Rules Defined in the Race to the Top Competition

Since I posted about the Race to the Top Program, I figured I should do a bit of a follow up on the rules. I know I was confused navigating the Department of Education's website. Apparently some states were feeling the same way.

The NY Times posted on article about it.Recently Obama clarified some of the rules for the states, basically all of them. This clarification includes how the states will be graded on the application.

"A perfect application would earn a state 500 points, with 125 points allotted for articulating a perfectly coherent agenda for change; 70 points for adopting higher standards and higher quality tests; 47 points for developing computerized systems to track student academic progress; 138 points for recruiting quality teachers, evaluating their effectiveness, and using the evaluations in tenure and other key decisions; 50 points for turning around failing schools; 30 points for other miscellaneous categories of change; and 40 points for fostering the growth of charter schools."

Some states have been overwhelmed with the application alone because there is so much paperwork. Also, states have to get support statements from their school districts. However, states are not alone. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has given $250,000 to 15 states to higher grant proposal writers to look over the state's application. Nice deal huh?

A state's application will be due Mid-January, and the second round will be in June.

Also, there has been clairification on the budgets for each state.

"The new rules urge states to seek amounts of money proportionate to their sizes. They urge four states with large student populations, California, Florida, New York and Texas, to outline budgets in the $350 million to $700 million range. States with small student populations are urged to propose budgets of $20 million to $75 million."

Overall, the Race to the Top has been receiving positive reviews by educators. At first the American Federation of Teachers provided some harsh criticism to the program, but after the new rules were released, they have been more cordial on their remarks. Either way, many schools are looking to the competition for help in the "budget problem" in the school systems, and it seems like everyone sees how this can create a positive outcome. Yes, there are critics to the program, but most see it as a time for schools to implement some form of reform in their schools. Even if the schools do not get the grants, the programs will be implemented, and the US education system will see a change in the system for the next two decades.