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(Baton Rouge – March 4, 2010) The announcement that Louisiana is among 16 states chosen as finalists in the federal Race to the Top competition is a testament to the cooperation that marked discussions as our state’s application was prepared, according to Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Steve Monaghan.
“Louisiana’s successful application won’t be a surprise to anyone who understands the time and effort invested in this process,” said Monaghan.
The LFT president added that we have just completed the first step of the process, and that much remains to be done. A final decision on how much will be allocated to the successful applicants won’t be known until April. Nearly $4.4 billion is expected to be awarded as the federal program advances.
Now that we know Louisiana will have a share in the grant money, Monaghan said, it is time to get down to the serious business of deciding what Race to the Top programs will look like in each of the school systems that will participate.
“The fact that Louisiana made the short list should make it clear to all that it is time to fully engage in a dialog about the reforms contained in our Race to the Top application,” Monaghan said. “We are quickly moving to a point where this is no longer theoretical or abstract – it will have an impact on the way our schools operate. Local Federation affiliates are preparing to engage their school systems with plans that should be specific to the needs of the individual school districts. The work to be done must occur in an arena of mutual respect and with a strong commitment to do what is good for children, is effective, and is fair to educators and staff.”