Foundations Of Education

Funding in Education | "Race To the Top" By Anthony Tarin

“Education is one of the few areas of the federal budget that would not see a spending freeze,” said by President Barack Obama if he gets his way this year. Obama’s goal for school funding is to be 4.35 billion dollars for the 2011 budget year. Of the 4 billion dollars Obama plans to send 3 billion dollars to elementary and secondary education programs ranging from teacher quality to student safety. “America will not succeed in the 21st century unless we do a far better job of educating our sons and daughters… And the race starts today. I am issuing a challenge to our nation’s governors and school boards, principals and teachers, businesses and non-profits, parents and students: if you set and enforce rigorous and challenging standards and assessments; if you put outstanding teachers at the front of the classroom; if you turn around failing schools – your state can win a Race to the Top grant that will not only help students outcompete workers around the world, but let them fulfill their God-given potential.”- President Barack Obama I feel like if he gives teacher incentive to do good then our problem of teachers not being very motivated will be somewhat solved. A lot of teachers get paid to not do a very good job when they reach tenure and it is hard to get fired. Schools that have a high dropout rate will be changed to a Charter school. (Why would charter schools help make a change?). Obama thinks our school is lacking and then we aren’t getting the good jobs in the world. Also Obama feels that most of our schools aren’t doing very well in the Math and Science areas.

The other 1.35 billion dollars will be spent on Obama’s “Race to the Top”. The race to the top consists of taking statistics and test to award schools that are being successful. Also they reward teachers that are doing a good job and fire others that aren’t teaching up to par. Obama’s plan also consists of support for people who go onto colleges. Giving more Pell grants and rewarding people that go to college and owe a debt.

Most states aren’t very happy with the result of the “Race to the top” because the only states receiving funding for round 1 is Delaware and Tennessee. Most of all Bill Ritter Jr. of Colorado was mostly mad because of the scoring. Ritter hoped to receive $377 million dollars for coming in 14th. Colorado remains unsure as to whether he should reapply for the second round. Colorado isn’t the only state that aren’t happy with results also Arizona, California,
Nebraska, South Carolina, and South Dakota. I believe would have told the rules clearer most states would not be angry with the results. Some states might not agree with the judges ratings with the school but I believe that Obama picked a good crew that gave their honest ratings.

The Race to the Top emphasizes the following reform areas:

• Designing and implementing rigorous standards and high-quality assessments, by encouraging states to work jointly toward a system of common academic standards that builds toward college and career readiness, and that includes improved assessments designed to measure critical knowledge and higher-order thinking skills.

• Attracting and keeping great teachers and leaders in America’s classrooms, by expanding effective support to teachers and principals; reforming and improving teacher preparation; revising teacher evaluation, compensation, and retention policies to encourage and reward effectiveness; and working to ensure that our most talented teachers are placed in the schools and subjects where they are needed the most.

• Supporting data systems that inform decisions and improve instruction, by fully implementing a statewide<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/sdypSyb_gL0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>longitudinal data system, assessing and using data to drive instruction, and making data more accessible to key stakeholders.

• Using innovation and effective approaches to turn-around struggling schools, by asking states to prioritize and transform persistently low-performing schools.

• Demonstrating and sustaining education reform, by promoting collaborations between business leaders, educators, and other stakeholders to raise student achievement and close achievement gaps, and by expanding support for high-performing public charter schools, reinvigorating math and science education, and promoting other conditions favorable to innovation and reform.

In Conclusion, I believe that Obama has a good plan with the “Race to the top”. I think that everyone involved in this race will benefit and hopefully it will help our schools get back up to the top to help our economy prosper. I feel that this will benefit our nation mostly because a lot of people respond to competition and most states will want that money. Not only will the competition help the United States but also most states will be rewarded and will benefit by getting more money for their school districts.

http://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop/phase1-applications/index.html score sheets for all the states
http://www.thenewamerican.com/index.php/usnews/politics/3253-obamas-qrace-to-the-topq-rewards-disappointing
http://www.eschoolnews.com/2010/01/28/obama-calls-for-more-school-funding/
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/fact-sheet-race-top
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