President Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan will announce the draft application for the $4.35 billion Race to the Top Fund at 12:15 EST today via a live Web cast.
The application draft for the program, which was funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, has been much anticipated by the education community as it is a significant amount of funding dedicated to a broad range of programs that can demonstrate effective reform.
Thus far, the draft indicates that it will award state grants for past accomplishments and create incentives for future improvement in four critical areas of reform: adopting rigorous standards and assessments; recruiting and retaining effective teachers, especially in classrooms where they are needed most; turning around low-performing schools; and establishing data systems to track student achievement and teacher effectiveness.
The public has 30 days to comment on the fund’s proposed priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria. ED plans to offer grants in two phases. Phase one will open late in calendar year 2009. Phase two will open in late spring 2010.
Also speaking at the Friday Web cast will be Gene Wilhoit, executive director of the Council of Chief State School Officers; Jean Clements, president of the Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association; Mike Feinberg, co-founder of the KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) Foundation and the Superintendent of KIPP Houston; Eric Smith, Commissioner of Education for the state of Florida; and Matthew Austin, a student at Washington D.C’s Howard University Public Charter Middle School of Mathematics and Science.
Tags: ARRA, race to the top, stimulus