Presentation Transcript

1. Race to the Top

   By Betsy, Sara, Desiree
2. “America will not succeed in the 21st century unless we do a far better job of educating our sons and daughters… And the race starts today. I am issuing a challenge to our nation’s governors and school boards, principals and teachers, businesses and non-profits, parents and students: if you set and enforce rigorous and challenging standards and assessments; if you put outstanding teachers at the front of the classroom; if you turn around failing schools – your state can win a Race to the Top grant that will not only help students outcompete workers around the world, but let them fulfill their God-given potential.” - President BarackObama July 24, 2009
3. Purpose $4.65 billion fund Used to give states incentives to produce measurable student gains Asking states to make reforms in four areas Adopt standards and assessments that prepare students to succeed in college/workplace and compete in global economy. Building data systems that measure student growth and success, and inform teachers and principals about how they can improve instruction Recruiting, developing, rewarding, and retaining effective teachers and principals Turn around our lowest achieving schools
4. Standards and Assessments -Fair, legally defensible assessments for all students, affording the opportunity to show what students know and can perform (i.e., reliable, valid, and fair) -Truthful indicators of college and workplace readiness that may influence policy and accountability decisions for high school graduation, college placement, and college admission -Flexibility to incorporate on-demand assessments to inform both high- and low-stakes decisions for improved instruction and system accountability
5. Standards and Assessments -A technology plan that anticipates changing technology, supports open industry standards for interoperability, and facilitates the synchronization of local, state, and federal databases -Timely and accurate information for teachers, administrators, counselors, parents, students, the public, and other stakeholders -Efficient information collection system so traditional enrollment data, course records, and student growth trajectories are available for decision-making related to matriculation
6. Build data systems that measure student growth and success -Data Coaches Experts in both pedagogy and data analysis Facilitate professional learning meetings with small cohorts of teachers several times a month Review each teacher's student data and assist the teacher with developing lesson plans to address areas in need of improvement. Help both teachers and leaders build skills in using data to inform instruction -Development Coaches Support principals, superintendents and charter directors in the transition to a more rigorous, transparent evaluation process Reduce the administrative burden to evaluators and improve the accuracy and calibration of assessments
7. Recruit, Reward, and Retain effective teachers and principals -Effective teachers vs. Highly-effective teachers Effective: Teacher has received a “satisfactory” rating in three of five appraisal components of annual evaluation Highly-effective: Teacher has received a “satisfactory” rating in four of five appraisal components of annual evaluation, and on average student achieve high rates of growth -Provide fellowships for highly effective educators -$10,000 bonuses for highly-effective principals and teachers in critical subject areas in high-poverty or high-minority schools
8. Turn around our lowest achieving schools -Four school intervention models Turnaround Schools: The principal and at least 50% of the staff must be replaced. Transformation: The principal is replaced and steps must be taken to increase teacher and school leader effectiveness, institute comprehensive instructional reforms, increase learning time, and create community-oriented schools. Restart: Convert the school to a charter school. Closure: Close the school and send students to higher-achieving schools.
9. Extra Funds -$5.6 billion in additional grants through several other federal programs that support the Administration's reform priorities. $650 million: Investing in Innovation Fund Support local efforts by school districts and partnerships with nonprofits to start or expand research-based innovative programs that help close the achievement gap and improve outcomes for students. $297 million: Teacher Incentive Fund States and districts will reward teachers and principals for increases in student achievement and boost the number of effective educators working with poor, minority, and disadvantaged students and teaching hard-to-staff subjects. $919 million: State Education Technology Grants Help bring technology into the classroom will be made available.  
10. Extra Funds $315 million: Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems States will expand their data systems to track students' achievement from preschool through college and link their achievement to educators. $3.2 billion: Title I School Improvement Grants Support states in efforts to reform struggling schools, and focus on implementing turnaround models in the lowest- performing schools. $350 million: Race to the Top Help fund common assessments for states that adopt common international standards. Draft guidelines and criteria for the Race to the Top competition as well as the second round of grants from the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund.
11. Who is awarded? Schools that have demonstrated success in the past Schools that have the best plans to accelerate their future reforms
12. Application Timeline Phase 1 States that are immediately ready to apply Phase 2 States that need more time to prepare for application Applicants of Phase 1 who do not receive awards
13. Baseline Eligibility Criteria States must have been approved by the Education Department as eligible to receive fiscal-stabilization funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) States must not have any legislation that prohibit the linking of student data and teacher evaluation
14. Eligibility Points System Each criterion has a certain amount of points associated with it Some criterion award a larger amount of points, some criterion award a smaller amount of points Total points equals 500 Over 50% of the awarded points are based on the school’s performance prior to application
15. 19 Eligibility Criteria State Success Factors (125 points) 1. Articulating State’s education reform agenda and LEAs’ participation in it (65 points) 2. Building strong statewide capacity to implement, scale up, and sustain proposed plans (30 points) 3. Demonstrating significant progress in raising achievement and closing gaps (30 points)
16. Eligibility Criteria Cont’d… Standards and Assessments (70 points) 4. Developing and adopting common standards (40 points) 5. Developing and implementing high-quality assessments (10 points) 6. Supporting the transition to enhanced standards and high-quality assessments (20 points)
17. Eligibility Criteria Cont’d… Data Systems to Support Instruction (47 points) 7. Implementing a statewide longitudinal-data system (24 points) 8. Making a state’s data system accessible to key stakeholders (parents, teachers, community members) (5 points) 9. Using data to improve instruction (18 points)
18. Eligibility Criteria Cont’d… Improving Teachers and Leaders (138 points) 10. Providing high-quality pathways for aspiring teachers and principals (21 points) 11. Differentiating teacher and principal effectiveness based on performance, including supporting merit-pay programs (58 points) 12. Ensuring equitable distribution of effective teachers principals (25 points) 13. Improving the effectiveness of teacher- and principal-preparation programs (14 points) 14. Providing effective support to teachers and principals (20 points)
19. Eligibility Criteria Cont’d… Turning Around Lowest-Achieving Schools (50 points) 15. Intervening in the lowest-performing schools and districts (10 points) 16. Turning around lowest-achieving schools (40 points)
20. Eligibility Criteria Cont’d… General Selection Criteria (55 points) 17. Making education funding a priority (10 points) 18. Ensuring successful conditions for high-performing charters and other innovative schools (40 points) 19. Demonstrating other significant reform conditions (5 points)
21. Percentage of Point Distribution
22. Sources McNeil M. Rich Prize, Restrictive Guidelines: Criteria Would Set High Bar for “Race to the Top” Eligibility. Education Week [serial online]. August 12, 2009;28(37):1,. Available from: ERIC, Ipswich, MA. Accessed March 19, 2012. Ohio Department of Education. (2012). ARRA Race to the Top. Retrieved from http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetailTwoLeftMenu.aspx?page=560 http://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop/executive-summary.pdf