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Legislative Information Alert
October 29, 2009
California State PTA supports Race to the Top application
PTA members encouraged to attend events to learn more
As a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the U.S. Department of Education has established a competitive grant program of $4.35 billion for education reform.  These funds will be provided to selected states to improve student outcomes and graduation rates, close the achievement gap and ensure student preparation for college and career.  This is the largest pool of money for education reform in U.S. history.  Four key areas are targeted:
  • Standards and assessments
  • Effective teachers and leaders
  • Data systems to support instruction
  • Turning around struggling schools
The Governor's office, State Department of Education and the State Board of Education are offering a number of opportunities for stakeholders to be involved in the process, including the following: 
  • Fresno:  Monday, Nov. 2:  1-4 pm at the Fresno County Office of Education, 1111 Van Ness Ave.
  • Downey:  Tuesday, Nov. 3:  9 am-12 pm at the Los Angeles County Office of Education, 9300 Imperial Highway
  • Redwood City: Wednesday, Nov. 4: 9am-12pm at the San Mateo County Office of Education, 101 Twin Dolphin Drive
To register to attend any of these events, go to www.ccsesa.org and follow the links under Events.  A web dialogue will also be held on November 9-10, 2009.  For information, go to www.caracetothetop.org.  We encourage PTA members to attend these forums. 
 
California State PTA has been actively engaged in the Race to the Top process. In summary, we have accomplished the following. 
  • Provided verbal and written input to the Senate Committee on Education informational hearing on August 26. Click here  to read our comments.
  • Submitted written comments on the proposed RTTT regulations to Secretary Arne Duncan on August 28. Click here to read the letter.
  • Spoke at the Assembly Committee on Education Information hearing on September 29. Click here to read our testimony.
  • Testified on October 28, as an invited member of a panel, at the Assembly Committee on Education informational hearing on the "Data Systems to Support Instruction" piece of RTTT. Click here to read our testimony.
  • Attended numerous meetings with our partners in the Education Coalition as well as with legislative leaders to discuss the RTTT program and California's eligibility and competitiveness.
  • Adopted a support if amended position on SBX5 1 (Romero, Wyland, Alquist & Huff) and a support position on SBX5 2(Simitian). Click here to read the letter of support if amended for SBX5 1. Click here to read the letter of support for SBX5 2.
Here is a summary of the position that California State PTA has taken on various aspects of the Race to the Top program. 
  • We support the serious efforts being made to address education reform, but note that the focus must be on what is best for the students of California to ensure they receive the education they need to compete in the global economy.
     
  • One of the requirements of the RTTT program is that all states must adopt national common core standards and assessments. California State PTA notes that California has some of the highest and most comprehensive content standards in the nation, and any adoption of national standards and assessments must not lower our state standards.  Content standards must be developed with input from educators, parents and the community.

  • We continue to strongly support the development and deployment of a robust, longitudinal student achievement data system that would provide feedback to improve instructional practices in the classroom, to guide more effective resource allocations in schools, and to make student performance data more available and understandable to parents.
      
  • California State PTA supports parental choice within the public school system to meet the educational needs of individual students.  We support the availability of public charter schools, given that they admit students in a fair and equitable manner; maintain the racial/ethnic/socioeconomic/learning differences and diversity of the school districts in which they are located; provide meaningful opportunities for parent involvement; and are held to the same levels of fiscal and academic accountability to which regular public schools must adhere.
     
  • We fully support efforts to turn around persistently low performing schools, improve student achievement and close the achievement gap.  We are concerned that the limited number of options outlined in the draft RTTT program may not meet the needs of all schools and may not include approaches that are achieving success in many California locales.  We also firmly believe that parent/family engagement must be a central component of any school transformation.  Working in partnership with families and communities to design, implement, monitor and evaluate a range of strategies beyond the limited choices outlined in the draft RTTT regulations will help build public will and support for reform and innovation, and will ultimately lead to improved student achievement.  
  • RTTT requires that there be no impediments to the use of student achievement data in the evaluation of teachers.  California dealt with the removal of the "firewall" between the CALPADS (student data) and the CALTIDES (teacher data) systems with the successful passage of SB 19 (Simitian), which California State PTA supported.  We believe that student achievement data is one appropriate input in the evaluation of teachers.  However, we also strongly believe that, as is the case with student assessments, at no time should a single test score be the sole determinant of progress.  We support multiple measures of assessment for teachers and administrators.
For more resources on RTTT and California State PTA Authorities, click here.
 
California State PTA will continue to play an active role in developing California's response to the Race to the Top program.  If you have any questions or wish to provide input, feel free to contact Debbie Look, Director of Legislation: legislation@capta.org or (916) 440-1985, ext. 311.

 
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