• The Federal Stimulus (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) and Education
• The Race to the Top and Other Competitive Programs
• Race to the Top Timeline
• Race to the Top-Related Reforms in California
• California's Initial Application
• Race to the Top Application Scoring Process

The Federal Stimulus (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) and Education

In February 2009, the nation’s lawmakers enacted the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), also known as the federal stimulus. The act provided California with nearly $8 billion, and more than $100 billion nationally. President Barack Obama called it “the largest investment in education in our nation’s history.” The act both provided substantial one-time funds to help struggling states and created competitive programs designed to spur reform.

Much of the $8 billion is for augmentations to existing programs—e.g., Title I for disadvantaged students and IDEA for students with disabilities. More than $3 billion came through the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund, which provided largely discretionary monies and required states to report on specific indicators in four reform areas:

1. Increasing teacher and principal effectiveness;
2. Establishing data systems and using data for improvement;
3. Adopting rigorous college- and career-ready standards and high-quality assessments;
4. Turning around the lowest-performing schools.

 

The Race to the Top and Other Competitive Programs

The largest competitive program is known as Race to the Top (RTTT). This $4.35 billion program challenges states to meet federal priorities for comprehensive action in the same four reform areas. The program currently consists of two award cycles (or phases). States may apply in either cycle; and if they fail to receive an award in the first cycle, they may apply again. The awards are designed to provide states one-time funds to help implement reforms. Although the program is currently slated to end after the second award cycle, the president has proposed making the program permanent.

In January, California joined 39 other states and the District of Columbia in applying for an RTTT grant in the first cycle. Sixteen finalists were announced on March 4. California was not among the finalists. The Department of Education will provide the non-finalist states with feedback on their applications in early April. They can then reapply for the second phase, for which applications are due June 1 (see detailed timeline below). State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell said the state's application "remains a good framework to guide our education reform efforts," and that he looks forward to seeing the federal reviewers' comments. For more information about the selection process and how the state's application was scored, see below.

Up to $350 million of RTTT funds are set aside for states to develop new assessments. Other competitive grants will provide incentives to enhance teacher recruitment and retention, create alternative pay structures for teachers, and develop longitudinal data systems. In addition, Invest in Innovation (“i3”) provides funding for local entities to explore promising ideas and expand proven programs.

Race to the Top Timeline

 

Jan. 19, 2010	Race to the Top Phase 1 applications from states due.
February	Five reviewers score each state application independently, meet and discuss, and then submit scores, which are averaged to provide a score for each applicant.
March 4	Finalists announced.
Late March	Reviewers discuss and finalize scores for finalists, averaged again to provide a single score for each applicant. Applications are then presented with their scores to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan for the final selection.
April 2010	Winners are announced for Phase 1. Feedback is provided to applicants who do not win.
June 1, 2010	Race to the Top Phase 2 applications are due.
Sept. 2010	Phase 2 winners are announced.

 

Race to the Top-Related Reforms in California

In the run-up to the state’s submission, the Legislature passed a number of bills proponents said were necessary to make California’s application competitive. The laws have wide-ranging effects. Notably, lawmakers removed the “firewall” that U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said existed between California’s personnel evaluations and student achievement data. The state also established legislative intent to create a preschool through higher education (P–20) statewide longitudinal educational data system. Other major changes related to charter schools and interventions in low-performing schools.Whether or not the state ultimately receives an award, the significant policy changes enacted appear here to stay. (See our Noteworthy New Laws page for details.)

 

California's Initial Application

California's application laid out its plan for working with participating school districts and other local education agencies to improve student achievement. It also addresses each of the federal government’s four major reform areas (above).

The state's phase one application said it planned to:

• refine California’s state standards by adopting internationally benchmarked common core standards and aligned assessments that better prepare students for success in college and the workplace;
• recruit, develop, and retain effective teachers and principals in all schools, with particular attention to those schools that need them the most;
• expand its education data system to support instruction and better measure student success in college and the workforce; and
• dramatically improve the state’s persistently lowest-performing schools.

More than 800 local education agencies (LEAs), representing close to 60% of the state’s K–12 students, have signed Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) committing them to working with the state in implementing RTTT reforms. Among them are 457 school districts or county offices of education, 345 charter schools, and two Regional Occupational Programs. A total of 602, or 78%, were signed by the LEA’s superintendent and board president; and 122, or 26%, included a signature by the LEA’s teachers’ union leader.

Race to the Top Application Scoring Process

California’s application was initially assessed by five of about fifty reviewers selected specifically for the Race to the Top program. The names of these reviewers are not being released until after the selection process is complete. Some say this will help prevent lobbying, while others criticize the lack of transparency. The Department of Education has released general information about the reviewers. The group is highly educated and geographically diverse, consisting of former principals, former teachers, former state or district superintendents, former state or local school board members, and attorneys.

The five reviewers assigned to California’s application scored it on a 500-point scale, with points being distributed across seven categories (see chart below). The “General” category includes making education funding a priority, ensuring successful conditions for charter schools and other innovations, and demonstrating other significant reform conditions.

Weights for Points Assigned by Reviewers Evaluating RTTT Applications