How is New York Sate participating in RTTT?
Several months ago, there was some concern that New York would not be able to apply for RTTT grants. In New York Education law there is a prohibition on using student assessments as an evaluation critiria for teachers seeking tenure. There was debate on this issue. Proponents of NYS participation in RTTT argued either that the legal provission didn't necessarily disqualify NYS; or that the law could expire before RTTT awards began.
Back in July, Joanne Weiss, who oversees RTTT, said that the NYS tenure provision was a problem.
The Obama administration official in charge of an educational innovation fund yesterday issued a warning to a New York audience: Unless the state legislature revises a law now on the books about teacher tenure, the state could lose out on the $4.35 billion fund she controls.
Joanne Weiss said the Obama administration aims to reward states that use student achievement as a "predominant" part of teacher evaluations with the extra stimulus funds -- and pass over those that don't. New York state law currently bans using student data as a factor in tenure decisions.
Test scores aren't everything, Weiss said. "But it seems illogical and indefensible to assume that those aren't part of the solution at all," she said, echoing nearly word-for-word Education Secretary Arne Duncan's remarks last week to the National Education Association.
More details, and links are available in the original post at GothamSchools.
In any event, NYS Education Commissioner David Steiner has worked to put an application together. There is information about the NYS application here.
The NYS web page explains
To qualify for Race to the Top funding, states are required to advance reforms around four specific areas:
* Adopting standards and assessments that prepare students to succeed in college, the workplace and the global economy;
* Building data systems that measure student growth and success, and inform teachers and principals about how they can improve instruction;
* Recruiting, developing, rewarding, and retaining effective teachers and principals, especially where they are needed most; and
* Turning around our lowest-achieving schools.
The NYS Council of School Superintendents weblog covered the NYS proposal in depth. In the end, the council recommended that "district leaders consider signing the Memorandum of Understanding to signify their support" of the program.
From the New York Times, January 7, Seeking Grants, Paterson Urges Education Changes:
Gov. David A. Paterson on Thursday proposed a host of changes in state education law, including eliminating the cap on the number of charter schools, which he said would make the state more likely to receive $700 million in federal grant money.
The governor's bill would also repeal a 2008 law that banned the use of standardized test scores in tenure decisions, as well as give the state the ability to pay for charter school construction and allow the state to take over low-performing schools.
...
Governor Pattersons's press release of Jan 7: "Governor Paterson proposes legislation to maximize new york state's eligibility for Race To The Top funding".