LSBA balks at contest
Print
Email
Save
Reprints
Twitter
Share
Del.icio.us
Digg
Facebook
Reddit
- Page 1 of 2
- SINGLE PAGE VIEW
Public school board members overwhelmingly oppose state plans to land $250 million in education aid through a federal contest, officials said Wednesday.
The key problem is that, even if schools land the money, they would face major problems with continued financing of any improvements when the federal dollars run out, officials of the Louisiana School Boards Association said.
“That is the principal problem at hand,” Don Whittinghill, consultant for the LSBA, said in an interview.
The competition, which is the subject of a public hearing at 1 p.m. today, is called “Race to the Top.”
It is a national contest that will provide $4.4 billion to about a dozen states that federal officials conclude are creating the conditions for education innovation and reform.
Louisiana is said to be one of the front-runners.
State Superintendent of Education Paul Pastorek, who has clashed with the LSBA on other issues, hopes that up to 130 public schools will take part in a bid to improve student performance.
Most of the schools would have to undergo sweeping changes, including new principals and teachers.
They could also collect up to $2 million each over four years if Louisiana is one of the winners.
Pastorek on Wednesday downplayed the criticism and said individual schools will determine participation, not the LSBA.
“I think it would be foolish on anyone’s part to reject ‘Race to the Top’ at this junction,” he said. “We don’t even have the final regulations.”
The LSBA has 658 members. Less than 100 responded to the survey.
Nolten Senegal Sr., executive director of the group, said 77 percent of those who responded said the LSBA should not take part in the effort.
- NEXT PAGE »
- 1
- 2
 | ||||
| Most Popular | Most Emailed | Hot Topics | ||
