Agency Education Department

Contractor Hill Learning Center

SWIFT Contract Number 183368

Project Name Orton-Gillingham reading app. pilot project

Project Number (if applicable) {Empty}

Summarize purpose of the contract, including why it was necessary: Minnesota Statute 125A.56 requires that schools provide reading interventions that are systematic, explicit, and multi-sensory for students with characteristics or identified dyslexia. Parents had been requesting that schools adopt an approach called the Orton-Gillingham methodology. Both teachers and parents had found the method to be effective for students with characteristics and identified dyslexia. However, most of the training in this methodology had been face-to-face and designed for a one-to-one teaching situation. This was an unlikely scenario in many public schools and as a result schools were unlikely to have teachers trained to use in a school setting.

MDE conducted an RFP and Hill Learning Center's HillRAP app was selected for this pilot project. HillRAP is an off the shelf program that supports teachers to deliver Orton-Gillingham based reading instruction. This is the first product MDE had come across that integrates instructional prompts, data collection, and reporting into a single platform which significantly reduces the labor intensive aspect of the Orton-Gillingham approach. HillRAP is the intellectual property of Hill Learning Center, the selected Contractor for this project. The product cut planning and delivery time significantly, automated data collection and reporting, and enabled virtual coaching. All of the advancements provided an opportunity for trained teachers to effectively implement Orton-Gillingham to students with dyslexia and reading disabilities.

Project Duration

Start Date Thu, 09/17/2020 - 00:00

Original end date Wed, 06/30/2021 - 00:00

Actual end date Thu, 06/30/2022 - 00:00

Did project finish on time? Yes

Total billable hours utilized (if applicable) {Empty}

Contract Amounts

Original contract: $74840.00

Amendments $11194.00

Contract total $86034.00

Did project finish within budget? Yes

What was the funding source? federal

Is this a sole source contract? No

If this was a single source contract, explain why the agency determined there was only a single source for the services (if applicable) {Empty}

Evaluator Name Vicki Weinberg

Evaluator Email Address Vicki.Weinberg@state.mn.us

Evaluate the contractor's timeliness excellent

Evaluate the contractor's quality excellent

Evaluate the contractor's cost very reasonable compared to other options

Evaluate the contractor's overall performance Very nimble response during the pandemic, high quality service and responsiveness to both MDE and customer needs.

Would you engage the contractor's services again? Yes

Describe any negative action taken during the duration of this contract (i.e., termination, pursuit of suspension, etc.): NA

Please rate the overall experience with the contractor 5 - very satisfied