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The federal Department of Education announced Delaware has moved to the next round in the Race to the Top competition. The announcement was made March 4 by Education Secretary Arne Duncan.
The Race to the Top federal grant competition allowed for states to submit applications during two phases. Phase I applications were due on January 19th. Forty states and the District of Columbia submitted applications for Phase I. The Department of Education chose Delaware, fourteen other states and the District of Columbia as the remaining states in consideration for funding in Phase I. States that do not receive funding or that did not apply during Phase I may submit applications for Phase II.
“Delaware’s application outlined some of the bold changes we have made and are making to improve our public schools. Every district, union, charter and school board in the state signed on to Delaware’s application because people recognize across the state that progress requires many partners,” Secretary of Education Lillian Lowery said.
Delaware’s application focuses on four assurances: strong standards and assessment, quality educators, robust data systems, and improving the low performing schools in the state. Last year, Gov. Jack Markell signed into law bills to give districts greater flexibility in funding and providing increased accountability for results. The state Board of Education passed regulations this year that improve assistance and support for schools that are persistently low performing and that reform educator evaluations by focusing on student improvement as a required element for an educator to be rated as “Effective.”
“Great news for Delaware students -- this is a very competitive grant, and the announcement that Delaware is a finalist is a testament to the dedication and proven leadership of our Governor and Secretary of Education,” said Sen. Ted Kaufman (D-Del.). “Race to the Top is a tremendous opportunity for Delaware to build upon our already remarkable collective effort to create world class schools. These Recovery Act dollars would provide unprecedented resources to make even more innovative, ambitious educational improvements in our schools and give students the best education possible.”
“For the past two decades, we have sought to make Delaware a national leader on education,” said U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.). “Today’s news that Delaware has been chosen to go to the next level in this very competitive process is another positive for our state. I look forward to continuing to work with Governor Markell, Secretary Lowery and Delaware’s entire education team to ensure Delaware’s children have all the tools necessary to succeed.”
The federal Department of Education announced Delaware has moved to the next round in the Race to the Top competition. The announcement was made March 4 by Education Secretary Arne Duncan.
The Race to the Top federal grant competition allowed for states to submit applications during two phases. Phase I applications were due on January 19th. Forty states and the District of Columbia submitted applications for Phase I. The Department of Education chose Delaware, fourteen other states and the District of Columbia as the remaining states in consideration for funding in Phase I. States that do not receive funding or that did not apply during Phase I may submit applications for Phase II.
“Delaware’s application outlined some of the bold changes we have made and are making to improve our public schools. Every district, union, charter and school board in the state signed on to Delaware’s application because people recognize across the state that progress requires many partners,” Secretary of Education Lillian Lowery said.
Delaware’s application focuses on four assurances: strong standards and assessment, quality educators, robust data systems, and improving the low performing schools in the state. Last year, Gov. Jack Markell signed into law bills to give districts greater flexibility in funding and providing increased accountability for results. The state Board of Education passed regulations this year that improve assistance and support for schools that are persistently low performing and that reform educator evaluations by focusing on student improvement as a required element for an educator to be rated as “Effective.”
“Great news for Delaware students -- this is a very competitive grant, and the announcement that Delaware is a finalist is a testament to the dedication and proven leadership of our Governor and Secretary of Education,” said Sen. Ted Kaufman (D-Del.). “Race to the Top is a tremendous opportunity for Delaware to build upon our already remarkable collective effort to create world class schools. These Recovery Act dollars would provide unprecedented resources to make even more innovative, ambitious educational improvements in our schools and give students the best education possible.”
“For the past two decades, we have sought to make Delaware a national leader on education,” said U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.). “Today’s news that Delaware has been chosen to go to the next level in this very competitive process is another positive for our state. I look forward to continuing to work with Governor Markell, Secretary Lowery and Delaware’s entire education team to ensure Delaware’s children have all the tools necessary to succeed.”
