The U.S. Department of Education has required that states competing for the new $4.3 billion in “Race to the Top” grant establish that they link teacher and administrator performance assessments to student achievement data. This requirement has caused many states to consider whether to permit such links. Connecticut’s State Board of Education is considering support for a proposed change to Connecticut law that would permit links between teacher evaluations and student achievement data and allow Connecticut to apply for Race to the Top funding. Many states have laws prohibiting such links. California recently repealed such a law, while Nevada will not, effectively preventing Nevada from applying for the grants. Many other states are considering such legislative changes in advance of the fall 2009 “Race to the Top” application deadline.
For more information, please click the following links:
Board Discusses Application For Funds, Hartford Courant
Nevada Law Blocks Stimulus Education Funds
Schwarzenegger OKs school bill required by US law, U.S. News