Reducing the Amount of Money Spent on Special Ed

What happens to special education when federal stimulus dollars run out?

IDEA Money Watch, a watchdog group that monitors special ed expenditures, including Recovery Act funds, fears that school districts could begin to cut back their spending in the coming year. And it has reason to.

In 2009, schools districts were allowed to supplant up to half of their local spending required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (the federal special ed law) with stimulus dollars. Now that the stimulus dollars are running out, they don't necessarily have to return their local allocations to the previous level ...

Posted July 18, 2011 noon | 0 comments

Race to Top Part of Ed-News Marathon

(cross-posted at EdBeat)

I joined what seemed like half of the Washington ed world today for Arne Duncan’s speech at the National Press Club, where he winnowed the field of contenders vying for $3.4 billion in Race to the Top money to 18 states and the District of Columbia.

Based on how they fare on a complicated 500-point scoring rubric, the second-round winners ...

Posted July 27, 2010 6:07 p.m. | 0 comments

Updated! Race to the Top, Round 2 applications are in

Note: Links for applications updated June 23. The competition for the second round of billions in education stimulus dollars from the federal government will feature 36 competitors, the U.S. Department of Education said Tuesday.

That's just shy of the 41 applicants for Race to the Top in Round One. States have been busily writing new education laws, and begging school districts and teachers unions to sign off on applications to improve their chances at a grant. But some gave up on the challenge, and others said they were concerned about the extent they were ...

Posted June 1, 2010 6:38 p.m. | 0 comments

Updated: Who will apply for the next round of Race to the Top money?

Is the high bar Education Secretary Arne Duncan set after awarding the first Race to the Top awards getting lower? In the first round, there were 41 applicants. Kentucky is saying its lack of charter laws may make it pointless to reapply -- but it has decided to forge ahead. Minnesota was considering it, but the governor said it's not realistic without reforms and they are not going forward. The U.S. Department of Education's own analysis seems to indicate that major changes alone won't net a state a win in the future. "Both of the winning states built ...

Posted May 25, 2010 6 a.m. | 0 comments

Is stimulus funding helping save K-12 jobs?

The White House announced recently that its $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funded 682,779 jobs during the first quarter of 2010, including teachers, cops and road construction workers.

The figure reflects the number of people whose jobs were directly paid for with stimulus funds, a number reached after assessing more than 179,000 reports filed by state, local and corporate recipients.

But a recent report conducted by the Center on Reinventing Public Education at the University of Washington in Seattle, suggests that education jobs remain in an unprecedented decline. The analysis, "Schools in Crisis: Making ...

Posted May 14, 2010 5:35 p.m. | 0 comments

Updated: A review of the Race to the Top review process

A review of how Race to the Top finalist applications were scored by the Democrats for Education Reform, the Education Equality Project and Education Reform Now found that in some areas, scorers ignored the rules about scoring applications created by last year's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. In others, states were given a pass undeservedly. And they found that states may have a misconception of what is important in other arenas.

"In some places, raters actually ignored the instructions given by the USDOE. For example, some raters awarded points in Data Systems ...

Posted April 27, 2010 6 a.m. | 0 comments

RTTT winners will be announced today

Later today, the U.S. Department of Education will tell us who wins cash in the first round of Race to the Top. After getting 41 applications, reviewers whittled the list to 16 finalists  -- Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Tennessee.

This month, each state sent representatives to D.C. for in-person interviews that Education Secretary Arne Duncan said would be the deciding factors, since all 16 finalists had scored above 400 points, out of a possible 500.

The predictions about who ...

Posted March 29, 2010 8:15 a.m. | 0 comments

RTTT finalists have a variety of backers, naysayers

So who really has the best shot at being a first round winner of the much-needed Race to the Top money?

It depends on whom you ask.

The Partnership for Learning says Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Louisiana and Tennessee have the best overall applications. The Washington-state based organization's mission is to ensure all students graduate from high school and be ready for college and work.  Colorado gets props because the state would take Denver's performance pay system for teachers statewide. Florida gets a nod for being a "trailblazer" of education reforms, having a comprehensive data system and charter-friendly ...

Posted March 22, 2010 6 a.m. | 0 comments

Links to the 16 finalists' RTTT applications

Now that the U.S. Department of Education has shrunk the list of potential phase 1 Race to the Top winners to 16, we thought we'd make it easier for you to compare and contrast their applications. Here's a list of links to the heavy duty documents. After the winners are named, the federal government said they would share reviewers' comments about the applications -- the winners and the losers.

*       Colorado

*       Delaware

*       District of Columbia

*       Florida

*       Georgia

Posted March 7, 2010 noon | 0 comments

More finalists than winners in the first phase of Race to the Top

Most of the 16 finalists in the first round of Race to the Top will go home as finalists -- not winners, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said Thursday afternoon.

The finalists -- Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee -- all scored more than 400 points out of a maximum possible 500 on their applications so far, beating out 25 other applicants. In-person interviews later this month will determine who will win. Duncan said it's likely the group will be winnowed ...

Posted March 4, 2010 2:55 p.m. | 0 comments

The official list of RTTT finalists

All of these states' applications scored more than 400 points out of a maximum 500 points on their applications, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said Thursday afternoon. But they won't all win. "We will announce those winners in April. We are setting a very high bar," Duncan said during a conference call with reporters. "We anticipate very few winners in Phase 1." 

*       Colorado
*       Delaware
*       District of Columbia
*       Florida
*       Georgia
*       Illinois
*       Kentucky
*       Louisiana
*       Massachusetts
*       New York
*       North Carolina
*       Ohio
*       Pennsylvania
*       Rhode Island
*       South Carolina
*       Tennessee

More of Duncan's comments to come.

Posted March 4, 2010 1:48 p.m. | 0 comments

15 states and D.C. named Race to the Top finalists

Race to the Top finalists are Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Tennessee, according to EdWeek.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will announce the round-one finalists for the department's two-round, $4.35 billion Race to the Top competition during a press conference call with reporters at 2:30 p.m. today. 

EdMoney.org will post the official list later today. Stay tune. 

Posted March 4, 2010 10 a.m. | 0 comments

President Obama seeks to expand Race to the Top program

President Barack Obama announced plans today to seek the expansion of the Race to the Top competition, requesting $1.35 billion in his 2011 budget.

The announcement comes as states competing for the first round of RTTT grants met today’s deadline to submit the stimulus grant application. A total of 40 states joined the competition for $4.35 billion in stimulus grants.  

“Offering our children an outstanding education is one of our most fundamental – perhaps our most fundamental obligation as a country,” said Obama, who made the announcement while visiting Graham Road Elementary in Falls Church, ...

Posted Jan. 19, 2010 3:52 p.m. | 0 comments

New Race to Top: $500M for Early Ed., $200M for Round 2 Runners-Up

Education Secretary Arne Duncan will divvy up the $700 million in additional Race to the Top money Congress gave him this year between a new contest focused on early education and the nine runners-up that in last year's high-profile state competition, the Education Department announced today. Michele McNeil, Education Week, May 25, 2011

Posted May 26, 2011 9:33 a.m.

Race to Top Madness (Sort of) Strikes Again!

Twenty-four hours from now, we'll at last know which states survived the first round of elimination to be finalists for Round Two of the Race to the Top sweepstakes. There's $3.4 billion still in the bank for the winning states.

Posted July 26, 2010 10:24 p.m.

NJ adopts new federal standards for math, language arts

By adopting these standards, the state adds weight to its Race to the Top application. The federal grant competition gives preference to states that adopt the common standards by Aug. 2 The state also effectively quashed a war of words between two New Jersey groups with competing views on math instruction which had frustrated the state's previous efforts to adopt revised math standards.

Posted June 18, 2010 2:40 p.m.

Link to Race to the Top Phase 2 Applications

The Education Optimists blog provides direct links to all 36 RttT Phase 2 applications. So far, 26 and counting!

Posted June 2, 2010 9:35 a.m.

Schools get $2.5 million in energy stimulus funds

More than 120 Kentucky school districts will employ energy managers to create and implement energy efficiency programs over the next two years, thanks to $2.5 million in grants being funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Posted May 14, 2010 1:37 p.m.

Kentucky approved for more stimulus funding

The U.S. Department of Education approved another $176 million in federal stimulus money for the state that officials say will save teachers' jobs this year.

Posted May 3, 2010 11:23 a.m.

Kentucky to get $175M in federal education funds

Kentucky will receive $175 million in stimulus funding to help schools retain jobs, modernize schools and augment programming. The funding was appropriated under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Posted April 26, 2010 11:43 a.m.

Kentucky education legislation awaits final decisions

On Thursday, lawmakers amended House Bill 109 - implementing “response to intervention” tutoring for kindergarten through third-graders - to include charter schools. Charter schools are funded with taxpayer money, but operate independently from local school boards. The bill, which the House passed 94-1 before the amendment was added, barely escaped the Senate 19-18. Kentucky was one of 16 finalists for Race to the Top money, but the only state to earn zero points for charter schools, Kentucky Education Commissioner Terry Holliday said on his blog last week.

Posted April 11, 2010 10:01 p.m.

State won't get federal funds without charter schools, chief says

Without legislation enabling charter schools, Kentucky would finish out of the money in the second round of the federal Race To The Top program, said Kentucky Education Commissioner Terry Holliday. "If we don't improve 30 to 40 points, I do not think we'll be competitive," Holliday said Tuesday. "And the only way to get 30 to 40 points is with charter school legislation."

Posted April 6, 2010 10:38 p.m.

Kentucky Not Chosen For First Round Of Federal Funding

Gov. Steve Beshear is expressing disappointment that Kentucky will not receive federal education funding from a competitive grants program known as Race to the Top. Kentucky had been chosen as a finalist to receive up to $200 million in funding from $4.35 billion set aside for states that have adopted innovative education reforms. Beshear said Monday that he is disappointed Kentucky will not receive the funding. He said having been selected as a finalist is one sign that the state is on the right track. The governor said he believes Kentucky will remain a strong contender for a second phase of grant funds.

Posted March 30, 2010 8:49 a.m.

Kentucky adopts standards before they’re written

Now here’s a leap of faith. Kentucky has became the first state in the country to adopt new common standards for K-12 and vowed to replace its current standards with the new benchmarks by September.

Posted Feb. 13, 2010 11:29 a.m.

In National First, Kentucky Adopts Common Standards

With a unanimous vote Wednesday morning, the Kentucky board of education approved the substitution of the common standards in mathematics and English/language arts for the state’s own standards in those two subjects

Posted Feb. 12, 2010 7:17 a.m.

23 States Post Applications Online

Here's an entirely unverified and completely ad hoc collection of the nearly 20 state RTTT applications that have been located online thanks to blog readers, Twitter friends, and education writers on the EWA listserv.

Posted Jan. 21, 2010 9:30 a.m.

Race to the Top: 41 Applications Submitted for Phase 1

40 states and the District of Columbia submitted applications to compete in Phase 1 of Race to the Top. Those 41 applicants are listed below. (Today was the deadline for submitting those applications.)

Posted Jan. 19, 2010 5:15 p.m.

School Improvement Grant

Amount: $47,316,734

The stimulus fund provided an additional $3 billion to help turn around the lowest-performing schools with various school intervention models.

Awarded Dec. 3, 2009

IDEA B

Amount: $157,569,975

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) comes in two parts. IDEA Part B provides funds to states, school districts, and charter schools to ensure that children with disabilities, including pre-schoolers ages 3 to 5, have access to a "free and appropriate" public education. The stimulus dollars targeted for IDEA Part B call for states to implement "innovative strategies" to improve outcomes for children and youths with disabilities while stimulating the economy. The ARRA funding provided $11.3 billion to states and another $400 million in preschool funding. "

Awarded Aug. 31, 2009

Title I

Amount: $155,347,894

Title I, Part A, of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) received $10 billion for schools with high concentrations of students from families who live in poverty. The guidelines call for educators to implement innovative strategies to improve teaching and learning and to close the achievement gap for at-risk students. The Education Department's website notes that the funding should enable schools to serve more students than the estimated 20 million previously covered by Title 1.

Awarded Aug. 31, 2009

Ed Tech

Amount: $9,899,923

The Ed Tech Grants program's goal is to ensure that every student is technologically literate by the end of 8th grade and to encourage the effective integration of technology with teacher training and curriculum development. States may retain up to 5 percent of their allocations for state-level activities, and must award at least one half of the remainder competitively to eligible districts. The stimulus fund provided $650 million toward the grants.

Awarded July 24, 2009

State Stabilization Fund

Amount: $532,797,583

The State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (SFSF) program is a one-time appropriation of $53.6 billion distributed directly to states to: help stabilize state and local government budgets in order to minimize and avoid reductions in education and other essential public services; help ensure that school districts have the resources to avert cuts and retain educational personnel and staff; help support the modernization, renovation, and repair of schools.

Awarded July 9, 2009

State Stabilization Fund

Amount: $118,544,206

The State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (SFSF) program is a one-time appropriation of $53.6 billion distributed directly to states to: help stabilize state and local government budgets in order to minimize and avoid reductions in education and other essential public services; help ensure that school districts have the resources to avert cuts and retain educational personnel and staff; help support the modernization, renovation, and repair of schools.

Awarded July 9, 2009

Title I

Amount: $1,319,915

Title I, Part A, of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) received $10 billion for schools with high concentrations of students from families who live in poverty. The guidelines call for educators to implement innovative strategies to improve teaching and learning and to close the achievement gap for at-risk students. The Education Department's website notes that the funding should enable schools to serve more students than the estimated 20 million previously covered by Title 1.

Awarded April 10, 2009

IDEA C

Amount: $6,301,722

The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) Part C provided funds to state agencies designated by their governors to make early-intervention services available to infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. IDEA Part C stimulus grants for disabled infants and families provided an extra $500 million.

Awarded April 1, 2009