Request for Proposals: Project Contractor

Pathways to Success: Supporting Foreign-Trained Teachers in Canada

CASLT is launching a new initiative to address the persistent shortage of French as a Second Language (FSL)* teachers in Canada. This shortage has been a significant challenge for many years, with recent studies indicating a deficit of nearly 10,000 qualified teachers across the country. In response to this ongoing issue, CASLT is focusing on a key potential solution: supporting foreign-trained teachers who are teaching or preparing to teach FSL in Canada.

The term foreign-trained teachers (FTTs), in this context, refers to educators who completed their teacher training abroad and are either already teaching or are in the process of transitioning to teach in Canada. These professionals bring valuable skills and diverse perspectives to our education system. However, they often face unique challenges as they adapt to both the Canadian teaching environment and a new culture. These challenges can include adjusting to different pedagogical approaches, understanding local curriculum standards, navigating unfamiliar administrative processes, and adapting to the nuances of Canadian classroom culture and relationships with students and parents.

To address these challenges and leverage the potential of FTTs to help alleviate the FSL teacher shortage, CASLT is initiating a new project: Pathways to Success: Supporting Foreign-Trained Teachers in Canada. The project aims to develop resources and training opportunities for both employers and FTTs, focusing on facilitating the professional and cultural integration of these educators into the Canadian education system.

By providing targeted support to FTTs and equipping school administrators with the tools to integrate these teachers effectively, this project seeks to enhance the retention and professional success of FTTs in FSL programs, addressing the chronic FSL teacher shortage in Canada.

*For the purposes of this project, “FSL” encompasses all primary and secondary educational programs in Canada where French is taught to students whose first language is not French. This includes, but is not limited to, French Immersion (both early and late immersion), Core French, Extended French, Intensive French, and French as an additional language.

Objectives

The primary objective of the project is to develop comprehensive resources that empower school administrators to support and integrate FTTs effectively within the Canadian education system. It will provide strategies and best practices to address the unique challenges faced by FTTs. The project will develop professional learning opportunities for school staff and administrators, enhancing their capacity to support FTTs during their transition into Canadian schools. To foster a sense of community and collaboration, the project will establish online support networks and mentoring opportunities for both school administrators and FTTs. These online communities will facilitate valuable connections, enabling participants to share experiences, resources, and best practices. Lastly, the project will also aim to raise awareness about the unique needs of FTTs and promote the use of the developed resources across Canada. By addressing these objectives, the project aims to enhance the professional and cultural integration of FTTs, contributing to the retention of qualified educators in the FSL teaching landscape and helping to alleviate the ongoing teacher shortage.

Deliverables

• Administrator Toolkit: A comprehensive, adaptable guide designed for school administrators. This resource will offer strategies and best practices for effectively supporting FTTs while providing flexibility to address the unique regional needs across Canada’s diverse educational landscape.
• Asynchronous Professional Learning Online Courses: A series of three self-paced courses for the CASLT CoLab. Each course should be designed to be completed in approximately two hours. The courses will offer comprehensive learning on supporting FTTs, while respecting the time constraints of school administrators and leaders.
• Live Webinars: A series of three interactive webinars towards the end of the project. These webinars will showcase the project’s resources, encourage uptake, and foster a community of practice among participants.
• Online Support Groups: Establish and moderate self-sustaining networking and mentoring groups on the CASLT CoLab for school administrators and FTTs, ensuring long-term engagement through structured guidelines, peer support, and community management strategies.

Contractor Responsibilities

The contractor will be responsible for the comprehensive development and delivery of all project deliverables. To ensure the success of the project, the contractor will:

• Ensure that project deliverables align closely with CASLT’s vision, mission, and values.
• Conduct extensive research on best practices for supporting foreign-trained FSL teachers in Canada, including literature reviews and consultations with stakeholders.
• Develop all project deliverables based on the research findings.
• Oversee the creation and moderation of online support groups on the CASLT CoLab.
• Submit regular drafts of all materials to the project steering committee for feedback and make necessary revisions in a timely manner.
• Collaborate with CASLT on the awareness-raising phase of the project, contributing expertise to outreach and promotional strategies.
• Manage the project timeline effectively, ensuring all deliverables are completed within the specified two-year timeframe and according to the timeline outlined below.
• Adhere strictly to the agreed-upon budget, providing financial reports as required.
• If subcontracting any portion of the work, ensure that all subcontractors are fully briefed on CASLT’s vision and the project’s objectives, and that their work aligns with the project timeline and budget.
• Maintain open and regular communication with CASLT throughout the project, providing updates on progress and promptly addressing any concerns or challenges that arise.
• Ensure that all content is delivered to CASLT in the agreed-upon format and to the highest professional standards.
• Participate in project evaluation activities as required, contributing to the overall assessment of the project’s impact and effectiveness.

CASLT Responsibilities

CASLT will oversee and manage the project, ensuring its alignment with organizational goals and quality standards. Specifically, CASLT will:

• Establish and manage a steering committee responsible for selecting the contractor, providing ongoing support, and offering regular and comprehensive feedback on project deliverables. The committee will offer feedback and guidance to ensure that the project deliverables meet CASLT’s vision and standards.
• Maintain overall control of the project budget, allocating funds as necessary for various aspects of the project. This includes covering costs for elements outside the contractor’s direct responsibilities, such as copyediting, translation, graphic design, video production, and so on, for the project deliverables.
• Provide administrative and logistical support throughout the planning, production, and execution phases of the project.
• Oversee the final dissemination of the project deliverables, leveraging CASLT’s networks and implementing targeted outreach and promotional strategies.
• Coordinate with the contractor during the awareness-raising phase to maximize the impact and reach of the developed resources.
• Conduct regular project evaluations to assess progress, identify potential issues, and ensure that the project remains on track to meet its objectives.
• Facilitate open communication channels between the contractor, the steering committee, and other relevant stakeholders.

Budget

The contractor’s honorarium is $25,000.

Timelines

• Deadline for submission of proposals: September 30, 2024
• Deadline for creation of online communities: March 31, 2025
• Deadline for submission of the final draft of all content: August 31, 2025
• Timeframe for delivery of all webinar sessions: January 5–March 31, 2026

Evaluation Process and Criteria

All proposals will be evaluated by the project steering committee using a standardized set of criteria. Committee members will review proposals individually before convening to make a final decision. A successful proposal will:

• Demonstrate strong understanding of the subject area
• Showcase relevant expertise or transferrable skills applicable to the project
• Show significant experience or background in the subject area (e.g., 5+ years)
• Exhibit a clear understanding of the target audience and project deliverables, as well as of CASLT’s vision, mission, and values
• Present a detailed, realistic, and well-thought-out timeline for developing and submitting project deliverables
• Demonstrate effective communication skills and the ability to present information clearly
• Potentially offer innovative approaches or ideas to enhance the project’s impact

We encourage all applicants to address these criteria in their proposals to ensure the best possible evaluation of their submission. While we strive for transparency in our selection process, please note that we may not be able to provide detailed feedback on unsuccessful proposals.

Proposal Submission

Your proposal must include the following:

• A detailed work plan outlining your approach to achieving the project deliverables within the specified timeframe. It must provide a clear timeline for drafting, review, revision, and finalization of each deliverable and explicitly demonstrate how feedback will be integrated into the development process.
• A copy of your CV, highlighting relevant experience in similar projects and/or relevant transferable skills.
• Optional: Examples of previous work. If you have completed similar work in this area and can share a sample or portfolio, please include it in your proposal.

Please limit your main proposal to a maximum of 10 pages (or 5,000 words). This limit does not include your CV or any additional samples/portfolio items you choose to submit. Please submit your proposal by email to Kim Giese, Projects and Professional Learning Coordinator, at projects@caslt.org with the subject line “Pathways to Success: Project Proposal.”