07/28/10
Uncertainty ends over participation in 'Race to the Top' program
Uncertainty over Cape Elizabeth's chances to share Race to the Top funds for education ended July 27 when the U.S. Department of Education announced finalists in the second round of applications for the federal funds.
Maine was not among them. Massachusetts and Rhode Island were the only New England states among those chosen to go on to compete for $3 billion available in Race to the Top funds.
Maine was one of 35 states and District of Columbia to submit its plan for education reform in hopes of utilizing the federal funds.
In May, Cape Elizabeth was one of the Maine school systems to submit a memorandum of understanding indicating participation in the state's Race to the Top application. Rebecca Millett, School Board chairman, said on July 28 that winning a grant might have been good for the state as a whole, but the benefits to Cape Elizabeth were uncertain. Fifty-percent of the grant would go to Title I schools, Millett said, referring to a set of programs that distribute funds to schools with a high percentage of students from low-income families.
In a press release, acting state Education Commissioner Angela Faherty said the news would not stop Maine from seeking funding to carry out the reforms outlined in the state's Race to the Top application. "In the areas of standards, data systems, teachers and leaders, and strategies for improving our most challenged schools, we will move forward with the improvements we outlined in our application," Faherty said.
She thanked local school boards, staff and communities for their role and support in articulating a vision for education in Maine "that incorporates the best of the work we are already doing statewide, as well as reforms for the future.”
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Acting Education Commissioner's Angela Faherty's comments:
“Our application is a blueprint for moving Maine’s education action plan forward. Clearly we would have liked to do so with a significant influx of money from the Race to the Top fund. We had hoped to scale up our promising, innovative programs sooner. But this will not stop us from moving ahead with programs, approaches, and initiatives that are showing promise and producing results in Maine schools for Maine students. In the areas of standards, data systems, teachers and leaders, and strategies for improving our most challenged schools, we will move forward with the improvements we outlined in our application.
“We continue to seek sources of funding to support our work. We were recently awarded $7.3 million from the U.S. Department of Education to support the development and implementation of a longitudinal data system to examine student progress from early childhood into career. Earlier this week we submitted a $7.6 million proposal to support efforts at increasing the graduation rate in high schools with low rates of graduation.
“Maine has long been viewed as a leader in standards and assessments. One of our primary tasks in the coming months will be to begin the implementation of the national Common Core standards. We are busy supporting the significant expansion in Maine schools of early childhood education.
“Our application did not include a laundry list of new programs; rather it called for scaling up our most successful programs statewide. Relying heavily on our improved and improving data systems, we will continue to identify schools and programs that are showing great progress, and work to share those successes statewide.
“I want to thank Maine’s school boards, superintendents, curriculum leaders, school administrators, teachers, education associations and coalitions, higher education, and business and community partners. In addition I want to thank our Department staff for their work in helping us to articulate a vision for education in Maine that incorporates the best of the work we are already doing statewide, as well as reforms for the future.”
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