If you are reading our blog, chances are you know that we support our state applying for a federal Race to the Top (RTT) grant. Call us fanboys if you want – but we have a historic opportunity to use federal ARRA funds and expertise to accelerate and expand state reforms. The 2009 education reform legislation, ESHB 2261, launches a series of bold and critical initiatives, but they come with significant fiscal and design challenges. The federal government stands ready to assist with with resources and expertise. That’s not a bad thing.
Last month we released a report that makes the case for our eligibility and also highlights preliminary ideas to include in our RTT application, Using Stimulus to Drive Change: Opportunities for Washington State.
Another thing you might know about us – we’re big fans of early learning. Kindergarten should be the next step in education, not the first step. So, can we use our RTT application to bolster P-20 education reform efforts? Last month some of the most well-known early learning funders nationwide sent a letter to Sec. Arne Duncan asking the Obama Administration to think even bigger.
Race to the Top does tip it’s proverbial hat to P-20, but it could do more. They argue that the Race to the Top Fund is missing a key link to pre-kindergarten. Here is their argument in a nutshell:
Given the power of the research and the scale of the Race to the Top’s ambition to make a difference, The Buffett Early Childhood Fund, The W.K. Kellogg Foundation, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and The Pew Charitable Trusts urge, in addition to the specific modifications outlined below, the Department of Education to elevate the level of priority given to “P-20 Coordination and Vertical alignment” from an “invitational priority” to a “competitive priority.” In doing so, the Race to the Top Fund will motivate states to design and implement their reforms starting with high-quality pre-kindergarten, assuring a much greater likelihood of success for America’s children and schools.
So, what would including early learning in RTT mean in terms of the four assurances?
- Standards and Assessments: Voluntary, national standards should begin at pre-k, be grounded in child development principles, and be aligned with national assessments of kindergarten readiness and third grade performance.
- Data Systems to Support Instruction: Longitudinal data systems should begin at pre-k, be designed so that data eventually can be captured at birth, and feed into Quality Rating Improvement Systems for pre-k linked to K-3.
- Great Teachers and Leaders: Create a Pre-k – 3 Teaching Credential and Career Pathways for Early Educators.
- Turning Around Struggling Schools: Implement early learning reform strategies in struggling schools and districts.
While the work isn’t complete, it is important to keep in mind that Washington State is making significant progress on every idea listed above. Race to the Top could seal the deal.
