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Arizona Lawmakers Create Reform to Compete in National Race for Education Grant
Photo courtesy of Badger Herald
Written by Caitlin Cole - Copy Editor
Currently in competition for the largest education grant ever issued by the federal government, Arizona seeks an advantage in the Race to the Top program issued by President Barack Obama to encourage states to implement his version of school reform.
The race is aggressive, with 40-45 states involved, all desperate for money in the country’s current economic situation.
Proposals for reform must be submitted by January 19, 2010, and although Arizona may seem to be an unlikely candidate because of its Republican leadership, it has a few advantages in the race.
Governor Jan Brewer has gathered 60 business leaders, educators, and scholars to assist in Arizona’s effort, which could gain the state an estimated total of a $250 million grant.
After the guidelines to the race were released in the summer, states immediately began changing laws to become eligible for the policies and apply for the money, but Arizona has been given a leg up in the race due to the generous grant given by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation which delivered $250,000 to the state to hire a well-connected law firm to help create Race to the Top proposals.
One issue that has caused a mishap in the process of Arizona attaining the grant concerns the Arizona Educational Association who recently filed a lawsuit against the stage legislation challenging the constitutionality of the latest changes to state laws.
Obama has issued a 500-point scale based on what the state has accomplished, and what is being proposed in different areas, and one of the largest point scales is based on teachers’ and principals’ pay raises based on student academic progress and test scores, versus teacher seniority.
“The whole process is becoming a little too politicized, and some of us within the teaching ranks are having to push back on that,” said Arizona Education Association President John Wright.
Wright also says that he likes the Obama administration’s reform plans, but that he is concerned over the state using grant requirements to take teachers’ employment rights, like seniority pay.
Lawmakers and the governor have been unable to fix the state’s budget deficit, and Arizona is also behind in student test scores and funding compared to the rest of the states competing in the race, which complicates things for the Arizona’s chances .
If Arizona is unsuccessful in obtaining a first-round award in April, then it may try again in the second round beginning next September.
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