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PRESS RELEASE

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Jennifer Fennell
(850) 245-0413

Florida Department of Education Honored with Prudential Financial Davis Productivity Awards
~DOE employees recognized for innovative, productive practices~

TALLAHASSEE - Education Commissioner Jeanine Blomberg today announced that the Florida Department of Education has been honored with 25 Prudential Financial Davis Productivity Awards. The Prudential Financial Davis Productivity Awards, sponsored by Florida TaxWatch, recognize and reward Florida government employees whose work significantly and measurably increases productivity and promotes innovation.

“Each day at the Department of Education we look to improve how we do things,” said Commissioner Blomberg.  “We are constantly evolving to make sure our students have access to the best education possible.  I am proud of these employees for helping further this goal.”

The 2007 awards competition attracted 503 nominations for innovation and productivity improvements worth $332 million in cost savings, cost avoidances and increased revenue for state government. Since 1989, award winners have produced more than $5.3 billion worth of added value. Of the Department of Education entries, 25 winning achievements will be recognized.

The Prudential Financial Davis Productivity Awards program is a major government improvement initiative chaired by Lt. Governor Jeff Kottkamp and co-sponsored by Florida TaxWatch, The Florida Council of 100 and the State of Florida. Cash awards of $200 to $2,500 plus commemorative plaques and certificates of commendation are presented annually to state employees who clearly exceed their job descriptions and performance expectations in ways that improve service delivery and save money for Florida taxpayers and businesses. Formal award ceremonies and luncheons will be held throughout Florida in June.

The 2007 Department of Education Awards

Teams or Individuals Recognized Achievement Title
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Unit 08C Improved Rehabilitation Service Delivery and Increased Client Employment
Carol Bierkamp Streamlined the Social Security Reimbursement Process
Education Data Center Infrastructure Upgrade Team Designed and Implemented Disaster Resistant Computer Facility Environment
Administrative Wage Garnishment Unit Increased Revenue to Provide Need-Based Student Assistance
Grants Management Tracking System Team Developed Grants Management Tracking System
K-12 Assessment Administration and Reporting Team Implemented Internet-based FCAT Reporting Network for Parents
Data Collection Websites Implementation Team Implemented Websites to Improve Communication Among Education Stakeholders
SAS Server Migration Team Integrated Multiple Instances of SAS Software and Hardware
Workforce Awareness and Recruitment Campaign Team Developed Workforce Awareness and Recruitment Campaign
Florida Academic Counseling and Tracking for Students Team Developed Statewide Online High School Student Advising System
Summer Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten Education Planning Program Developed Summer Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program Planning Tool
Voluntary Prekindergarten Emergent Literacy Team Developed Online Emergent Literacy Course
Program Policy Archives Project Team Reduced the Need for Storage Space and Cost
Stephanie Allen Strengthened Private School Scholarship Program Internal Control Processes
Mark Durphy Investigated Private School Scholarship Programs
Social Security Administration Claims Reimbursement Processing Team Increased Revenue Reimbursement Claims by $1.5 Million
Supplemental Education Services Application Team Developed Online Supplemental Education Services Application Process
Joseph Hemingway Developed an Intrusion Detection and Performance Monitoring System
Jessica Davis Migrated, Configured and Maintained a World-Class E-mail System
Angela Daughtry Developed and Ran Summer Program for Visually Impaired Children
John E. Mirra Developed Business Partnerships to Increase Employment for Disabled
Florida College Goal Sunday Planning Team Developed Inaugural Statewide Financial Aid Counseling Event
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Deployed Data Driven System Recognizing High Performance Teams
Holly Radcliffe Developed Efficient New Process for K-12 Conference
Lila Rissman, Elissa Arndt, Michael Jones and Jay Matteson Achieving Every Florida Child Reads Grade Level Project