"The California Legislature Did Our Job on Race to the Top --Will Governor Schwarzenegger Cross the Finish Line?
By Assembly Speaker Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles)
In a relay race, timing and coordination are everything. If you don't have a baton that you can successfully pass to the next runner it doesn't matter how fast you go--the race is lost.
The Assembly had that in mind as we worked carefully these past few weeks to finalize legislation to improve our schools and keep California competitive for a share of $4.3 billion in federal 'Race to the Top' education grants."
The Assembly passed a comprehensive bill that advances significant education reforms and helps the state meet the application deadline for Race to the Top. The legislation followed statewide hearings and meetings with stakeholders, which took time, but which Race to the Top rules require.
We also took time to conduct in-depth negotiations with the Senate and the Schwarzenegger Administration--and our end result includes higher standards for math and language, real tools for teachers at low-performing schools, increased intervention for consistently troubled schools, stronger parental involvement and greater ability for students in the lowest perfoming schools to transfer to higher performing schools.
We also make it easier to to use student performance to evaluate teachers and replace up to 50% of the staff in the lowest performing schools. The Assembly strongly supports teachers and the job they do in the classroom. We also felt strongly that these provisions should be part of the final package.
By Assembly Speaker Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles)
In a relay race, timing and coordination are everything. If you don't have a baton that you can successfully pass to the next runner it doesn't matter how fast you go--the race is lost.
The Assembly had that in mind as we worked carefully these past few weeks to finalize legislation to improve our schools and keep California competitive for a share of $4.3 billion in federal 'Race to the Top' education grants."
The Assembly passed a comprehensive bill that advances significant education reforms and helps the state meet the application deadline for Race to the Top. The legislation followed statewide hearings and meetings with stakeholders, which took time, but which Race to the Top rules require.
We also took time to conduct in-depth negotiations with the Senate and the Schwarzenegger Administration--and our end result includes higher standards for math and language, real tools for teachers at low-performing schools, increased intervention for consistently troubled schools, stronger parental involvement and greater ability for students in the lowest perfoming schools to transfer to higher performing schools.
We also make it easier to to use student performance to evaluate teachers and replace up to 50% of the staff in the lowest performing schools. The Assembly strongly supports teachers and the job they do in the classroom. We also felt strongly that these provisions should be part of the final package.