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While students begin filling classrooms as the new school year starts this week, the state’s education funding took another major hit Tuesday Aug. 24 as the U.S. Department of Education shut out Illinois in the federal Race to the Top funding competition.
Federal officials announced nine states and the District of Columbia would be recipients of a shared $4.35 billion reform grant. Race to the Top was implemented this year as one of President Obama’s initiatives for education reform.
Illinois appeared to have a good shot at receiving this crucial funding after placing fifth in the first round of the competition in April. The unexpected loss left the state looking for answers.
“We are very disappointed that Illinois is not among the recipients of the newest round of federal education grants,” Illinois Education Association President Ken Swanson said in a statement Tuesday. “This certainly puts a spotlight on a problem with the concept of competitive grants.”
According to the Illinois State Board of Education, Illinois’ schools would have benefited from nearly $400 million that would go to reforms in four areas including improving the use of standards and assessments, increasing the use of data, increasing the effectiveness of teachers, and improving struggling schools.
Illinois garnered support from more than half of the state’s 869 school districts, including cash-strapped School District U-46.
“I am disappointed that Illinois has again been turned down by the U.S. Department of Education for funding through the federal Race to the Top competitive grant program,” U-46 Superintendent Jose Torres said in a statement Tuesday. “My hope is that the reform efforts that have already begun in Illinois, including new laws that will lead us to performance-based evaluation systems for educators, will continue as quickly as resources will allow.”
ISBE State Superintendent Christopher Koch expressed similar disappointment in Illinois’ loss but is looking forward to improve educational efforts within the state.
“I am proud of the effort that our state has made to put together such an ambitious plan, which I believe should serve as our blueprint for where we need to take education through the next decade,” Koch said in a message on the ISBE website Tuesday.
States that will receive Race to the Top funding include Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Ohio and Rhode Island.
While students begin filling classrooms as the new school year starts this week, the state’s education funding took another major hit Tuesday Aug. 24 as the U.S. Department of Education shut out Illinois in the federal Race to the Top funding competition.
Federal officials announced nine states and the District of Columbia would be recipients of a shared $4.35 billion reform grant. Race to the Top was implemented this year as one of President Obama’s initiatives for education reform.
Illinois appeared to have a good shot at receiving this crucial funding after placing fifth in the first round of the competition in April. The unexpected loss left the state looking for answers.
“We are very disappointed that Illinois is not among the recipients of the newest round of federal education grants,” Illinois Education Association President Ken Swanson said in a statement Tuesday. “This certainly puts a spotlight on a problem with the concept of competitive grants.”
According to the Illinois State Board of Education, Illinois’ schools would have benefited from nearly $400 million that would go to reforms in four areas including improving the use of standards and assessments, increasing the use of data, increasing the effectiveness of teachers, and improving struggling schools.
Illinois garnered support from more than half of the state’s 869 school districts, including cash-strapped School District U-46.
“I am disappointed that Illinois has again been turned down by the U.S. Department of Education for funding through the federal Race to the Top competitive grant program,” U-46 Superintendent Jose Torres said in a statement Tuesday. “My hope is that the reform efforts that have already begun in Illinois, including new laws that will lead us to performance-based evaluation systems for educators, will continue as quickly as resources will allow.”
ISBE State Superintendent Christopher Koch expressed similar disappointment in Illinois’ loss but is looking forward to improve educational efforts within the state.
“I am proud of the effort that our state has made to put together such an ambitious plan, which I believe should serve as our blueprint for where we need to take education through the next decade,” Koch said in a message on the ISBE website Tuesday.
States that will receive Race to the Top funding include Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Ohio and Rhode Island.
