R2T Comment Draft 8-27-09

RACE TO THE TOP DOCKET ID ED-2009-0006 Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (Attention: Race to the Top Fund Comments) U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Room 3W329 Washington, DC 20202 The New Teacher Project respectfully submits these comments on the Secretary of Education’s proposed priorities, requirements, definitions and selection criteria for the Race to the Top Fund (the “Guidelines”). I. General Comments The Proposed Guidelines reflect some important fundamental policy choices by Secretary Duncan and his staff for which we believe they should be applauded. First, it is clear that the Secretary seeks bold proposals with ambitious goals for the transformation of state and district human capital policies, enhancement of assessment and data systems, and dramatic gains in student achievement, with special focus on reforms to benefit high need students and schools and using a broad definition of student achievement to include graduation rates and post-secondary outcomes. While proposals focused on interim, incremental improvements would involve less risk, Secretary Duncan has made clear that the Race to the Top Fund represents “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity . . . to create incentives for far-reaching improvement in our nation’s schools.” We believe that this is the right choice. For decades, education reform efforts have been characterized by inertia and half-measures. Race to the Top opens ...