State Schools Chief O’Connell and Secretary of
Education Thomas Announce Hundreds of Local Educational
Agencies Intend to Participate in Race to the Top

“There is tremendous momentum in California to make the systemic changes to improve our public education system called for in the Race to the Top,” O’Connell said. “I am very pleased that more than half of the public school students in our state will get the direct benefit of our reform work by attending a school that is participating in Race to the Top.”

The competitive grant program is designed to encourage and reward states and LEAs that are creating the conditions for education innovation and reform with a specific focus in four core areas:

• Adopting internationally benchmarked standards and assessments that prepare students for success in college and the workplace;
• Recruiting, developing, retaining, and rewarding effective teachers and principals;
• Building data systems that measure student success and inform teachers and principals how they can improve their practices; and
• Turning around the lowest-performing schools.

The Race to the Top grant presents a significant opportunity for statewide engagement in fundamental reforms needed to accelerate growth in student achievement.  As a statewide program, our mission statement for “Academic Excellence and College Access for ALL Students” is clearly aligned with the goals of this grant. California GEAR UP is pleased to join with the many citizens and organizations focused on providing the opportunity for ALL children to reach their potential.

For more information on this partnership and to read the CDE press release, go here.

Let us know if you are involved in the partnership seeking these funds, we would like to hear from you.