Public meetings set on state's 'Race to the Top' application
The Minnesota Department of Education will hold a series of public meetings the week of Oct. 26 to gather input on the state’s application for federal funds under the new Race to the Top program.
Race to the Top, part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment (federal stimulus) Act, is a competitive grant program that will provide $4.35 billion to states to implement school innovation and reform. At least half the grant money will be awarded to local school districts.
A group of education, business and community leaders has begun work on Minnesota's application with assistance from a consultant funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The panel is now seeking input from teachers, administrators and parents.
Only a few states are expected to receive grants in the first round of applications, due in December. Participating states must agree to assurances that include internationally benchmarked standards and assessments, efforts to recruit and reward effective teachers and principals, data systems that track student success, and efforts to turn around the lowest-performing schools.
Minnesota officials have cited existing initiatives such as Q Comp and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) as reason for optimism about receiving a Race to the Top grant.
Meetings will be held Monday in Roseville, Rochester and St. Cloud; Tuesday in Marshall, Mankato and Roseville; Wednesday in Bemidji, Thief River Falls, Fergus Falls, and Roseville (the latter is for charter schools only); and Thursday in Proctor, Mountain Iron and Roseville.
See the schedule of public meetings.
October 23, 2009