Race to the Top Program Cost: $4,350,000,000

[Gerald]

The Race to the Top program is a $4.35 billion fund created under the economic stimulus package (ARRA). It's a competitive grant program where states compete for federal funds by implementing education reforms. Most of the money has yet to be awarded. Many states competing for funds have initiated reforms linking student performance o teacher evaluations and expanding charter schools. In his budget request for fiscal 2011, President Obama asked for a $1.35 billion expansion of the program.

http://www.foxnews.com/topics/calculator/race-to-the-top-program.htm

[SteamWake]

Dont we have enough topics on race around here.... oh wait... heh never mind.

These performance based initatives never seem to work out well.

Here in Florida they use this system FCAT.

First there was a problem with the launch of the system.

Then there was seemingly endless revising of the test itself.

Finally the tests were taken and turned over to the 'scoring' bunch whom found further problems and were two months late in delievering the results.

When the results were finally released (this month) the results were less than stellar. The teachers / schools immediatly blamed the test and the outfit doing the scoring.

In the schools desire to perform well with the FCAT the ciriculum was altered to focus on that aspect (costing time and money) new textbooks needed (costing time and money). You see if you perform 'better' in the FCAT your more likely to recieve addittional funding... performance based.

It dident work out to well for florida schools. Some of the results are so snafu'd they may just throw them out. All that time and money (read tax dollars) wasted.

http://www.news-press.com/article/20100716/NEWS0104/7160380/Fourth-and-fifth-grade-FCAT-scores-could-be-tossed

Once again the goverment takes a program with the most nobel of intentions and turns it into a royal screw up.

[Gerald]

Dont we have enough topics on race around here.... oh wait... heh never mind.

These performance based initatives never seem to work out well.

Here in Florida they use this system FCAT.

First there was a problem with the launch of the system.

Then there was seemingly endless revising of the test itself.

Finally the tests were taken and turned over to the 'scoring' bunch whom found further problems and were two months late in delievering the results.

When the results were finally released (this month) the results were less than stellar. The teachers / schools immediatly blamed the test and the outfit doing the scoring.

In the schools desire to perform well with the FCAT the ciriculum was altered to focus on that aspect (costing time and money) new textbooks needed (costing time and money). You see if you perform 'better' in the FCAT your more likely to recieve addittional funding... performance based.

It dident work out to well for florida schools. Some of the results are so snafu'd they may just throw them out. All that time and money (read tax dollars) wasted.

http://www.news-press.com/article/20100716/NEWS0104/7160380/Fourth-and-fifth-grade-FCAT-scores-could-be-tossed

Once again the goverment takes a program with the most nobel of intentions and turns it into a royal screw up. except that there are "many topics" In FL for example :hmm2: