Some call it an opportunity to foster real, practical reform in our public schools. Others say it's more federal meddling that will lead to problems down the road.
Whichever side you fall on, it's a lot of money; $3.4 billion now that the Phase 1 winners—Delaware and Tennessee—have been awarded their big checks.
Race to the Top is the federal government's newest initiative to improve our nation's schools, focusing on four main components: adopting assessments that prepare students for life after high school, building data systems that measure student success and help teachers improve instruction, attracting and keeping effective teachers and principals and turning around low-achieving schools.
It sounds great in theory, but so did No Child Left Behind and we all know how that turned out. The devil is truly in the details when it comes to education in this country. And while local school officials are wary of more federal mandates—and rightly so—it seems to us that Race to the Top could work.
The biggest improvement of this initiative over NCLB is that it's not a mandate. States don't have to compete for a chunk of the billions, and the federal government isn't changing school regulations, at least not yet. Of course, in tough budget times, most are salivating over the thought of some free money, and the competition aspect seems to be encouraging some innovative ideas in states that embrace the reforms in RTTT.
Here in Washington, Gov. Chris Gregoire recently signed into law Senate Bill 6696, which will better align the state to receive some of the RTTT funds. While Washington didn't compete in Phase 1 of the competition, it's clear the state is now hoping to jump on the train. Our state does not allow charter schools, deducting 50 points from the 500 possible for an application. Leaders say this will hurt our chances, but it's not necessarily fatal.
At a recent meeting of the Cheney School Board, board members said the district would receive very little money—Superintendent Larry Keller said he didn't expect more than $120,000—if Washington were to be awarded RTTT funds. It's easy to see why school districts feel they're being asked to dance to the federal government's tune to receive a treat, and if that treat is only worth $120,000, it might not be worth all the headaches associated with reporting results, establishing the fed's Common Core Standards and everything else.
But let's also look at this from a more constructive angle: Washington schools do need a change. Our kids need a solid education and rational guidance so that they're ready and informed of all their options—whether it's college, vocational school or work—at graduation. Our teachers need to be rewarded for innovative thinking, creativity and helping kids toward their goals, and RTTT is aiming to do just that.
It's abundantly clear that there's not a simple answer to the question of reducing dropout rates or of improving college and workplace preparedness. But here's hoping that our state's leaders are thinking about these things and taking meaningful steps toward improvement for the sake of our students and our schools, not just for the big check that could come with it.
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