Race to the Top Funding: Badly Needed, Should Be Spent Wisely. LAE urges state to adopt plans that support students and the entire education community

The announcement by the US Department of Education listing Louisiana as one of the finalist for Race to the Top (R2T) grants may bring badly needed funding to the state. However, the Louisiana Association of Educators believes this announcement may also bring the state one step closer to implementing unproven strategies that will ultimately fail children, educators, and our public schools.

 

Joyce Haynes, the President of LAE, believes the state's R2T application fails to hit the mark and will not improve student achievement and teacher quality.

 

"One area of the state's application that we believe is particularly harmful is using student test scores to determine teacher compensation," said Haynes. "There is little or no research that actually supports the value of linking the two."

 

Haynes adds this approach also provides a stumbling block to serious negotiations around an effective R2T application that can be supported by the entire education community

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"LAE believes that the success of all of our students can only be obtained when all stake holders, not just public school employees, are brought to the table and held accountable for improving student achievement and teacher quality."

 

While the LAE cannot support the initiatives included in the original R2T application, Haynes states the Association remains committed to fighting for education reforms that focus on creating and nurturing "great teachers and leaders"—a critical component to improving student achievement.

 

She adds that the LAE will continue to work with the Louisiana Department of Education and other stakeholders to insure that the revised version of the state's application will focus on proven strategies and programs that improve student achievement and teacher quality.

 

"We fight for the success of all students," said Haynes. "All students deserve great schools—with great teachers and leaders working collaboratively and focused on the needs of children. Public education will improve, and our state will progress, but only when the entire education community works together and the professionalism of all educators is affirmed."