Most Calif. schools bow out of $700M grant contest

By CHRISTINA HOAG, Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Less than half of California school districts and only about a quarter of teacher unions have promised to make key education reforms required for the state to win $700 million in competitive federal grants, officials said Wednesday.

Only 41 percent of school districts and 60 percent of eligible charter schools signed on for changes needed to participate in the Obama administration's Race to the Top contest in which states can win extra federal funding to ease the impact of steep budget cuts. ...

However, the reforms have gained scant support among teacher unions. with only 26 percent of unions signed off on their district's application. Union approval is not necessary for participation in Race to the Top but will be considered since reforms are more likely to be adopted if teachers support them, McLean said.

A key sticking point for unions is a requirement that teacher evaluations be tied to student test scores.

"It is simply not fair or constructive," California Teachers Association President David Sanchez wrote in a letter last year to U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan. ...

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