SACRAMENTO /California Newswire/ — Governor Schwarzenegger today announced that to date, 760 local educational agencies have submitted memorandum of understandings (MOU) to partner with the state’s Race to the Top application. The participation of these local educational agencies will ensure that the state’s application is highly competitive for up to $700 million in much needed federal education funding by demonstrating broad statewide impact and support. In addition to the historic and statewide education reform legislation signed recently by the Governor, Race to the Top calls on local education agencies to voluntarily partner with the state through an MOU to take the first steps in implementing the reform agenda championed by President Obama and Governor Schwarzenegger to better California’s education system.
“President Obama called for positive change, and the 760 local education agencies already partnering with the state show that California’s education community has embraced that call,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “Paired with the historic legislation I signed to empower parents and transform under-performing schools, this level of voluntary participation will improve California’s education system and help ensure our state is highly competitive in the Race to the Top.”
Under the Obama Administration’s guidelines, Race to the Top calls on local education agencies to voluntarily partner with the state through a MOU to implement reforms to increase student achievement. California’s MOU – developed in accordance with the final Obama Administration Race to the Top guidelines – invites location education agencies to create conditions for education innovation and reform by establishing a framework to implement the Race to the Top assurance areas that include:
•Adopting internationally benchmarked standards and assessments that prepare students for success in college and the workplace;
•Recruiting, developing, retaining and rewarding effective teachers and principals;
•Building data systems that measure student success and inform teachers and principals of how they can improve their practices and
•Turning around the lowest-performing schools.
For more information and the complete list of local educational agencies that have submitted MOUs to date please visit www.caracetothetop.org/cs/rttt/print/htdocs/intent.htm.
