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Rep. Jim Hackworth - House District 33
IMMEDIATE RELEASE March
29, 2010
Tennessee Wins Race To
The Top Grant
Tennessee And Delaware Successful In Competition's First Round
CONTACT: Lydia Lenker
Amanda Anderson (Education)
615.741.3763 (Office)
615.532.7817 (Office)
615.289.9375 (Cell)
amanda.anderson@tn.gov
NASHVILLE — Governor
Phil Bredesen announced today that Tennessee is one of just two
states selected to receive millions of dollars for education in the
federal government’s Race to the Top competition. The U.S.
Department of Education announced Tennessee and Delaware as the
competition’s first round winners earlier today.
Tennessee will receive
approximately $500 million to implement its comprehensive school reform
plans over the next four years.
“This is a landmark
opportunity for Tennessee,” said Bredesen. “Our success in
Race to the Top speaks to the commitment we’ve made to meaningful and
significant improvement in public education, and the funds provided by
the grant will carry us forward in a dramatic and positive direction.”
Tennessee requested $501
million in its application. As one of the next steps in the
process, the U.S. Department of Education will complete negotiations
with successful states on their Race to the Top contracts to finalize
award amounts.
The $4.35 billion Race to
the Top Fund is an unprecedented federal investment in reform. The
program includes $4 billion for statewide reform grants and $350 million
to support states working together to improve the quality of their
assessments. The Race to the Top state competition is designed to
reward states that are leading the way in comprehensive, coherent,
statewide education reform across four key areas:
• Adopting standards
and assessments that prepare students to succeed in college and the
workplace;
• Building data systems that measure student growth and success, and
inform teachers and principals how to improve instruction;
• Recruiting, developing, rewarding, and retaining effective
teachers and principals, especially where they are needed most; and
• Turning around their lowest-performing schools.
Forty states and the
District of Columbia submitted applications for the first phase of
grants. Delaware and Tennessee were selected from among 16
finalists who presented their proposals to panels of peer reviewers
earlier this month.
The peer reviewers awarded
the highest scores to Delaware and Tennessee. According to the
U.S. Department of Education, they awarded Delaware and Tennessee high
marks for the commitment to reform from key stakeholders, including
elected officials, teacher's union leaders, and business leaders.
In both states, all school districts committed to implementing Race to
the Top reforms.
Delaware and Tennessee also
have aggressive plans to improve teacher and principal evaluation, use
data to inform instructional decisions, and turn around their
lowest-performing schools. In addition, both states have put in
place strong laws and policies to support their reform efforts.
Bredesen expressed
appreciation for widespread support for the state’s application by the
Tennessee General Assembly, Tennessee Education Association, educators
and education advocates, business leaders, and the parents and families
across the state that want to continue to provide better opportunities
in the classroom and in life for Tennessee’s children.
Tennessee’s complete Race
to the Top proposal can be found on the state Department of Education
Web site at www.tn.gov/education.
More information online at:
http://www2.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2010/03/03292010.html.
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