New York Wins Nearly $700 Million In Race To The Top Competition

The United States Education Department today announced that New York State has been awarded $696,646,000 as a winner in the second round of the federal Race to the Top competition. Of the ten states named winners, only Massachusetts’s application scored more points than New York’s.

Regents Chancellor Merryl H. Tisch said, “The Regents and I are absolutely thrilled that New York has been selected as a winner in the Race to the Top competition. We want to thank the State’s entire educational community, which came together in an unprecedented way to support the State’s RTTT application. We’d like to thank the Governor, Assembly Speaker Silver, and Senate Majority Conference Leader Sampson for their leadership and for enacting new laws that will support educational excellence.  I want to extend a special thank you to United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew and New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein for appearing with us in Washington to help successfully make the case for New York."

"Our application represents a truly comprehensive reform agenda – one that advances the bold changes needed to turn around failing schools, close the achievement gap, and prepare all children to succeed in college and careers. The Regents and I are confident that our success in Race to the Top will help lift the level of achievement for New York State’s more than three million students," said Education Commissioner David M. Steiner. 

John B. King, Senior Deputy Commissioner, added, "We are especially grateful to our partner organizations whose efforts in securing a high level of support strengthened our application, particularly: the 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.  We also want to thank Assembly Education Committee Chair Cathy Nolan and Senate Education Committee Chair Suzi Oppenheimer for their leadership and support."

The funding that New York State receives from the competition will help advance the Regents reform agenda through 27 projects over four grant years. $348.3 million of the RTTT funds will be awarded to participating LEAs (school districts and charter schools) over the course of the grant to support implementation, while $348.3 million will be used to build the capacity of educators statewide and directly support new curriculum models, standards, assessments, teacher and principal preparation and professional development, and the statewide student data system.

New York State’s Race to the Top application incorporates reforms enabled by legislation enacted earlier this year. 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 New York’s 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.