Current Projects

The South Carolina Education Oversight Committee (EOC) contracted with Tidwell & Associates, Inc. to conduct an efficiency study of Clarendon 1, Barnwell 19, Lexington 4, and Dorchester 2 School Districts. The goal was to identify opportunities to improve operational efficiencies and reduce non-instructional costs. In addition to finding 112 commendations across all four districts, our team found 240 recommendations for improvement. If the four districts implement Tidwell and Associates, Inc. 240 recommendations, a total of $11,784,684 could be saved over a five- year period.

(qty: 7), U.S. Department of Education. Funding range (annually): $750,000-$1,200,000 annually; duration: 4-5 years. The firm also developed the S.C. Safe Schools Task Force Report for the Governor, Attorney General, and State Superintendent of Education.

(qty: 1), U.S. Department of Education. Funding: $1,879,329; Duration: 5 years.

(qty: 4), U.S. Department of Education. Funding range: $1,200,000; Duration: 3 years.

(qty: 4), U.S. Department of Education. Funding average: $1,000,000, Duration: 3 years.

(qty: 1), U.S. Department of Education. Funding: $10,000,000, Duration: 5 years. This grant was for three educational consortia in Florida which serve 33 rural school districts.

(qty: 6), U.S. Department of Education. Funding range: $600,000-$1.6 million.

(qty: 14), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Funding range $900,000-$2,000,000. Duration: average of 3 years.

(qty: 6), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Funding range: $375,000-$5,000,000. Duration: 3.5 years (SAMHSA).

(qty: 4), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA); (1) Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Grant. Funding range: $1,000,000 $3,000,000. Duration: average of 3 years.

(qty: 1), United Way of The Midlands, SC, Administration for Children and Families, Partners in Compassion (PIC), Funding: $1,500,000, Duration: 3 years.

(qty: 3), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Funding range: $1,500,000 $3,000,000. Duration: 3.5 years.

(qty:4),

a. US Department of Education, SC Department of Corrections, Out for Life, Funding $1,146,381, Duration: 3 Years;

b. Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, SC Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse, New Connections, a therapeutic treatment community at the Department of Corrections, Funding: $3,927,498, Duration: 3 years;

c. Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, S.C. Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services, Stayin’ Straight, Funding: $1,240,800, Duration: 3 years;

d. SAMHSA, SC Department of Mental Health, Project CALM, a jail diversion program, Funding: $892,593, Duration: 3 years.

(qty: 6), S.C. Director of Public Safety and Director of Juvenile Justice. Duration: 1 year-18 months.

a. Project 1: To assess the implementation of the Crime Victims Bill of Rights in S.C.,

b. Project 2: To develop a master plan for crime victim services,

c. Project 3: To develop a plan for the provision of domestic violence services in the state,

d. Project 4: To determine the number of crime victims being served by the S.C. Department of Mental Health and the practices being utilized to identify and serve crime victims, and the

e. Project 5: To develop a protocol for serving child victims in court.

f. Project 6: An NIJ project, to examine practices in three states for the handling of child victims in criminal court and develop a protocol for the court system to use in handling child victim cases.

g. Another project was to provide training across the country in effectively servicing crime victims. While Mr. Tidwell was the Governor’s Division of Public Safety, he led the efforts to pass legislation creating a Crime Victims Bill of Rights in South Carolina, and has served on the board of the S.C. Victim Assistance Network for 28 years.

(qty: 1), U.S. Department of Education. Tidwell & Associates, Inc. was a co-evaluator with MGT of America on this project which assessed a S.C. Department of Education grant to provide intensive services in low performing schools to make systemic changes in those school systems.

(qty:1), Tidwell & Associates was a subcontractor with MGT of America to assist in evaluating the great teachers and leaders component of Florida’s Race To The Top grant. This included an analysis of collective bargaining agreements for school districts and conducting site visits and interviews with schools and district personnel in selected school districts in Florida.

Tidwell & Associates was the lead consultant for developing a juvenile justice reform report for a task force led by a Supreme Court Justice. Mr. Tidwell  directed efforts in Florida to develop juvenile justice standards and goals. Mr. Tidwell spearheaded efforts to establish the first juvenile arbitration program in S.C., which is now statewide. The firm was the program developer and evaluator for the bridge program, which provides substance abuse treatment services to youth leaving institutions and treatment programs, and this program has been sustained in South Carolina.