In an effort to maximize New York State’s chances of receiving hundreds of millions of dollars in federal grant funding, Governor David Paterson has issued a package of education reforms aimed at bolstering charter schools and addressing chronically under-performing institutions.
With his eyes set on the $4 billion that the U.S. Department of Education has set aside in Race to the Top grants – aimed at encouraging states to become education innovators – the Governor issued his legislation on Thursday, January 7 with an urgent message to fellow lawmakers.
“It is incumbent upon us as lawmakers to take any and all action necessary to ensure that we are successful in this process,” Paterson said in a statement, urging the state legislature to pass his proposed bill by January 14 so that New York would meet the specific grant requirements by the January 19 application deadline. The state stands to receive up to $700 million in federal funding.
The Race to the Top Fund, authorized under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, mandates that recipient states realize significant improvement in student achievement and close achievement gaps; improve high school graduation rates; and ensure student preparation for success in college and the workplace. States must also implement plans to adopt internationally-benchmarked student-preparation standards; create systems to measure success and inform educators of progress; increase teacher effectiveness; and improve under-achieving schools.
In his plan, the Governor calls for eliminating the charter school cap currently set at 200 to maximize New York’s ability to accumulate Race to the Top application points tied to such institutions. Additionally, his proposal would allow the state Dormitory Authority to finance charter school capital funding for approved schools; allow the state Board of Regents to appoint a short-term receiver to focus on chronically under-achieving schools; and facilitate the use of data for monitoring school and student performance.
Ninety-four percent of eligible school districts and charter schools across the state have submitted a signed memorandum of understanding in support of New York’s Race to the Top application, according to the Board of Regents.
“Our children, our schools and the economy of the State of New York cannot afford to wait for the Legislature to implement these changes,” Paterson said in his statement. He added that the federal money received would not just benefit charter schools.
