Out of the race

Some teachers unions balk at pursuing federal money to advance schools

Published on Sunday, Jan 17, 2010

Call it a bait if you will, but the $4.3 billion the U.S. Department of Education has put on the table is just the come-on state and local educators need to produce — and implement — concrete plans for major reforms in their school systems.

The Race to the Top competitive grants should have particular appeal in states that are financially strapped but have big plans to turn their school systems into powerhouses of achievement. No surprise, then, that Ohio, in line to win as much as $400 million, would submit an application. The surprise is that about 60 percent of school districts passed up the opportunity to be part of the grant program.

The program is voluntary. Still, the even bigger surprise is that three of the eight largest urban districts, Dayton, Canton and Youngstown (the only district in academic emergency in the state) did not take up the offer. The presidents of the teachers unions in the districts declined to join in applications that might require changes in how teachers are evaluated, compensated or assigned to buildings and classes in relation to student performance. In contrast, the Ohio Teachers Federation and the Ohio Education Association support the state’s application.

Ohio’s urban districts routinely post the lowest achievement scores and need every bit of help they can get to turn things around. State lawmakers spent much of the past year noodling reform plans that studies indicate would steadily boost educational achievement. The big plans for change include universal all-day kindergarten, better integrated social services and support staff, a longer school year, international benchmarks, data-tracking to assess student and teacher performance, international benchmarks and improved teacher development programs.

But funding for those plans will not match the ambition any time soon, a reality made all too clear in the budget process. Half of Ohio’s grant award, if the state wins, would be shared among participating districts. Which makes the federal grant a boon for school and union officials willing to consider how they could collaborate on substantial reform.

 Urban districts in particular, with large enrollments and often discouraging performance, stand to benefit most from both the state’s big plans and any federal incentive that enables them to pursue measurable change. It is sad to see students shortchanged by narrow interests.

Link to story here: http://www.ohio.com/editorial/opinions/81911972.html

Additional comment can be found here: http://starkpoliticalreport.blogspot.com/

Another very good article is found here: http://standupforamerica.wordpress.com/2009/07/28/stealth-legislation-as-a-positive/