Florida is set to collect $700 million for its schools, the U.S. Department of Education announced Tuesday, naming the Sunshine State one of 10 winners in the second round of its $4.35 billion Race to the Top competition.
The funds will help shore up education spending in a down economy and set the stage for lawmakers and the state Department of Education to push for reforms in public schools that could include instituting a merit pay system for teachers, which was the subject of a nasty political fight this past spring.
We are very, very thrilled to be one of those that will receive an award in round two, said state Education Commissioner Eric Smith. I think that this round is a true example of what can happen when a state collaborates, works together, pulls together.
Race to the Top is part of President Barack Obama's $800-billion stimulus plan that passed in 2009. Money is doled out through a competitive two-round grant application process. Florida was widely rumored to be a front-runner in the first round, but finished fourth and out of contention for federal dollars. Only Delaware and Tennessee took home money when the first-round winners were announced in late March.
Federal school officials cited problems with the state's initial application for the money, mainly the lack of support from teacher unions across the state. The Florida Education Association, the statewide lobbying arm for the individual unions, said they hadn't been included or listened to during many initial conversations about the state's grant application and voiced concerns about the proposals, particularly ones enforcing a merit pay system for teachers based on student test scores.
The revamped application, which did win union approval, still focuses on merit pay for teachers. But it would not be imposed on districts where an agreement could not be reached via the local collective bargaining process.
Smith, Gov. Charlie Crist and a delegation of Florida educators pitched the state's overhauled proposal to federal education officials earlier this month. It also presented the overall goals of doubling the number of students who graduate high school and take college credits, narrowing the achievement gap in reading and math, and increasing the number of students who read above the proficiency level.
Were heartened that Florida became a recipient of the Race to the Top grant in the second phase of the federal program, FEA President Andy Ford said in a statement. Our state was unsuccessful in the first phase because the scope of Floridas application was imposed by the state. When the governor appointed a working group that included superintendents, school boards, teachers, parents, FEA and other groups, differences were quickly worked out.
The other states that will receive federal funds are the District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Ohio and Rhode Island. And the U.S. Department of Education has asked Congress for another $1.35 billion to continue the program so more states can receive funding.
In both rounds combined, 46 states and the District of Columbia applied for the grant money.
The next step is for local school boards to develop a plan of how they will implement reforms and use the federal money. The local boards have 90 days, starting today, to develop those plans, but they will not include full-blown contract negotiations, Smith said. Schools that do not participate in the reforms will not receive any money.
Smith also said he does not anticipate that the department will need any legislative action to implement reforms.
