Liftoff: CA State Senate Passes Race to the Top Education Reforms
California Political Desk
November 05, 2009
SACRAMENTO, CA – Just after midnight, the California state Senate passed SB X5 1 with a 21-12 bipartisan vote. The comprehensive bill containing reforms necessary for California to be eligible and competitive for the federal Race to the Top grants is authored by Senator Gloria Romero (D- East Los Angeles), Chair of the Senate Education Committee, and Senators Bob Huff (R-Glendora), Elaine Alquist (D-Santa Clara), and Mark Wyland (R- Escondido). The bill next goes to the Assembly Education Committee.
"Today, the California State Senate has shown its resolve to reclaim education excellence for all of California´s children," said Senator Romero. "California will do right by its children. The promise of a quality and equal education for every child is within our grasp. Today we have taken on the toughest assignment and we will race to the top."
"We are the advocates for the children in this state," said Senator Huff. "Today, we have moved one step closer to improving an educational system that has failed generations of California´s kids."
Governor Schwarzenegger called a Fifth Extraordinary Session on education in August to focus on California´s response to the federal Race to the Top Fund eligibility requirements. Race to the Top will provide $4.35 billion in competitive grants to encourage and reward states that create the conditions for education innovation and reform. According to a recent Ed Source report on Race to the Top, California "may have trouble…convincing the federal government that it is serious about taking aggressive actions to turn around struggling schools" because of the limited effectiveness of past efforts and unwillingness to impose severe sanctions on low-performing schools.
"As a former teacher and counselor, it saddens me to see California´s students fall behind children from around the world academically," said Senator Alquist "This bill will provide the stimulus that California needs to rise to the top for academic achievement and innovation once again."
"I´m pleased to be one of the bipartisan authors of the most significant education reforms California has seen and will see in years," said Wyland. "Race to the Top opens the door for a new kind of achievement for California´s students by making our state eligible for half-a-billion dollars in additional education funding, but most importantly by implementing major reforms that are desperately needed by our education system."
SBX5 1 provides for turning around historically low-performing schools, using data to improve instruction and student performance, removes the state´s cap on the number of charter schools, authorizes open enrollment for students in low-performing schools, and requires the state to develop a plan to implement reforms that will make California competitive for a Race to the Top grant. Moreover, the bill puts California in compliance with the federal requirements for a Race to the Top grant and requires the state to apply for a Phase 1 grant.
"Today, the California State Senate has shown its resolve to reclaim education excellence for all of California´s children," said Senator Romero. "California will do right by its children. The promise of a quality and equal education for every child is within our grasp. Today we have taken on the toughest assignment and we will race to the top."
"We are the advocates for the children in this state," said Senator Huff. "Today, we have moved one step closer to improving an educational system that has failed generations of California´s kids."
Governor Schwarzenegger called a Fifth Extraordinary Session on education in August to focus on California´s response to the federal Race to the Top Fund eligibility requirements. Race to the Top will provide $4.35 billion in competitive grants to encourage and reward states that create the conditions for education innovation and reform. According to a recent Ed Source report on Race to the Top, California "may have trouble…convincing the federal government that it is serious about taking aggressive actions to turn around struggling schools" because of the limited effectiveness of past efforts and unwillingness to impose severe sanctions on low-performing schools.
"As a former teacher and counselor, it saddens me to see California´s students fall behind children from around the world academically," said Senator Alquist "This bill will provide the stimulus that California needs to rise to the top for academic achievement and innovation once again."
"I´m pleased to be one of the bipartisan authors of the most significant education reforms California has seen and will see in years," said Wyland. "Race to the Top opens the door for a new kind of achievement for California´s students by making our state eligible for half-a-billion dollars in additional education funding, but most importantly by implementing major reforms that are desperately needed by our education system."
SBX5 1 provides for turning around historically low-performing schools, using data to improve instruction and student performance, removes the state´s cap on the number of charter schools, authorizes open enrollment for students in low-performing schools, and requires the state to develop a plan to implement reforms that will make California competitive for a Race to the Top grant. Moreover, the bill puts California in compliance with the federal requirements for a Race to the Top grant and requires the state to apply for a Phase 1 grant.
Print
Email
