Delaware Wins 'Race to the Top'

Delaware has topped all other states to win up to $107 million in the U.S. Education Department’s Race to the Top educational reform competition. The money will be distributed during the next four school years.

Tennessee was the only other state to receive Race to the Top funding, and could be awarded $502 million due to its larger size. Some $3.4 billion remains in the fund, with another round of announcements expected in September.

The Race to the Top state competition rewards states that develop statewide education reform plans across four key areas:

• Adopting standards and assessments that prepare students to succeed in college and the workplace
• Building data systems that measure student growth and success, and inform teachers and principals how to improve instruction
• Recruiting, developing, rewarding, and retaining effective teachers and principals, especially where they are needed most
• Turning around low-performing schools.

Delaware’s proposal, backed by both school districts and teachers unions, calls for new “data coaches” who will help teachers monitor student performance and develop lessons as needed.

New standardized tests in the 2010-2011 school year will be used to evaluate teachers and principals. If they are found ineffective, teachers could be denied tenure; if deemed highly effective in low-achieving schools, they could receive bonuses.

Delaware has also partnered with the non-profit Mass Insight Education and Research Institute to create a turnaround program for failing schools.

In announcing the awards, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan noted that "both states have statewide buy-in for comprehensive plans to reform their schools. They have written new laws to support their policies. And they have demonstrated the courage, capacity, and commitment to turn their ideas into practices that can improve outcomes for students."

For More Info
• Education Department’s Announcement
• Full Text of Delaware’s Race to the Top Application