The Race To The Top Has Begun

The Obama administration has released its rules for the much-anticipated “Race to the Top” competition, and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan admits that there “are going to be a lot more losers than winners.”

Duncan told the Wall Street Journal that the unprecedented investment of $4.35 billion dollars would go to states, as few as 15, which will model to the others what is possible through education.

The New York Times spelled out that scoring 500 points would result from a perfect application:

With 125 points allotted for articulating a perfectly coherent agenda for change; 70 points for adopting higher standards and higher quality tests; 47 points for developing computerized systems to track student academic progress; 138 points for recruiting quality teachers, evaluating their effectiveness, and using the evaluations in tenure and other key decisions; 50 points for turning around failing schools; 30 points for other miscellaneous categories of change; and 40 points for fostering the growth of charter schools.

The Washington Post quoted Duncan as offering, “We’re saying student achievement matters and teachers and principals make a huge difference in students’ lives. We’re getting a lot of pushback on this, but it is a game-changer.”

UPDATE: Duncan and the Department of Education have posted their own press release as well as the complete 775-page full document on the awarding of the Race to the Top funds.

And the rest of the Charter Roundup:

Calif. — Deportation flyer sinks charter school vote to new low (Los Angeles Daily News)
Calif. — Assembly must quickly pass Race to the Top reforms (San Jose Mercury News)
Colo. — Charters are a part of the education solution (Denver Post)
Idaho — Idaho charter school denies public records request (The Oklahoman)
La. — Emphasis on charter schools is misguided (Lafayette Advertiser)
Mass. — Schools shouldn’t sink tax dollars into charter legal fight (Gloucester Daily Times)
Texas — $10 million gift energizes charter chain (Houston Chronicle)
Va. — Will bipartisanship rule in building quality charter schools? (Bacon’s Rebellion)

This feature is intended to share the latest news on charter schools. If you have a news item that didn’t make the list, email us a link and Schools Building Communities will give it consideration.