Fri Jul 30 2010
Frankfort educators have signaled their agreement with the state’s plan to seek millions in federal funding for innovative school reform.
The U.S. Department of Education will give states a total of $4.35 billion in competitive grants through its Race to the Top Fund next year.
Members of the Frankfort Independent Board of Education unanimously approved a “memorandum of understanding” Tuesday, agreeing to implement the reforms included in Kentucky’s grant application.
Superintendent Rich Crowe and Gala Catron, president of Frankfort Independent’s chapter of the Kentucky Education Association, also signed the document.
State Education Commissioner Terry Holliday has asked all 174 Kentucky school districts to sign off on the agreement by Dec. 31 to show widespread support for the plan.
But that has prompted “a lot of hand wringing” across the state, Crowe said. The document signed Tuesday includes just 15 “preliminary” bullet points – not the entire application.
FIS Vice Chairman Paul Looney questioned why board members didn’t get to review the application before signing the dotted line.
“I hate signing off on something that says we agree to implement all this,” he said. “I don’t know if everyone knows what they’re buying into.”
According to the memorandum of understanding, school districts must agree to keep data on student achievement, use statewide evaluations for teachers and principals, and turn around the lowest 5 percent of schools.
Alternative approaches to “compensation and/or career paths” are also included, which could mean differentiated pay for teachers who agree to work in low-performing schools or continue their education.
“If we don’t get enough buy-in statewide, we won’t even qualify for the money,” said board member Sara Call.
“At this point, I’m for trusting it, because I want to at least have a chance to have the money.”
The Kentucky Department of Education can’t make the application public yet, said Lisa Gross, director of communications for KDE.
For one thing, it isn’t finished yet. The application is due Jan. 19.
It would also go against the procurement process, Gross said, and could jeopardize Kentucky’s chances against other states.
“You don’t want to let the cat out of the bag too much, because we don’t want any other states to steal our ideas,” she said. “This is a competition.”
But signing the agreement doesn’t tie FIS to any specifics, Gross said. About half of Kentucky’s school districts have approved the document.
“If the (grant) application is approved, and we say we’re going to do this very specific thing, if they (school districts) don’t want to do it, they won’t be penalized for it,” she said.
“This is just to say they are on board with the concept, and they support the direction we are taking.”
To receive a grant, states must show they are preparing students for life after high school, using data to track academic progress, “recruiting, developing, rewarding and retaining” effective teachers and principals, and turning around the lowest-achieving schools.
The first group of 19 winners will be announced in April, and a second will be announced in September.
Comments
By Posting to this site, you agree to our Terms of Service Be polite.
Inappropriate posts may be removed.
State-Journal.com doesn't necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post.
Login above or Register to comment.
0 Total Comments Home | Back
Copyright Frankfort Publishing Co., LLC 1995-2010. All Rights Reserved.
Content may not be republished without the expressed written consent of the publisher.
Content may not be republished without the expressed written consent of the publisher.
Dix Communications