Race to the Top Winners: Policy Innovators in Education Director Says "No More Business as Usual"
The Education Department’s decision to name just two “Race to the Top” winners “sends a strong message that this administration is not interested in business as usual,” according the director of the Policy Innovators in Education (PIE) Network.
Bloomfield, NJ, March 31, 2010 --(PR.com)-- The Education Department’s decision to name just two “Race to the Top” winners “sends a strong message that this administration is not interested in business as usual.” That’s the view of Suzanne Tacheny Kubach, Executive Director of the Policy Innovators in Education (PIE) Network. PIE represents 20 education reform groups in 16 states, including the two winners, Tennessee and Delaware.
Both states benefited from the efforts of advocacy groups, Tennessee SCORE and the Rodel Foundation of Delaware, who represent broad coalitions of civic leadership. Kubach says, “These states wouldn’t have won “Race to the Top” without the efforts of these groups. They represent a diverse membership united by a desire to see changes in the status quo that will lead to better education for their children.”
Last Thursday, directors of the 20 education advocacy groups in the PIE Network met with Education Secretary Arne Duncan, expressing their hope that he meant what he said about setting a high bar for winners in Race to the Top. Kubach said, “Today they got their answer. I am delighted to see this administration meant what it said about not handing out money, but instead, allocating funds to states that have already made significant progress.”
States that didn’t win in this first round of “Race to the Top” now have until June 1st to apply for a second round of funding. Kubach said, “In some of the other states where advocates worked to advance reform, they realized their state’s applications would likely fall short, and they will now be pushing for greater progress so they can be competitive in round two.” She added, “This is still a horse race; it will be interesting to see who makes the bold moves in round two. Those who weren’t finalists in round one may be able to maneuver past some that were.”
“The Race to Reform: How Education Reform Advocates are Leveraging Race to the Top,” a white paper issued by the (PIE) Network, describes how this historic competition has already led to victories in education reform, even before the winners were announced.
The mission of the PIE Network, an organization founded by four leading education policy groups, is to build, support and promote a network of education advocacy organizations working to improve K-12 education in their states and the nation.
Contact:
Karen Frankola
(973) 580-1656
karen@pie-network.org
###
Both states benefited from the efforts of advocacy groups, Tennessee SCORE and the Rodel Foundation of Delaware, who represent broad coalitions of civic leadership. Kubach says, “These states wouldn’t have won “Race to the Top” without the efforts of these groups. They represent a diverse membership united by a desire to see changes in the status quo that will lead to better education for their children.”
Last Thursday, directors of the 20 education advocacy groups in the PIE Network met with Education Secretary Arne Duncan, expressing their hope that he meant what he said about setting a high bar for winners in Race to the Top. Kubach said, “Today they got their answer. I am delighted to see this administration meant what it said about not handing out money, but instead, allocating funds to states that have already made significant progress.”
States that didn’t win in this first round of “Race to the Top” now have until June 1st to apply for a second round of funding. Kubach said, “In some of the other states where advocates worked to advance reform, they realized their state’s applications would likely fall short, and they will now be pushing for greater progress so they can be competitive in round two.” She added, “This is still a horse race; it will be interesting to see who makes the bold moves in round two. Those who weren’t finalists in round one may be able to maneuver past some that were.”
“The Race to Reform: How Education Reform Advocates are Leveraging Race to the Top,” a white paper issued by the (PIE) Network, describes how this historic competition has already led to victories in education reform, even before the winners were announced.
The mission of the PIE Network, an organization founded by four leading education policy groups, is to build, support and promote a network of education advocacy organizations working to improve K-12 education in their states and the nation.
Contact:
Karen Frankola
(973) 580-1656
karen@pie-network.org
###
Contact
PIE Network
Karen Frankola
973 580 1656
pie-network.org
Karen Frankola
973 580 1656
pie-network.org
Contact
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