Some in Broward feel that they were treated differently than other districts.

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Broward misses last chance at Race to the Top money

By Kathy Bushouse, Staff Writer
January 20, 2010

For a couple of hours Tuesday morning, it looked like the state Department of Education was going to give the Broward School Board another shot at signing on to Florida's Race to the Top application.

But just as soon as Schools Superintendent James Notter asked board members Tuesday morning whether they'd reconsider their vote last week against seeking a share of more than $4 billion in federal Race to the Top money, the state said it was too late.

The Broward School Board voted 5-4 last week against pursuing the money. Broward would have received $34 million over four years, but some board members had reservations about the program's requirements, including tying teacher pay to student performance on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.

Florida's 67 school districts had until last Tuesday to tell the state Department of Education whether it would sign on to its Race to the Top application. Broward voted against it, as did a handful of other school boards.

Some districts, however, signed on after the deadline. Other districts agreed to be part of the application, with "clarifying language" that Notter said addressed some of the concerns expressed by board members when they voted against taking part in Race to the Top.

On Saturday, Notter got a call from state Education Commissioner Eric Smith, asking whether Broward wanted another chance to take part in the state application.

Notter said he wouldn't sign on without getting the board's approval. At the start of Tuesday morning's board workshop, he asked them whether they might change their minds about Race to the Top.

Moments later, he received a call from public schools Chancellor Frances Haithcock, saying it was too late; the state had to send its application Tuesday, and wouldn't get Broward's materials in time. Faxed copies wouldn't meet the application's requirements. ...

Some board members said they were frustrated with the state, since other districts were allowed to sign on after the application deadline and attach amendments.

"It seems like people are being treated differently," said board member Maureen Dinnen, who added that she didn't trust the education department and thought the state was trying to use the money "to its own ends."

Dinnen was one of the five board members who voted against Broward's participation. The others were board Chairwoman Jennifer Gottlieb and board members Robin Bartleman, Stephanie Kraft and Ann Murray.