The truth is non-partisan

The federal government dictates how programs are run and usually
requires states use their own funds to top up federal grants. States
end up spending their own money on federally-mandated programs.

This week was the deadline for applications for federal grants related
to the Race to the Top program, Obama's version of No Child Left
Behind. The U.S. Department of Education has $4.3 billion to hand out,
but states have to qualify to get the grants, which often requires
changing their programs.

Obama is convinced the grant will entice "cash-starved" states to
adopt his program.

To qualify states must shut down failing schools, opting for privately
run charter schools, develop tougher tests tied to higher academic
standards, and collect better data to track student progress and make
teacher training more rigorous. Teachers will be evaluated on their
students' performance on tests.

"If it sounds prescriptive, that's because it is," North Carolina Gov.
Bev Perdue told NPR.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122727330

While Perdue was critical of the "cookie-cutter" approach mandated by
the feds, her state still applied for the grants.  At least twelve
states have changed their laws to fit federal guidelines.

Despite opposition from its teachers, the largest teacher's union, the
American Federation of Teachers, says it supports the Obama plan.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122518878&ps=rs

Tom Dooher, president of the Minnesota teacher's union, calls the
program "coercive."  Superintendents are telling teachers this may be
the only money they see for many years.

States have invested time and resources in the application process so
they can figure out what to do to get the largest grants possible. The
rules for applying for the grant run over 100 pages. The Gates
Foundation is giving grants to states to help them apply for the
federal grants.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan told NPR in November that Race to the
Top give states flexibility instead of telling them what to do. The
grant will be "based upon their history of accomplishments and their
capacity to deliver on a courageous plan that they themselves design,"
Duncan told NPR.

However, John Ashley, executive director of the Wisconsin Association
of School Boards, said: "We now see states scrambling to read the
minds of the Department of Education as to what would make their state
eligible for the funds."

Anthony Cody, who coaches science teachers in Oakland Public Schools,
is using his Facebook to fight against Race to the Top.

"People with large amounts of money are using that money to leverage
change that they want," said Cody to NPR.

According to Cody, President Obama in his campaign said he would move
away from punishing schools for low test scores.  The Bush
administration's No Child Left Behind increased testing and punished
teachers if scores didn't improve.

However, Cody says these practices continue under Obama's Race for the
Top.  He is concerned that Race for the Top increases the reliance on
testing and teachers teaching for standardized tests.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120340616&ps=rs

Federal funding to states for education is unconstitutional.  In
addition, it makes states and school districts dependent on big
government, encouraging them to give up program freedom for dollars
that have too many strings attached.

// posted by John Fisher @ 8:44 AM