Welcome to Louisiana’s Race to the Top Initiative

The Race to the Top (R2T) is officially underway, and Louisiana is among the 41 competitors entering the contest for the $4.35 billion federal education grant. On January 19, officials from the Louisiana Department of Education delivered the state’s application to the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C. On January 25, LDOE publicly released the contents of Louisiana’s 187-page application, 68-page budget and 418-page appendix.

Link to R2T Application Documents.

Race to the Top was authorized through the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and is designed to support public education reform. The $4.35 billion allocation is the single largest pool of discretionary funding dedicated to education reform in the history of the U.S. Louisiana, which has been identified as a strong contender due to reforms already underway, is asking the federal government for $314 million in its R2T application.

The Race to the Top competition is voluntary. Participating districts will have the opportunity to receive significant funding for the purpose of implementing comprehensive reform strategies district-wide. Twenty-eight local school districts and fifty-six independent charter schools have voluntarily signed on to take direct part in the state’s Race to the Top program as a Participating LEA. Districts that chose not to sign on as a Participating LEA may choose to become an Involved LEA. Involved LEAs will have the opportunity to compete for reform dollars via the Louisiana Educational Best Practices Fund (LEBP).

As part of the application process, the Louisiana Department of Education spent several months collaborating with educators, businesses and other stakeholders across the state to develop a comprehensive plan that is aligned with the needs and priorities of local schools and school districts.

Submit your comments or questions on Louisiana’s Race to the Top application.

Why We Can't Wait

In October 2009, Louisiana Department of Education officials released a proposed state Race to the Top plan titled “Why We Can’t Wait: Louisiana’s Blueprint for School Improvement” (PDF). The draft plan outlines the state’s approach to the Race to the Top competition. The plan calls for schools to voluntarily agree to actions around accountability, empowerment, human capital, and innovation – mirroring the fundamental objectives of the U.S. Department of Education’s proposal.

The draft plan was discussed at the statewide Race to the Top summit on November 5, 2009. More than 250 participants gathered in Baton Rouge to share ideas, learn more about Race to the Top, and contribute feedback. Use the links below to view materials presented at the summit:

• Race to the Top Stakeholders' Summit  PPT
• Race to the Top Stakeholders' Summit - Web Slideshow

Summit Introduction: Explaining Louisiana’s Approach

At the statewide Race to the Top Summit on November 5, 2009, State Superintendent of Education Paul Pastorek addressed participants on the purpose of the event and what the grant program could mean for Louisiana. Superintendent Pastorek addressed the initiatives supported by Race to the Top, as well as questions about participation and the sustainability of the programs. Click on the links below to watch the speech.

A Message from State Superintendent of Education Paul Pastorek

Over the past decade, Louisiana has made considerable progress in K-12 public education, particularly in efforts to narrow the achievement gap between races and classes. Undoubtedly, our gains are due to the commitment of students, educators and policymakers statewide.

At the same time, it’s daunting to realize Louisiana is still far behind most states. And sadly, despite our improvement, about 200,000, or one-third of our students, are below grade level. That harsh reality compels us to pry ourselves from the status quo — to discard what hasn’t worked and replace it with what does.

Louisiana will soon compete for a share of the $4.35 billion Race to the Top grant. While only a handful of states are expected to win, some may be surprised to learn Louisiana is a front-runner. Specifically, Louisiana’s Recovery School District and charter school program have been singled out as dynamic and effective reform models, garnering national attention even before Race to the Top surfaced. More importantly, both initiatives have significantly raised student achievement — primarily in schools plagued by decades of chronic failure.

In the RSD, after only two years of steady implementation in New Orleans, the gains made in the percentage of students scoring proficient from 2008 to 2009 outpaced state gains in 25 of 30 assessments. And in nearly half of the assessments the gains were double-digit.

Likewise, a recent Stanford University study highlighted Louisiana as one of five states where charter schools outperform traditional public schools. In New Orleans, where 60 percent of the students attend charters, the combined district score for the RSD and Orleans Parish School System has increased 24 percent since 2005, when most students attended traditional schools.

Thus, we are not surprised by the overlap between these models and reform ideas outlined in Race to the Top. All are based on demonstrated success — and all seek to transform schools through principal autonomy, innovation, teacher effectiveness and accountability.

But neither the Louisiana Department of Education nor Race to the Top is suggesting charters are the panacea. Charter conversion is an option, not a requirement. And the department’s current grant proposal allows districts to decide whether to participate, and, if so, whether to transition a school to a charter.

Race to the Top offers Louisiana an unprecedented opportunity to implement sustainable improvement. We hope local districts and Louisiana’s education community will embrace this once-in-a-lifetime chance to fund the transformation of our schools. We encourage citizens to learn more about Race to the Top, and join us in advocating for policies and initiatives centered on the best interest of our children.

We can’t wait, Louisiana!  Read More