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 What is Race to the Top?
Race to the Top (RT3) is a $4B Federal fund that will provide competitive grants to States that:
- create the conditions necessary for comprehensive education innovation and reform;
- implement ambitious plans in four education reform areas described in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA):
- Standards and Assessments,
- Data Systems to Support Instruction ;
- Great Teachers and Leaders, and
- Turning around the Lowest-Achieving Schools
- achieve significant improvement in student outcomes, including making substantial gains in student achievement, closing achievement gaps, improving high school graduation rates, and ensuring that students are prepared for success in college and careers.
States that offer a high-quality plan to drive improvement in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) achievement will earn extra points in the scoring process.
In addition, States can submit plans that address four invitational priorities. No points are awarded for invitational priorities:
- Innovations for Improving Early Learning Outcomes
- Expansion and Adaptation of Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems
- P-20 Coordination, Vertical and Horizontal Alignment
- School-Level Conditions for Reform, Innovation, and Learning
To view the complete scoring table, please visit page 17 of the Notice Inviting Applications.
To be considered seriously for funding, State plans must develop a clear, cohesive vision for education reform that is bold, yet feasible, and actionable as demonstrated through a strong implementation plan aligned to the vision. Because this is a highly-competitive process between states, the specifics of Georgia’s application will remain largely confidential until being shared with the U.S. Department of Education (ED).
Eligibility Requirements
ED requires that States meet two eligibility requirements in order to apply for grant consideration:
- The State’s application for funding under Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund program must be approved by US ED prior to the State submitting its RT3 application; and
- The State must not have any legal, statutory, or regulatory barriers to linking data on student achievement or student growth to teachers and principals for the purpose of teacher and principal evaluation.
Georgia will meet the first criterion and already meets the second and, therefore, fully intends to apply for RT3 funding consideration.
Selection Criteria
Given the guidelines of the RT3 applications, States must include in their applications 19 high-level selection criteria identified by ED:
State Success Factors - Articulating State’s education reform agenda and LEA’s participation in it
- Building strong Statewide capacity to implement, scale up, and sustain proposed plans
- Demonstrating significant progress in raising achievement and closing gaps
Standards and Assessments- Developing and adopting common standards
- Developing and implementing common, high-quality assessments
- Supporting transition to enhanced standards and high-quality assessments
Data Systems to Support Instruction- Fully implementing a Statewide longitudinal data system
- Accessing and using State data
- Using data to improve instruction
Great Teachers and Leaders- Providing alternative pathways for aspiring teachers and principals
- Improving teacher and principal effectiveness based on performance
- Ensuring equitable distribution of effective teachers and principals
- Improving the effectiveness of teacher and principal preparation programs
- Providing effective support to teachers and principals
Turning around the Lowest-Achieving Schools - Intervening in the lowest-achieving schools and LEAs
- Turning around the lowest-achieving schools
General Selection Criteria - Making education funding a priority
- Ensuring successful conditions for high-performing charters and other innovative schools
- Demonstrating other significant reform conditions
Georgia’s RT3 Organizational Plan
 Click to view Georgia’s RT3 Team Structure
The individual teams are comprised of various education stakeholders, including education agency heads, State-level policy makers, superintendents, principals, teachers, early learning specialists, professors, non-profit education specialists, science centers, and members of the Legislature, philanthropic organizations, and the business community.
Ways to Contribute
Georgia’s RT3 planning process is an ongoing dialogue with all those invested in education. Input to inform strategic and implementation planning is valued and welcomed. There are three ways in which education stakeholders, especially practicing educators, can participate in the State’s planning process:
Online Survey – Two surveys have been developed to ascertain valuable feedback from practicing K-12 educators and from broader education stakeholders that will help inform decisions for Georgia’s RT3 application. The K-12 educator survey can be accessed here but will also be shared directly with local superintendents and principals who will in turn share it with teachers. All education stakeholders are welcome to complete the stakeholder survey. Both surveys will be available until December 8, 2009.
Idea Submission - Any education stakeholder may submit ideas that they would like to see included in Georgia’s RT3 application. All submissions will be considered by members of the Steering Committee, and those that demonstrate a potential fit within Georgia’s reform plan will be shared with the working teams. Click here to access the template. All ideas must be submitted via template to racetothetop@gov.state.ga.us before December 8, 2009.
Vetting Sessions - In addition, the Steering Committee will reach out to key constituencies to vet concepts being considered for inclusion in Georgia’s application. Collaboration with local districts is essential in ensuring that the State develops an actionable plan that builds upon the best practices and reforms already underway in our school systems. An Elluminate session will be hosted for local superintendents to inform them about the State’s Race the Top plans and solicit their feedback.
Application Timeline
ED released the final application on November 12th. Georgia intends to apply in “Phase I”, which means that its application will be due January 19, 2010. Phase 1 awards will be announced in April 2010. Phase 2 applications are due June 1, 2010 and awards will be announced in September 2010.
Distribution of RT3 Funds, when Awarded
Once ED has determined State winners and funds have been distributed to those State Education Agencies, 50% of the award value will be redistributed by each winning State to participating LEAs. Georgia is currently seeking districts with which to partner on bringing comprehensive reform to classrooms across the State.
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