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Accountability In The Race To The Top Program

The Education Department last week announced 16 finalists for a big chunk of the $4.35 billion it's giving out through its Race to the Top grant competition for elementary and secondary schools. Elsewhere around the country, college students were protestingeducation budget cuts and states were still struggling to fund education at all levels because of the poor economy. And the stimulus funds that states have relied upon run out later this year.

The Race to the Top competition requires winners to use the money to implement education reform plans. Is there concern, however, that cash-strapped states will use some of the grant money to backfill their budgets? What can be done to ensure accountability?

-- Eliza Krigman, NationalJournal.com
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RESPONDED ON MARCH 8, 2010 8:37 AM

We Will Hold States Accountable

Arne Duncan

U.S. Secretary of Education, Department of Education

We expect the states that win Race to the Top will lead the way and blaze the path for the future of school reform for years and even decades to come. They will make education reform America's mission. We will hold them accountable for implementing the plans and performance goals they proposed. Their budgets have to be used to implement those specific plans and cannot be used to backfill in other areas. I know that people are questioning how we hold states accountable. Here's how the process will work: States will draw down their funds as they use the funds to implement their Race to the Top plans. If they are not implementing their plans and hitting the "performance measures" and timelines they proposed in their applications, the Department will take appropriate action. Those actions could include pausing or ceasing States' draw-downs. Like all other states money for other sections of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Race to the Top states will have to meet the detailed quarterly and annual reporting requirements that apply t...

RESPONDED ON MARCH 8, 2010 9:37 AM

Perfect is the Enemy of Good

Greg Richmond

President & CEO, National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA)

For all of its imperfections, Race to the Top has created unprecedented efforts to improve education across the nation. Governors, legislatures, state and local superintendents, state and local school boards and teachers unions have engaged in deep and difficult discussions about school improvement. Is everyone in perfect agreement? Will every idea work? Will every dollar be spent according to plan? No, but let us not allow perfect to be the enemy of good.

Criticizing Race to the Top has become a lucrative parlor game for some. Good riddance.

My praise will be reserved for those who are actually toiling to make a difference.

RESPONDED ON MARCH 8, 2010 8:52 AM

Yes, Use the Cash to Backfill!

Diane Ravitch

Research Professor Of Education, New York University

The ideas that the Obama administration calls "reforms" are simply more of the same, resting securely on the shaky foundation of No Child Left Behind.

The Obama administration wants states to evaluate teachers by their students' test scores, a truly bad idea. The tests that students take are intended to gauge student progress, not to judge teacher quality. This approach will mean more teaching to the test, more narrowing of the curriculum. This will undermine public education.

The Obama administration wants states to create more privately managed schools, even though the evidence to date shows that charter schools get no better results than regular public schools. Districts will see their most motivated students skimmed away by charter management organizations, leaving the regular public schools with disproportionate numbers of the students who are special education and limited English proficient. This will undermine public education.

The Obama administration wants states to close more low-performing schools instead of supporting them, as happened in Central Falls, Rhode Island. This mean, punitive spirit will not improve the schools and will harm the morale of the teachers, who do the daily work of education.

Given the predictable effects of the Obama administration's narrow ideas about "reform," I hope that the states use the Race to the Top money to backfill their budgets. It will be put to better use than if it is applied to intensify the malignant effects of accountability and choice.