Race To Top: Are you in it? Do you see yourself in it?
by Sarah Tambucci, Director
Arts Education CollaborativeRace to the Top is a competitive grant opportunity for states and represents the largest discretionary funding for education reform ever made available by the federal government. The total amount available nationally is $4.3 billion. And just this week the president proposes a $1.35 billion expansion to the school reform program in the 2011 budget.
President Barack Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan have high expectations in return for this unprecedented investment. They expect that our schools will build a new foundation for America’s continued growth and prosperity; they expect schools to live up to the promise of a high-quality education for every child.
| President Obama & Education Secretary Arne Duncan announce plans to expand Race to the Top |
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The White House wants states to use Race to the Top funds to ease limits on charte schools, link teacher pay to student achievement, and move toward a national, yet-to-be adopted set of academic standards. To date, 40 states and the District of Columbia have submitted applications to compete in Phase 1 of Race to the Top. Application deadline was January 19. Pennsylvania is among the applicants.
In a letter to superintendents, Pennsylvania Secretary of Education, Gerald Zahorchak encouraged districts to ‘sign on’. Zahorchak describes Pennsylvania as a strong contender given progress in each of the reform areas:
- Adopting standards and assessments that prepare students for college and workplace success
- Implementing data systems that measure student success and inform instruction
- Creating and supporting effective teachers and principals, and
- Ensuring equitable distribution and turning around lowest achieving schools.
Is your school district included in Pennsylvania’s application?
If Pennsylvania is a successful applicant, what opportunities exist for advancing an arts education agenda that are embedded in the proposed activities? The opportunities are truly ‘embedded’ and it will take some initiative and creativity to identify the possibilities. Consider the access points of professional development and best practices for starters. After all, it’s all about creativity.
