Connecticut Files Phase II Application for ‘Race to the Top’ Funding

Connecticut has delivered its application for the next round of federal “Race to the Top” education grants, seeking $175 million in federal funding to make wide-ranging reforms in the state’s public elementary and secondary public schools. The 1,200-page application has been developed by – and is strongly supported by – the Governor’s office, legislators, state school district officials, teachers, businesses, parents and others.  More info…

Competitive Ed Reform: Education Commissioner Urges Local Districts to Join the Race to the Top

Following the passage of comprehensive school reform legislation designed to strengthen Connecticut’s chances of securing federal funding, Commissioner Mark K. McQuillan is urging every school district to sign on to participate in the state’s Race to the Top application which could bring in $175 million in federal funds to help districts implement improvements to their schools.

“Much of the work will be focused at the local level, as it should be,” said Commissioner McQuillan. “That is why we are directing most of our requested grant dollars to local districts. In fact, we have added another $24 million in grants to local and regional districts to assure that every participating district will receive at least $100,000 regardless of its size, so they can accomplish their objectives.”  Full story…

Phase II MOUs Due May 19, Upcoming Con Calls

In order to be a strong competitor for the Race to the Top (RTTT) grant in Phase II, Connecticut is asking all superintendents, board of education chairs, and local union presidents, that elect to implement all or significantly all of the State’s RTTT plan, to once again formally sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) outlining the Local Education Agency’s (LEAs) commitment to implement the State’s plan.

This memorandum serves to provide you with the MOU for RTTT Phase II, along with the details for the required initiatives within the MOU. Importantly, we will also provide you with further details regarding the State’s reform plan within the RTTT Phase II Application shortly.

Please note, the MOU must be signed by the superintendent and, if possible, the president of the local school board and the leader of the local teacher’s union. The more signatures we receive, the more competitive we are in our application. This was clearly confirmed by the winners of RTTT in Phase I, who obtained over 90 percent support from their LEAs, including signatures of all three stakeholders: superintendents, board of education chairs, and local union presidents.

In order for Connecticut to submit an application to the U.S. Department of Education on June 1, 2010, LEAs must submit signed MOUs to the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) no later than May 19, 2010. Signed MOUs should be faxed or e-mailed to Jessica Andrews at 860-713-7004 or jessica.andrews@ct.gov.

Also, in order to provide guidance and answer any questions LEAs may have about the RTTT Phase II Application and the MOU content, the CSDE will be conducting a series of conference calls on the following dates and times:

- Monday, May 10, 2010 at 2:00 p.m.
- Tuesday, May 18, 2010 at 2:30 p.m.
- Friday, May 21, 2010 at 10:00 a.m.

The call-in information for these calls is as follows:
- Call: 877-674-2487
- Enter pass code: 221757#

If you have any questions, please contact Jessica Andrews, CSDE’s ARRA Coordinator, at 860-713-6582 or via email at jessica.andrews@ct.gov.

Your involvement and support is greatly appreciated and we look forward to working together on this very important initiative.

Thank You!

The recent facilitated work sessions on CT’s Race to the Top Phase II Application were extremely successful. Thank you to those who attended, and if you did not get a chance to attend, you can find the conference materials here on the RTTT Information page and provide your feedback through the comment box or via email to RTTT@ct.gov.  Your comments will be incorporated in summaries that will inform the State Department of Education and our grant writer as we prepare the Phase II Application. Your support is greatly appreciated and we know we need to work together on this important initiative to submit a winning application in June.  During the sessions, I shared a critique of what could be improved in Connecticut’s application and set out a Roadmap and Vision for Connecticut’s Public Schools. This includes a “P-20″ context seeking comprehensive, systemic change that embraces early childhood education through post secondary education and entry into the workforce. Based on the critiques that all states have now received from the U.S. Department of Education, it seems that both a reform-oriented proposal and broad stakeholder support are important for success, which is why it is our goal to continue to engage and collaborate with our partners throughout the process. We invite you to provide your feedback and be part of this process moving forward as we continue to update you regularly on the progress of Connecticut’s application.

 

Sincerely yours,
Mark K. McQuillan
Commissioner of Education

 

 

Advancing School Reform in an Era of Fiscal Crisis

The Connecticut Department of Education and several school districts around the state are engaged in comprehensive educational reform—despite the scarcity of state and local funding—that will keep Connecticut students at the forefront of academic achievement. Read the full press release.

RTTT Participating LEA MOU

The final version of the MOU for participating districts is now available on SDE’s web site. Follow the link below to review the MOU, a cover letter from the Commissioner with deadlines and instructions, as well as descriptions of Connecticut’s Race to the Top Reform Plan elements.

www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2703&Q=322442

An Important Message from the Commissioner

An Important Message from the Commissioner

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View the PowerPoint presentation for info on how to participate in RTTT

SDE Receives $249,000 from Foundation to Prepare Proposal

The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) has secured a grant of $249,000 from the New Venture Fund to assist in the development of its school reform proposal under the new $4.35 billion competitive federal Race to the Top (RTTT) grant program. The New Venture Fund received funding to support states’ efforts on RTTT from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The Department is preparing a RTTT application for up to $175 million to finance statewide education improvements over the next four years.  Read the full press release.

U.S. Dept of Education Workshop

Representatives from SDE recently attended a RTTT technical planning workshop with the U.S. Department of Education.  View the workshop presentation.

Are You on Board?

Welcome to the Connecticut Race to the Top.  This blog will be used to share information, gather comments and promote communication among key stakeholders for this important initiative.

“We have a responsibility to our children to prepare them for the demands of the 21st Century. Outdated structures and approaches in our high schools must be replaced with engaging, content-rich experiences that will enable our students to achieve at higher levels and to compete successfully in the world economy.” – Mark K. McQuillan, Commissioner of Education