July 29, 2009
Comment on Proposed ARRA Funding Applications
ARRA INFORMATION FROM STATE SUPERINTENDENT PATRICIA I. WRIGHT
On Friday, July 24, 2009, the U. S. Department of Education (USED) released several notices of proposed requirements for Phase 2 of the State Fiscal Stabilization Funds and the Race to the Top funds. USED invites public comment on the requirements outlined in the notices. These two documents are attached and are also available on the USED Website at www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/programs.html.
We encourage you and your staff to review the proposed requirements for the two programs listed below and provide comment directly to USED by the deadline of August 26, 2009.
State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (SFSF) – Phase 2 [Docket ID #: ED-2009-OESE-0006]
Federal Register: Notice of proposed requirements, definitions, and approval criteria.
A summary of the proposed requirements for development of the required state plan begins on page 92 of the attached document. Further descriptions related to the indicators listed below that are specific to local education agencies (LEAs) begin on pages 8 and 30. In some cases, the Virginia Department of Education already has the information requested, but there are certain proposed requirements that would require additional reporting from school divisions. For example, LEA reporting would include:
- Descriptions of the systems each school division uses to evaluate the performance of teachers and principals
- Information on whether the local teacher evaluation system and principal evaluation system include achievement outcomes as an evaluation criterion
- The number and percentage of teachers and principals rated at each performance level
- Whether the data described above are available at the school as well as district level
USED will not accept comments by fax or e-mail. They must be submitted using the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov or by postal mail. Please list the Docket ID at the top of your comments and identify clearly the specific proposed requirements, definitions, or approval criteria that each comment addresses. Additional information is included in the attached document. Mailed comments should be addressed to:
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
Attn: State Fiscal Stabilization Fund Comments
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Room 3W329
Washington, DC 20202-6200
Race to the Top [Docket ID #: ED-2009-OESE-0007]
Federal Register: Notice of proposed priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria.
A summary of the proposed requirements for states to be competitive for Race to the Top funds begins on page 59 of the attached document. You may want to note the indicators outlined below. Further discussion of these indicators begins on page 24.
- Indicator (A)(1)(ii) - state adoption of common standards.*
- Indicator (A)(2) - state participation in a consortium to develop and implement common assessments
- Indicators (C)(2)(i) through (C)(2)(iii) - differentiation of teacher and principal effectiveness based on performance
- Indicator (C)(3) - equitable distribution of effective teachers and principals
- Indicator (C)(4) - reporting the effectiveness of teacher and principal preparation programs
- Indicator (C)(5) - effective support to teachers and principals
- Indicator (D)(3) - turning around struggling schools
Within the body of the narrative, beginning on page 10, you may be interested in the proposed priorities for selection of grantees:
- Proposed Priority 1 – Absolute Priority: Comprehensive Approach to the Four Education Reform Areas
- Proposed Priority 2 – Competitive Preference Priority: Emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
- Proposed Priority 3 – 5 are Invitational Priorities
- Expansion and Adaption of Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems
- P-20 Coordination and Vertical Alignment
- School-Level Conditions for Reform and Innovation
*This is a reference to the Common Core Standards that are in development by the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers. See www.corestandards.org for more information about the Common Core Standards.
USED will not accept comments by fax or e-mail. They must be submitted using the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov or by postal mail. Please list the Docket ID and the term "Race to the Top" at the top of your comments, and identify clearly the specific proposed priority, requirement, definition, or selection criterion that each comment addresses. Additional information is included in the attached document. Mailed comments should be addressed to:
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
Attn: Race to the Top Comments
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Room 3E108
Washington, DC 20202-6200
If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Dr. Linda Wallinger, assistant superintendent for instruction, at Linda.Wallinger@doe.virginia.gov or (804) 225-2034.
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