How Race to the Top is recasting education reform in America
A nice overview of RTTT Round 2, with a great quote from DFER's Charles Barone:
New York is more than doubling its number on charter schools and will tie teacher evaluations to student performance.
Colorado passed a major overhaul of teacher tenure and evaluation rules, despite fierce union opposition.
And Louisiana teachers will be subject to more rigorous evaluation, after a law the legislature pushed through last week.
As states submit their applications Tuesday for Round 2 of the Obama administration's Race to the Top education grants, several states have taken major actions to try to be more competitive. At the same time, a handful have dropped out, either over disagreement about the framework of the competition or after a failure to get the reforms needed to have a shot at a piece of the $4.3 billion pot of federal money.
The nationwide churn on education reform shows how much mileage the administration has gotten out of a relatively small pot of money – permanently changing the reform agenda in the US as a result, experts say. In addition, Race to the Top seems to be giving many states the political cover they need to push through reforms unpopular with unions.
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How Race to the Top is recasting education reform in America
States are submitting their applications for Round 2 of the Obama administration's $4.3 billion Race to the Top program. States are undertaking major education reform to qualify.
President Obama visited with sixth grade students at the Graham Road Elementary School in Falls Church, Va., before delivering a speech on education reform and Race to the Top in this Jan. 19 file photo.
posted by Whitney Tilson at 9:23 PM
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