The U.S. Department of Education today awarded Connecticut 345 points on its losing Round 1 Race to the Top application, underscoring the need for gaining additional points in the second round by passing three bills before the state legislature to improve access to charter schools, effectively measure teacher and principal performance and open a new pathway to becoming a principal.

“Legislative champions now have indisputable proof of the need to pass these bills,” said Alex Johnston, ConnCAN Chief Executive Officer. “There is no need to let Connecticut fall short again in Round 2 of Race to the Top: we can pass legislation and create an application – and a public school system – that will make us winners the second time around.”

Connecticut received 344.6 points out of a possible 500 on the first round of Race to the Top, placing the state 25 out of 41 states that applied in Round 1. Delaware and Tennessee were announced winners of the first round of the Race this morning. Second round applications for the $4.35 billion competition for public school reform are due on June 1.

The U.S. Education Department released analysis of Connecticut’s Race to the Top application to explain its scoring. That analysis revealed that Connecticut fell 55 points short of becoming a finalist and 100 points short of becoming a winner. Approximately $3.4 billion of prize money is left for the second round, and the Department of Education anticipates many more states winning in that round.The Connecticut General Assembly is considering three bills that, according to this
new analysis, would greatly increase the state’s odds of winning up to $175 million in stimulus funds through the second round of the Race by addressing three gaps:

1. Measuring Effectiveness

Connecticut received only 52 of 82 total points in the areas of “Improving Teacher and Principal Effectiveness Based on Performance” and “Fully Implementing a Statewide Longitudinal Data System.” Our state fell short because it has not moved beyond the planning phase in these critical areas.

S.B. 440, which was unanimously voted last week out of the education committee and now is headed to the appropriations committee, would directly address this shortfall. It would institute a better data system that defines principal and teacher effectiveness in terms of student achievement growth and links teacher and principal training programs to the classroom effectiveness of their graduates. It also includes language, formerly part of H.B. 5491, which requires school districts to incorporate student achievement growth into their teacher and principal evaluation systems by July 1, 2011.

2. Money Follows the Child for Charter Schools

Connecticut received only 23 out of 40 total points in the area of “Ensuring Successful Conditions for High-Performing Charter Schools and Other Innovative Schools.” Our state fell short because current policies, including funding policies, greatly restrict the growth of high-performing charter schools.

H.B. 5493, which was introduced in the education committee but not brought up for a vote, directly addresses the weakest aspect of our state’s charter policies: the way charter schools are funded. It would eliminate the use of the annual state appropriation process to fund charter schools and adopt a “money follows the child” funding mechanism instead, phased in over several years.

3. Superstar Principals

Connecticut received only 14 out of 21 total points in the area of “Providing High-Quality Pathways to Teachers and Principals.” Our state fell short because of our state’s lack of an alternative route to certification for principals.

H.B. 5421, which was unanimously passed last week out of the education committee and will now head to the full legislature for a vote, would establish this alternative certification pathway for school administrators.

Detailed policy goals and other information are available at www.ourracetothetop.org.