education as well as support all while discovering their true potential. The first step in initiating Our Life’s Discovery program would require working closely with MCPS’s Minority Scholars Leadership Program (MSP). Student leaders from 12 different schools lead this program; they focus on tutoring, mentoring, and raising awareness of the achievement gap. The Minority Scholars Program is quite active in the community and they encourage struggling students to have a voice.

According to Donna St. George, a Washington Post journalist, “Hundreds of students marched through Rockville, Md on Sunday [March 2014] in a call to close the achievement gap that has left [struggling] students in the high-performing county trailing their White and Asian peers on measures of academic success…the march was organized by students of the minority scholars program” (p.1). Students involved in the minority scholar program are dedicated in improving their school’s environment, and Discovery could partner with them to learn what areas are mostly needed when tutoring their peers. The minority scholars can serve as our marketers/ambassadors for Our Life’s Discovery tutoring program. As one of the top providers of educational products and services to schools; Discovery could fill the gaps within the minority scholar program and provide additional tutoring along with support to struggling students.

Our Life’s Discovery program will be open to all students upon a need basis. In other words, if a student needs help with english, math and/or science homework, such a student can get in contact with their school’s minority scholar leader and have them setup an appointment through Our Life’s Discovery employee-student matchup database. Each student will be matched with a Discovery employee specializing in their homework’s field. Discovery’s employees will rotate within the departments, giving our employees the chance to expand their volunteering opportunities without having to take time off from work. The appointment times will be from 3pm to 5pm. High school students in Montgomery county are provided with free public transportation, and with Discovery having its headquarters in the center of Silver Spring, Md amongst all the high schools that need educational support; students will find our location an ease. Our Life’s Discovery program will have low cost, because we will be using in house personnel avoiding the expense of hiring new employees and having to train them. The volunteering hours are eligible for tax deductions.

Competition in the Marketplace

Companies are now not only responsible for the well being of their employees, but they have CSR to influence positively throughout the communities where they conduct business. Companies previously saw their wallets as the answer to many community problems, but as reported by the National & Community Service, monetary goods are no longer the key to corporate social responsibility. Organizations are now encouraged to contribute their assets to fill critical voids in the community (p.1). By lending our employees and intellectual assets, Discovery will help close the achievement gap in MCPS. This in turn will create a demand for our educational products and services not only in MCPS but also in other counties throughout the US. A prime example of a company expanding their resources to help Maryland county schools is Microsoft Corporation. The Maryland State Department of Education announced on January 8, 2015 Microsoft will be providing free Office online tools to all Maryland public students (p.1). Establishing a strong relationship with MCPS will help to give Discovery a competitive advantage over competitors such as Pearson Plc., giving Discovery a head start for future educational business dealings.

Benefits: Our Life’s Discovery

Nonetheless the community’s children will benefit from Our Life’s Discovery program, because they will receive encouragement as well as support from a company that wants to see them succeed. Parents who are not present in a child’s schoolwork due to work or any other life circumstance will now have a dependable place supporting their struggling child. Our Life’s Discovery program will help MCPS lower the achievement gap, as well as demonstrate to the community, the value we see in investing in our schools.

Similarly, Discovery will enjoy the benefits of investing in our schools using our personnel by allowing employee morale to improve. According to Deloitte’s study on volunteering, work place volunteering programs help in creating honored, devoted and fulfilled employees (p.1). Employees will be happier as well as have a greater sense of community for the work time given through volunteering. Allowing employees to participate in Our Life’s Discovery program during work hours will allow us the chance to receive tax deductions. Moreover, having Our Life’s Discovery program will help Discovery improve its educational products. By working with students we will be able to acquire research as well as feedback needed to improve teaching manner and mechanics for future educational products and services. Discovery can position itself as an innovator in the educational services provided to not only MCPS but also other public school systems. Finally, free publicity will come about from Our Life’s Discovery program, helping Discovery acquire more educational contracts.

Next Steps in the Process