Florida Enters the Race to the Top

Gov. Charlie Crist signed Florida's application today for the $4.35 billion competition, which could bring the state more than $700 million from the U.S. Education Department.

“Race to the Top represents the future of education in our nation," said Education Commissioner Eric J. Smith, "and the strategies Florida is proposing as a part of our application will lift our schools to the next level of achievement."

As part of the grant application, which is due Jan. 19, the Education Department outlined a number of strategies that it will use to improve public schools, and ultimately student learning.

Here are some of the highlights:

• Adopt and implement national Common Core State Standards in English and mathematics
• Provide formative assessment resources
• Create a one-stop shop of all Florida Education Department data uses so that teachers and district staff can use them
• Develop better measures of student growth and learning
• Build external partnerships for teacher recruitment and school leadership development

Sixty (out of 67) school districts, three lab schools and the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind signed memorandums of understanding to the Florida Education Department that showed their support for the application. Those schools will be eligible for a share of the prize money if the state wins the race. If Florida does not win anything this round, they will still have another round to enter in June.

While the state is applying for the race, it does not have full support from educators. Only five unions signed the memorandum of understanding, and the Florida Education Association does not support the application.
 

PHOTO CAPTION: Governor Charlie Crist signs Florida’s overall Race to the Top application for more than $700 million while visiting Mollie E. Ray Elementary School in Orlando.