Race to the Top ARRA ARRA: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), commonly known as the Economic Stimulus Package, will make funds available to states and school districts to save teaching jobs, help states address budget deficits, improve student achievement and promote education reform. The US Department of Education (ED) identifies four reform areas for ARRA: (1) adopting rigorous college‐ and career‐ready standards and high‐quality assessments; (2) establishing data systems and using data for improvement; (3) increasing teacher effectiveness and equitable distribution of effective teachers; and (4) turning around the lowest‐performing schools. Race to the Top (State Incentive Grant Fund): The $4.35 billion ARRA Race to the Top (RttT) program is the largest ever federal competitive investment in school reform. Race to the Top will reward states that have demonstrated success in raising student achievement and have the best plans to accelerate their reforms in the future. Qualifications: Eligibility Requirements ‐ There are two non‐negotiable eligibility requirements for Race to the Top applicants: A state must have been approved by ED for both Phase I and Phase II of ARRA State Fiscal Stabilization Fund, and a state must not have any state laws in place that disallow using student achievement or student growth data for evaluating teachers and principals. Priorities ‐ The absolute priority (application will not be considered if it does not meet this priority) for each RttT application is a comprehensive approach to education reform that addresses all four ARRA reform areas. STEM is a competitive preference and worth additional points in the evaluation process. In addition, there are 4 invitational priorities (see page 2) that do not garner additional points. Selection Criteria ‐ Nineteen education reform criteria (see page3) that are closely aligned with the four ARRA reform areas serve as the basis for ED’s evaluation of applications. ARRA requires that the Governor submit the state’s application for a Race to the Top grant on behalf of the state and the application must be signed by the State’s chief school officer, and the president of the State board of education. The application includes: 1) the status of the state's progress toward the four SFSF assurances (education reform areas); 2) a detailed budget 3) performance measures: for each State Reform Conditions Criterion, a description of the State’s current status in meeting that Criterion 4) a detailed plan for each Reform Plan Criterion, including goals, activities, timelines 5) the sign off of the State’s Attorney General verifying the accuracy of the representation of state law and the lack of barriers to linking data on student achievement to teachers and principals for the purpose of evaluation. 6) LEA agreement and preliminary scope‐of‐work plan documenting the portions of the State’s proposed reform plans that the LEA is agreeing to implement. 7) Verification that all work carried out under RttT (unless proprietary) will be made freely available to others
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For information on Scholastic solutions aligned with the goals of ARRA see: www.scholastic.com/economicrecovery November 2009
Race to the Top ARRA ARRA Race to the Top Fund Flexibility Options: Each state that is awarded an RttT State Incentive Grant must use at least 50% of its grant to provide subgrants to school districts, including charter schools, based on their relative shares of funding under Title I, Part A for the most recent year. The subgrants to Title I districts are not subject to Title I spending guidelines. A state may use the remaining funds, or up to 50% of the total award, for state‐level activities and to disburse to any LEA under “formulas, competitive processes, or other mechanisms” that the state proposes in its plan. Applications must include participating LEAs’ preliminary scope of work.
Priorities: ED has established six priorities for the Race to the Top competition: 1. Comprehensive Approach to the Four Reform Areas. States must include in their applications a comprehensive plan that addresses all four reform areas (top of page 1) as well as the State Success Factors Criteria (absolute priority – application will not be considered if it does not meet this priority). State much also demonstrate sufficient Local Education Agencies (LEAs) participation and commitment to use RttT to increase student achievement, decrease achievement gaps, and increase graduation rates. There are nineteen selection criteria. See page 4 for a full list of selection criteria. 2. Emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). To meet this priority, states must describe plans to offer rigorous science, technology, engineering, and mathematics courses, cooperate with external groups, and prepare more students for advanced study with STEM (competitive preference – for which 15 additional points may be given in the evaluation process, all or nothing). 3. Innovations for Improving Early Learning Outcomes. The state must include practices, strategies, or programs to improve educational outcomes for high‐need students who are young children (PK‐ 3rd grade). (invitational priority ‐ ED has expressed an interest in receiving applications that meet the priority, but they are not given preference over other state’s applications). 4. Expansion and Adaptation of Statewide Longitudinal System. The state outlines its plans to expand statewide longitudinal data systems to integrate data from special education programs, English language learners, early childhood programs, finance, health and other relevant areas. The Secretary is also interested in cross‐state collaboration to create such systems. (invitational priority). 5. P‐20 Coordination, Vertical and Horizontal Alignment. The state must address how early childhood programs, K‐12 schools, postsecondary institutions, workforce development organizations and other State agencies and community partners (e.g., child welfare, juvenile justice, and criminal justice agencies) will coordinate to improve the education system and ensure that students are ready to transition from one level to the next (invitational priority). 6. School‐Level Conditions for Reform and Innovation. The state details how participating LEAs provide schools with flexibility and autonomies conducive to school reform and innovation. Flexibility is encouraged in selecting staff, implementing increased learning time, controlling the school budget, awarding credit to students based on performance instead of instructional time, and other factors (invitational priority).
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For information on Scholastic solutions aligned with the goals of ARRA see: www.scholastic.com/economicrecovery November 2009
Race to the Top ARRA
RttT Selection Criteria: ED proposes to evaluate RttT applications using 19 education reform criteria that are closely aligned with the four ED ARRA reform areas. ED will use a two‐tiered review process, with written application evaluation followed by finalists’ presentations. The RttT scoring rubric includes 19 selection criteria (485 points) and one competitive priority (STEM at 15 points) that collectively add up to 500 points. Points State Success Factors 125 1. Articulating State’s educational reform agenda and LEAs’ participation in it ‐ 65 2. Building strong statewide capacity to implement, scale up, and sustain proposed plans ‐ 30 3. Demonstrating significant progress in raising achievement and closing gaps ‐ 30 Standards and Assessments 70 1. Developing and adopting common standards – 40 2. Developing and implementing common, high‐quality assessments ‐ 10 3. Supporting transition to enhanced standards and high‐quality assessments ‐ 20 Data Systems to Support Instruction 47 1. Fully implementing a statewide longitudinal data system ‐ 24 2. Accessing and using State data ‐ 5 3. Using data to improve instruction ‐ 18 Great Teachers and Leaders 138 1. Providing high‐quality pathways for aspiring teachers and principals ‐ 21 2. Improving teacher and principal effectiveness based on performance ‐ 58 3. Ensuring equitable distribution of effective teachers and principals ‐ 25 4. Improving the effectiveness of teacher and principal preparation programs ‐ 14 5. Providing effective support to teachers and principals ‐ 20 Turning Around Struggling Schools See School Intervention Models, page 4. 50 1. Intervening in the lowest‐achieving schools and LEAs ‐ 10 2. Turning around the lowest‐achieving schools ‐ 40 General Selection Criteria 55 1. Making education funding a priority – 10 2. Ensuring successful conditions for high‐performing charters and other innovative schools ‐ 40 3. Demonstrating other significant reform conditions ‐ 5 Competitive Preference Priority 2, Emphasis on STEM 15 TOTAL 500
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For information on Scholastic solutions aligned with the goals of ARRA see: www.scholastic.com/economicrecovery November 2009
Race to the Top ARRA School Intervention Models: Schools may use one of four school intervention models to turn around their lowest‐achieving schools: Turnaround model: School must replace the principal and provide operational flexibility, select new staff, implement strategies as financial incentives and implement a number of other requirements. Restart model: School is converted to a school under a charter school operator, a charter management organization (CMO), or an education management organization (EMO). School closure model: School is closed and students are enrolled in other schools that are higher achieving. Transformation model: Replace the principal and take steps to increase teacher and school leader effectiveness, comprehensive instructional reform strategies, increase learning time and create community‐oriented schools, and provide operational flexibility and support. Note: ED recognizes the critical nature of reading intervention and noted in the Final Rule: “Advancing the literacy skills of all students, particularly students from low‐income families, English language learners and students with disabilities is the foundation for many of the criteria in the RttT competition.” Improving literacy achievement through effective instruction is at the core of the turnaround, restart and transformation models of school intervention. Evaluation: As part of RttT, states are not required to conduct independent evaluations. IES is responsible for the national evaluations of RttT grantees. Evaluations will include surveys, case studies, and evaluations of outcomes of student achievement.
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For information on Scholastic solutions aligned with the goals of ARRA see: www.scholastic.com/economicrecovery November 2009
Race to the Top ARRA
Race to the Top Fund Allocations, Awards, and Timelines: Race to the Top grants will be awarded in two phases. States that need more time to secure the required commitments, or submit an application but are not awarded funds in the first phase may submit an application in Phase 2. States that receive grants in Phase I may not apply for additional funding in Phase 2. Funding Source Funding Estimates Timeline for Race to the Top Grants Release to States Phase I RttT State Incentive ED will determine the Applications are due mid‐ Grants amount of the awards based January 2010 on the selection criteria. See Awards announced April state budget ranges below. 2010 Phase II RttT State Incentive Grants
ED will determine the amount of the awards based on the selection criteria. See state budget ranges below.
Applications are due June 1, 2010 Awards announced September, 2010
State Budget Ranges: Category Category 1 ‐‐ $350 ‐ 700 M Category 2 ‐‐ $200 ‐ 400 M Category 3 ‐‐ $150 – 250 M Category 4 ‐‐ $60 – 175 M
Category 5 ‐‐ $20‐75 M
States California, Texas, New York, Florida Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, New Jersey Virginia, Arizona, Indiana, Washington, Tennessee, Massachusetts, Missouri, Maryland, Wisconsin Minnesota, Colorado, Alabama, Louisiana, South Carolina, Puerto Rico, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Oregon, Connecticut, Utah, Mississippi, Iowa, Arkansas, Kansas, Nevada New Mexico, Nebraska, Idaho, West Virginia, New Hampshire, Maine, Hawaii, Rhode Island, Montana, Delaware, South Dakota, Alaska, North Dakota, Vermont, Wyoming, District of Columbia
For further information on Education programs included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, including RttT ARRA funds see: http://www.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop/index.html The Race to the Top fact sheet, Federal Register Notice and other program information listed under “Race to the Top,” may be downloaded from the site.
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For information on Scholastic solutions aligned with the goals of ARRA see: www.scholastic.com/economicrecovery November 2009