IEA’s pleasure with RttT may be premature.
The most recent guidelines have been issued by the USDE regarding their Race to the Top requirements for states submitting applications for the $4. billion dollars in federal stimulus money.
The IEA seems happy with the new guidelines. A post on their web site today takes credit for some small and fuzzy agreements that are in the new guidelines.
Input provided by IEA, NEA and other state affiliates has positively impacted the final rules for the federal program that will have states compete for $4.35 billion to improve education quality and results statewide.
IEA was among more than 1,100 organizations and individuals that provided feedback to the Department of Education about how Race to the Top (RTTT) should work.
Why is the IEA so happy?
- There is now language that speaks of multiple measures to assess teachers rather than a single test.
- There is now language about high-performing traditional schools, which the IEA takes as a sign that the USDE is less in love with charter schools.
- There is now language that calls for greater input by teacher unions in the RttT applications.
These are admittedly good developments. The question remains: What is the ultimate aim of the Duncan administration of the USDE and the ultimate intent of RttT?
Are these changes simply tweaking in order to keep some of Obama’s progressive and union constituent groups at bay?
Those on the other side seem less than concerned.
Fordham’s blog, Flypaper says:
In other ways though, the document admirably withstood powerful centripetal forces. It still embraces invaluable reforms like data use, charters, and efforts to improve the teaching profession. Fans of national standards will also be pleased. The Department also deserves credit for properly emphasizing the need to have LEAs not just promise, but contractually commit, to executing reforms; ED even developed a draft MOU for states to use with their districts.
IEA’s pleasure with recent developments may be a bit premature.
