LA Department of Education shakes up schools strategy to compete for federal funds

[tonysam]

Louisiana wants some of Arne's bribery money:




The state has significantly revised its strategy for competing for a share of more than $4 billion in federal education money, telling school districts they must be willing to evaluate teachers based on their students' test score growth to participate.

The state's initial strategy for the so-called "Race to the Top" money called on districts throughout the state to voluntarily overhaul some of their lowest-performing schools by bringing in new leaders or staff or converting to charter school operations.

State Superintendent Paul Pastorek told state lawmakers this week that the shift to focus more heavily on "building great (school) leaders and teachers" stems from revised information released by the U.S. Department of Education, which will dole out the unprecedented competitive grant money.

Pastorek said participating districts must have or agree to build a strong teacher and administrator evaluation process that will be used in deciding pay, promotion, professional development and retention.







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