Statement of NYS Senator Eric Adams on “Race to the Top"

Statement of NYS Senator Eric Adams on “Race to the Top”:
“The Race to the Top Fund provides grants on a competitive basis to promote education innovation and financially reward those states that foster conditions that achieve meaningful reform.  It offers parents expanded choices and holds educators accountable for meeting advanced education standards and delivering meaningful results.  Thus, the Race to the Top fund may enable states to make decisive gains in student achievement by supporting those that make progress on four determined goals:
 
1.    Progress toward rigorous college- and career-ready standards and high-quality assessments valid and reliable for all students (including English language learners and students with disabilities);
2.    Establishment of pre-K to college/career data systems that track progress and foster continuous improvement;
3.    Improvements in teacher effectiveness and in the equitable distribution of qualified teachers for all students, particularly students who are most in need;
4.    Provision of intensive support and effective interventions for the lowest-performing schools.
“Race to the Top is a significant effort initiated by the federal government to promote sound, basic, quality education.  The NYS Senate, working in conjunction with the NYS Assembly, developed legislation to maximize our State’s eligibility for Race to the Top funds and bring much-needed transparency, accountability, and parental input to the process by which charter schools are established and sited.  We stand opposed to unwise regulations, formulas, principles, and theories; we will protect our schoolchildren.
 
“We stand in support of the State Education Department application sent today to Washington.  It is an intelligent, good-faith attempt to invest in our children’s future, and we hope that the submission will obtain financing in this Race to the Top ‘Round One’.  Should it be unsuccessful, we will apply for June’s Round Two and battle once again to obtain the funding to promote a quality education for New York’s school children.”
 
 
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