AEI Education offers check-up on Education Department

Posted on February 11, 2013 by coreeducation

Frederick M. Hess and Andrew P. Kelly urge a more “measured approach to education reform” from the federal level in their report, What Uncle Sam Can (and cannot) do to Improve K-12 Schooling: Lessons for the next Four Years.

The introduction to the report offers a mixed review of the last four years of federal education policy because reforms have often failed to be applied effectively on the state and local levels:

Washington has been particularly effective in ensuring constitutional protections are upheld in education, connecting education reforms to national priorities, giving states and districts incentives for implementing policy changes, and collecting and reporting data related to school reforms. However, because decisions directly affecting individual schools are made at the state and local levels, Washington bureaucrats have largely failed at enforcing mandates and fixing poorly performing schools. The new Obama administration would do well to embrace a more measured approach to education reform that reflects lessons learned from past successes and failures.

Key Points of the report include:

With the aid of Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, the Obama administration has devoted billions of dollars to bold K-12 reform efforts like Race to the Top. But too often, federal policy fails to reflect an understanding of what the federal government can and cannot do when it comes to improving the nation’s schools.
Although Washington has had success in placing educational reform on the national agenda and in providing states and school districts with incentives to implement clear policy changes, it has been much less successful in its efforts to fix poorly performing schools.
In the next four years, the Obama administration will have fewer resources to work with and significant implementation concerns and should work to ensure that any new reforms avoid overreaching in areas where the federal government has previously failed.

Looking ahead to federal policy in the next four years, Hess and Kelly see three salient points.

First, while Race to the Top did manage to bring some concrete positive changes such as increasing numbers of charter schools and encouraging states to use student-achievement data to evaluate teachers, many of their reforms were too vague or grandiose to be effectively carried out within the states.

Second, the Education Department will need to follow up with the Race to the Top and School Improvement Grant winners in order to ensure better results than have been achieved thus far. This process will mean that the Department has less time for new initiatives and instead is working on improving what they have already done.

Third, while the Education Department, in the follow up to President Obama winning a second term of office, did speak of a new initiative concerning school leadership and principal preparation, it is difficult to see how this effort will actually be implemented. Furthermore, it is difficult to see how there will be time or effort for such an initiative because of how difficult it will be to continue the implementation of programs begun in the last four years.

In conclusion, Hess and Kelly add:

As the administration enters into a second term with fewer resources and a hefty dose of implementation concerns, it would do well to embrace a more measured appraisal of what the feds can and cannot do well when it comes to schooling. In a sector long marked by grand promises and overreach, that kind of discipline may be just what the doctor ordered.

For more details as well as a link to a pdf version of the report, please visit:
http://www.aei.org/outlook/education/k-12/system-reform/what-uncle-sam-can-and-cannot-do-to-improve-k12-schooling-lessons-for-the-next-four-years/

What are states doing with their Race to the Top funding?

Posted on February 7, 2013 by coreeducation

On February 1, 2013, the U.S. Department of Education released state-specific reports for 12 Race to the Top grantees, detailing their progress on transforming education at the local level. The reports highlight the second-year work and accomplishments of states awarded funding through the first two phases of Race to the Top: Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island and Tennessee.

“Race to the Top has sparked dramatic changes, and in only the second year of the program we’re seeing those results reach the classroom,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “Most states have made tremendous strides and met aggressive timelines on work that has the potential to transform public education for years to come. Comprehensive education reform isn’t easy, and a few states have faced major challenges in implementing their plans. As we reach the halfway point, we need to see every state show results.”

The 12 reports provide detailed, transparent summaries of each state’s accomplishments and challenges in year two, which covered the 2011-12 school year, as well as the milestones they have ahead for year three. Each state’s work is measured against its own plan and progress in year two of its Race to the Top grant.

States reached a number of benchmarks in year two, as they implemented unique plans built around Race to the Top’s four assurance areas: implementing college- and career-ready standards and assessments, building robust data systems to improve instruction, supporting great teachers and school leaders, and turning around persistently low-performing schools. Some states made strategic investments to develop tools and resources for educators, students and parents; launch state-level support networks; or develop additional science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) schools or programs. Others launched new pipelines for teachers and leaders, supported key efforts to turn around low-performing schools, or implemented teacher and principal evaluations to better support educators and inform continuous improvement.

The Department’s Implementation and Support Unit (ISU) has partnered with states to track progress and provide feedback as they implement large-scale reform. Where states encountered delays and challenges, the ISU worked with them on adjustments to help move the work forward, while holding states accountable to their commitments. ISU officials will continue to provide annual updates about states’ progress under Race to the Top.

In addition to the year two state reports, the Department posted Annual Performance Report (APR) data from states that received Race to the Top funding in phases one, two and three. These data helped to inform the year two reports, which were also developed with information from site visits, communications with state staff, and other performance reports. The APR helps to advance the Department’s efforts to provide transparent information and allow the public to follow grantees’ progress in implementing reform plans and meeting ambitious goals for student outcomes, including performance measures, student growth and closing achievement gaps.

The Race to the Top program, which made its first awards in 2010, has provided 24 states and D.C. with about $5 billion through three phases of the flagship competition and two rounds of the Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge. Last year, the Department launched the first Race to the Top-District program, which will fund 16 applicants – representing 55 school districts across 11 states and D.C. – with close to $400 million to support locally developed plans that will prepare every student to succeed in college and their careers. The Department’s fiscal year 2013 budget requested an additional $850 million for the Race to the Top program to address the unmet demand of states and districts that have demonstrated a commitment to aggressive and comprehensive education reform.

For a report by this blog from last year about Race to the Top implementation, please click this link: http://coreeducationllc.com/blog2/georgia-still-in-hot-water-over-race-to-the-top/

For more information about the Race to the Top program, and to review the 12 state-specific year two reports and APR data, visit: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop/index.html

16 Race to the Top District Winners Announced

Posted on December 12, 2012 by coreeducation

On December 11, 2012, the Education Department announced the 16 winners of the Race to the Top school district grants (RTTD). 61 Finalists had been announced recently out of an original 372 districts that turned in applications in November. A total of $400 million was due to go out, and winners ranged from $10 million to $40 million for a period of four years, depending on the population of the given district. The winners included urban and rural districts, small districts and large consortia, and public and charter schools. The only large, urban school district to win was Miami-Dade (FL), which also just won the Broad Prize.

The winners, by order of total mean score, are as follows:

Carson City, NV (208.33)
New Haven Unified, CA (207.67)
Miami-Dade, FL (207.00)
Puget Sound Consortium, WA (205.33)
Guilford County, NC (205.33)
Metropolitan School District of Warren Township in Indianapolis, IN (205.00)
IDEA public schools, TX (203.00) [charter schools]
Charleston County, SC (201.67)
Harmony Science Academy consortia, TX (201.67) [charter schools]
St. Vrain Valley, CO (200.33)
Galt Joint Union, CA (199.67)
Iredell-Statesville, NC (199.67)
Middletown City, NY (199.33)
KIPP, DC (199) [charter schools]
Green River Regional Education Cooperative, KY (197)
Lindsay Unified, CA (196.33)

The rankings were based on the evaluations of “independent peer reviewers.”

The grants are designed specifically to target and “support locally developed plans to personalize and deepen student learning, directly improve student achievement and educator effectiveness, close achievement gaps, and prepare every student to succeed in college and their careers.” The Education Department also released a more detailed explanation of what the grant money will address:

Race to the Top-District plans are tailored to meet the needs of local communities and feature a variety of strategies, including: using technology to personalize learning for each student; giving students opportunities to learn beyond the traditional school day and environment; supporting students’ transitions throughout their education, including from high school to college and careers; expanding partnerships with community organizations to provide students with targeted social services like crisis intervention, individual counseling and life enrichment opportunities; and providing professional development and coursework options to deepen learning in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields.

The education department was very enthusiastic about the results, especially concerning how diversified the school districts were that won. Arne Duncan, education secretary, commented, “Districts have been hungry to drive reform at the local level, and now these winners can empower their school leaders to pursue innovative ideas where they have the greatest impact: in the classroom. The Race to the Top-District grantees have shown tremendous leadership though developing plans that will transform the learning environment and enable students to receive a personalized, world-class education.” Duncan also tweeted his opinions shortly after the results were released: “Race to the Top sparked as much reform in some states that didn’t receive funds as in those that did-a trend we want to see continue. We had many more great RTTD applicants than money. We hope districts will move aggressively forward with their RTTD blueprints.”

Questions certainly remain, however, especially about the process by which the decisions were made.

Several districts that had been listed in the previously released top 61 finalists did not finish in the overall top 61 when each of the scores is ranked. The Education Department has not yet explained if the finalists were re-scored before a final determination was made. In particular, Baltimore, which had been one of the 61 finalists, finished in 109^th place. Lane County School District 4J, OR wasn’t a finalist but ended in 52nd.

Of the 16 winners, only 5 are from states that originally won Race to the Top money, and nearly all of the large, urban school districts lost. Some of the city districts that applied and lost include Baltimore, Boston, Cleveland, Dallas, Nashville, New York City, Newark, Philadelphia, and St. Louis. Finally, the only two districts that won top dollar ($40 million) were for consortia of schools.

For more information, please visit these two links from the Education Department:

http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/education-department-announces-16-winners-race-top-district-competition

http://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop-district/awards.html

Also see these three links for further commentary:

http://www.edexcellence.net/commentary/education-gadfly-daily/flypaper/2012/first-take-on-race-to-the-top-district-results.html

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/District_Dossier/2012/12/race_to_the_top_district_winne.html

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2012/12/12/14rtt_ep.h32.html

Race to the Top-District Finalists Announced

Posted on November 27, 2012 by coreeducation

Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Education announced that 61 applications have been selected as finalists for the Race to the Top-District (RTTT-D) competition. The 2012 RTTT-D program will provide close to $400 million to support locally developed plans to personalize and deepen student learning, directly improve student achievement and educator effectiveness, close achievement gaps, and prepare every student for success in college and careers.

The 61 finalists, representing more than 200 school districts, were selected from 372 applications the Department received in November to demonstrate how districts could personalize education for students and provide school leaders and teachers with key tools that support them to meet students’ needs.

“These finalists are setting the curve for the rest of the country with innovative plans to drive education reform in the classroom,” U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said. “This competition was designed to support local efforts to close the achievement gap and transform the learning environment in a diverse set of districts, but no matter who wins, children across the country will benefit from the clear vision and track records of success demonstrated by these finalists.”

Consistent with the Department’s plan to select high-quality proposals from applications across a variety of districts, the finalists represent a range of districts, both rural and non-rural, from both Race to the Top states and non-Race to the Top states.

The Department expects to select 15-25 winning applications from the Race to the Top-District competition for four-year awards that will range from $5 million to $40 million, depending on the population of students served through the plan. Awards will be announced no later than Dec. 31, 2012.

To access the list of finalists, please visit http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/us-department-education-announces-61-applications-finalists-400-million-race-top

LAUSD Ineligible for Race to the Top Funds

Posted on November 20, 2012 by coreeducation

Recently, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) submitted its Race to the Top-District proposal without the signature of the United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA). The move will make them ineligible for $40 million in funding.

The controversy between LAUSD, headed by Superintendent John Deasy, and UTLA, headed by President Warren Fletcher, surrounds exactly how those funds would be used within the school district. LAUSD wants to apply the funds for various programs and technology such as “Linked Learning pathways, parent engagement programs, individualized support for students, professional development, and digital tablets” that will prepare students for college or for work after high school; however, UTLA argues that “it would not be fiscally responsible” nor would it “put teachers in classrooms.”

This is not the first time in California–a state that has been wracked by budgetary shortfalls in recent years–when school districts have been derailed in their attempts to gain federal education funds by a lack of accord with teachers unions. Glendale, Sacramento, and Bay Area school districts have faced similar problems.

Superintendent Deasy has attempted to circumvent the technicalities of the Race to the Top rule requiring a signature from the teachers union president. Writing to Education Secretary Arne Duncan in a supplement to the grant application, Deasy argued, “Though department rules mandate union support for the application, I appeal to you to consider the LAUSD grant. There is a common saying that extraordinary times demand extraordinary measures. With LAUSD continuing to face historic budget challenges while demonstrating historic gains, we believe we are in the midst of such times.”

Thus far, the Education Department has held the official line.

The Los Angeles Education Partnership, a non-governmental education organization in Los Angeles that seeks to work with anyone concerned about Los Angeles schools, set up an “Education Salon” intended to make public any concerns about the role of teachers unions in facilitating student success. After a “lively discussion, panelists agreed that a lack of trust characterizes the district-union relationship, often to the detriment of Los Angeles students.”

Ellen Pais, LAEP’s president and CEO, commented, “At points in Los Angeles’ history, people have been able to come together for the benefit of students,” she said. “How do we make now one of those moments? Who are the leaders in Los Angeles who are going to make this happen?”

The Education Salon panelists and audience members raised topics that included the:

need for inclusive conversations about education reform
tendency for all parties to focus on areas of disagreement rather than larger areas of agreement
exclusion of parents from the larger discussions about education and reform
barriers to reform found in the union’s House of Representatives
importance of education to solving the problem of poverty
length of the teachers’ union contract

“This Education Salon is structured to bring together a variety of viewpoints in a civil discourse,” said Jane Patterson, LAEP senior director, in her introduction. “The students of L.A. deserve nothing less than that from the adults who are the decision-makers for their schools.”

LAEP Board Chair Rod Hamilton moderated the discussion among Warren Fletcher, president of the UTLA teachers union; Jordan Henry, LAUSD teacher and co-founder of progressive teachers group NewTLA; Alicia Lara, vice president of community investment at United Way Los Angeles; and David Abel, president of ABL Inc., a public policy consulting firm, and LAEP co-founder and board member.

The notable omission was, of course, Superintendent John Deasy.

For more information, visit these links: http://w ww.dailynews.com/ci_21905869/lausd-seeks-40-million-race-top-grant-without.html and http://www.laep.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=36&Itemid=225

Nearly 900 Districts Intend to Apply for Race to the Top Funding

Posted on September 4, 2012 by coreeducation

On Friday, the U.S. Department of Education announced that 893 potential applicants have submitted their intent to apply for the 2012 Race to the Top-District program, which will provide close to $400 million to support local reforms that will personalize learning, close achievement gaps and prepare each student for college and their careers.

The Race to the Top-District competition invites applicants to demonstrate how they can personalize education for all students and is aimed squarely at classrooms and the all-important relationship between teachers and students. The competition will encourage transformative change within schools, providing school leaders and teachers with key tools and support in order to best meet their students’ needs.

The Department has posted the list of those who have indicated their intent to apply on its website: www.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop-district. The list includes all those who submitted an intent to apply and does not indicate their eligibility for the competition. The intent to apply is not binding, and the information collected will be used by the Department primarily to develop an efficient process for reviewing grant applications. Potential applicants that did not submit an intent to apply may still apply for funding.

The Department plans to support high-quality proposals from applicants across a variety of districts, including rural and non-rural districts as well as those already participating in a Race to the Top state grant and districts not participating. These 4-year awards will range from $5 million to $40 million, depending on the population of students served through the plan. The Department is expecting to make 15-25 awards.

For more information, see: www.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop-district. Applications are due Oct. 30, with awards being announced no later than Dec. 31, 2012.

Georgia Still in Hot Water Over Race to the Top

Posted on August 14, 2012 by coreeducation

The U.S. Department of Education has not been swayed by Georgia’s passionate defense of its teacher-evaluation plans, which are somewhat in conflict with what the state promised to do when it won a coveted Race to the Top grant.

In a new letter to the state, the federal department’s Race to the Top implementer-in-chief Ann Whalen reiterated that Georgia is still on high-risk status over concerns about the “overall strategic planning, evaluation, and project management” for its new teacher-evaluation system. The Aug. 1 letter from the department reads a lot like the original July 2 letter that put Georgia on notice that it might lose $33 million of its $400 million Race to the Top grant for failing to make good on its promises on teacher evaluations.

The federal department went a bit further in its new letter and questioned whether Georgia is implementing its new system in a “comprehensive and deliberate manner.” What’s more, the letter says, the state had “ample opportunities” to demonstrate its progress but has failed to do so.

The department did extend the deadline by which Georgia must submit a new plan, timelines, and list of deliverables for its teacher-evaluation system. The deadline had been Aug. 1; now it’s Oct. 15. A Georgia education spokesman said the state will be able to comply with the new deadline.

To read more, including the above-mentioned letters, please visit http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2012/08/the_us_department_of_education_4.html

Race to the Top – District Proposal Application

Posted on August 12, 2012 by coreeducation

The Department of Education has released the application materials for the latest round of the Race to the Top (RTT) competition. Geared towards individual school districts, this round will award grants from $5 – $40 million, depending on the size of the school district. From the application:

The Race to the Top – District competition invites applicants to demonstrate how they can personalize education for all students in their schools. It is aimed squarely at classrooms and the all-important relationship between educators and students…A successful applicant will provide teachers the information, tools, and supports that enable them to meet the needs of each student and substantially accelerate and deepen each student’s learning. These LEAs will have the policies, systems, infrastructure, capacity, and culture to enable teachers, teacher teams, and school leaders to continuously focus on improving individual student achievement and closing achievement gaps. These LEAs will also make equity and access a priority and aim to prepare each student to master the content and skills required for college- and career-readiness, provide each student the opportunity to pursue a rigorous course of study, and accelerate and deepen students’ learning through attention to their individual needs. As important, they will create opportunities for students to identify and pursue areas of personal academic interest – all while ensuring that each student masters critical areas identified in college- and career-ready standards or college- and career-ready high school graduation requirements.

The Absolute Priorities for this competition include 1) personalized learning environments; 2) Non-rural LEAs in states with existing RTT funding; 3) Rural LEAs in RTT states; 4) Non-rural LEAs in non-RTT states; and 5) rural LEAs in non-RTT states.

To access the application and supporting documents, please visit http://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop-district/index.html

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