New York State Submits Race To The Top Application

New York State submitted a Phase II Race to the Top application in Washington, DC today for $696.6 million in funding to advance progress of the Regents reform agenda through 27 projects over four grant years. $477 million of the RTTT funds would be awarded directly to participating LEAs (school districts and charter schools) over the course of the grant while $219.6 million would be used to build statewide capacity of educators and directly support new curriculum models, standards, assessments, teacher and principal preparation and professional development as well as the statewide student data system.

"In recent weeks, New York State’s educational community has come together in an unprecedented show of support for the Regents education reforms detailed in the State’s Race to the Top application,” said Regents Chancellor Merryl Tisch.  “Thanks to the leadership of the Governor, Assembly Speaker Silver, and Senate Majority Conference Leader Sampson, New York State has new laws to support educational excellence and ensure that we are able to fully execute the innovative, coherent reform agenda outlined in our Race to the Top application."

"We believe that the application submitted in partnership with our stakeholders constitutes a comprehensive agenda for education reform.  Success in the Race to the Top will raise achievement for New York State’s 3 million students," said Education Commissioner David Steiner.  "We are especially grateful to our partner organizations whose efforts in securing a high level of support strengthened our application: New York State United Teachers, the New York State Council of School Superintendents, the New York State School Boards Association, the BOCES District Superintendents and the New York City Charter School Center."

New York State’s Race to the Top application includes signed memoranda of support (MOUs) from the state’s school superintendents, presidents of local school boards, BOCES district superintendents, local teachers’ union leaders and charter school leaders.  Ninety-one percent of public school districts (632 of 694) submitted MOUs.  All 40 of the school districts with the highest levels of poverty (including all Big 5 City districts) submitted MOUs.  Seventy percent of school district submissions (445 of 632) include an MOU signed by the local teachers’ union leader including one from the United Federation of Teachers in New York City.

"The education reform legislation passed last week allows our Race to the Top application to build on the many excellent educational models in public schools across the state," said John King, Senior Deputy Commissioner.  "A fair and rigorous evaluation system, additional options for parents via public charter schools, and a robust data system will all raise student achievement statewide."

New York State’s Race to the Top application incorporates reforms enabled by legislation passed last week by the Legislature and signed into law by the Governor.  The legislation (1) establishes a new teacher and principal evaluation system that makes student achievement data a substantial component of how educators are assessed and supported, (2) raises our charter school cap from 200 to 460 and enhances charter school accountability and transparency,  (3) enables school districts to enter into  contracts with Educational Partnership Organizations (the term for non-profit Education Management Organizations in New York State) for the management of their persistently lowest-achieving schools and schools under registration review, and (4) appropriates $20.4 million in capital funds to the State Education Department to implement its longitudinal data system.

USED will announce finalists for Phase II in July. 

New York State’s complete Race to the Top application is posted on the web:
www.nysed.gov.