Our View: State moves on federal school grants - Our View - Merced Sun-Star:
"It took the push of money, but President Obama's new 'Race to the Top' competitive grants are getting California's political and educational leaders to act with some urgency on areas long-identified for change.
If testimony at a state Senate education committee hearing last Tuesday is any indication, consensus is building among these leaders that California can leap ahead in the national competition if it demonstrates a sharp focus on turning around the state's chronically underperforming schools.
These are schools where a full range of interventions have failed to raise student performance to acceptable levels and fundamental change is needed to break the cycle of dysfunction."
"It took the push of money, but President Obama's new 'Race to the Top' competitive grants are getting California's political and educational leaders to act with some urgency on areas long-identified for change.
If testimony at a state Senate education committee hearing last Tuesday is any indication, consensus is building among these leaders that California can leap ahead in the national competition if it demonstrates a sharp focus on turning around the state's chronically underperforming schools.
These are schools where a full range of interventions have failed to raise student performance to acceptable levels and fundamental change is needed to break the cycle of dysfunction."
