Baltimore the biggest beneficiary of Race to the Top funds
Maryland had lots to celebrate Tuesday, when it received word that it was among the 10 awardees of federal Race to the Top funds, a $4.3 billion education competition held by the U.S. Department of Education to encourage education reforms across the nation. Maryland will receive $250 million in September, and will begin implementing reforms to boost student achievement, reduce achievement gaps among student subgroups, improve teaching and turn around struggling schools in the nation.
Baltimore will be among the districts leading those efforts.
The city stands to be the biggest beneficiary of the funds, receiving at least $46 million of the funds. Baltimore apparently played a critical role in the state's reform efforts because it hosts a minority population of approximately 92 percent and is home to approximately 52 percent of the state’s high-poverty schools.
In the state's proposal, the city was identified as a “critical partner for reform." And a release sent out by the city's school system yesterday shows that their checklists and checkbooks are ready. Read below to see what's in the works for the city's Race to the Top reforms:
According to the school system, the city will benefit from their share of the funds in the following ways:
• It is one of seven pilot districts for a new teacher evaluation system that will begin operating statewide in 2012-13 and, if teachers meet certain performance criteria, they could be eligible for additional dollars as soon as 2011-12.
• Starting this fall, its New Leaders for New Schools leadership training model will be expanded to train highly effective principals to lead urban schools. Currently, City Schools has 41 principals trained through New Leaders and eight assistant principals.
• Eleven of its schools will benefit from additional state attention and resources as part of the state’s commitment to turning around its 16 lowest achieving schools; of these 11 in Baltimore City, eight are schools that will embark on turnarounds this school year
What Race to the Top reforms are you most looking forward to ?
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Comments
This must be a joke right. Last time I heard the system was underfunded somewhere in the order of $200,000,000 so why celebrate pennies against dollars owed. This doesn't even take into account the $2,000,000,000 needed for repairs/upgrades to the buildings.
Somebody please... this has to be a joke...
Just did the math. That works out to about $554 per student. Cut out the middle man and just pay them. They are being used for experiments anyway so why not. Maybe this will motivate some to go to school and pay attention for a minute or two.
Posted by: OverTheTop | August 25, 2010 3:29 PM
Well, since you ask... I'm looking forward to more classroom support for teachers who want to do a better job and consequences for those who really just don't like kids all that much. I'm not saying the majority of teachers need help, but too many do need help and I'm hoping they'll get it. I think this should tie into the pay for performance in item one from your list.
Posted by: a parent | August 25, 2010 9:14 PM
Yes @OTP
For example, Poly-Western's boilers, which the system low-balled when the facility was built in the 1960s, with cheap boilers that should have had maintenance within 20 years (but this never really happened). 3 out of 4 of the boilers cannot be repaired, while one is constantly going down because it is over-strained-- the estimate here is $8-12m
Posted by: JSchool | August 27, 2010 4:59 AM
@JSchool -
The word is out that 2 new boilers are due to be installed this year at Poly-Western. No word on the actual cost, but that's the plan for this year.
@OTT -
So basically any news is bad news as far as your concerned? Look - targeted money is a plus if you ask me. I sold 100's of $1 chocolate bars when I was in high school for band uniforms. Everyone who gave a dollar was thanked for pitching in. And band uniforms were purchased.
Posted by: a parent | September 14, 2010 9:48 AM
@JSchool -
The word is out that 2 new boilers are due to be installed this year at Poly-Western. No word on the actual cost, but that's the plan for this year.
@OTT -
So basically any news is bad news as far as your concerned? Look - targeted money is a plus if you ask me. I sold 100's of $1 chocolate bars when I was in high school for band uniforms. Everyone who gave a dollar was thanked for pitching in. And band uniforms were purchased.
Posted by: a parent | September 14, 2010 9:48 AM
@AP - so the systems get $46 million and spends it on outside programs and consultants and that is to benefit who?
Why does BCPSS fund an expansion of NLNS unless they expect to fire an equal number of existing principal and add to another level of instability to the schools?
Why fund outside turnaround vendors when the targeted schools are typically under resourced in the current budget scheme?
Teacher Eval System - think DC. I really hope the BTU is not gullible enough to fall for that rotten apple.
What about funding existing programs that could use it?
Posted by: OverTheTop | September 15, 2010 7:46 PM