The governor’s proposed budget included $1.5 million to hold school districts harmless from any loss in revenue resulting from the opening of two new charter schools. Unfortunately on Wednesday, the House Finance Committee, chaired by Representative Steven Costantino, cut the funding for charter schools from its proposed budget. Disappointment that Rhode Island risks abandoning education reform and dropping out of President Obama’s “Race to the Top” for $4.3 billion in additional federal dollars were on display in a Providence Journal article Thursday night on the proposed budget.
Many have contacted me to ask for my reactions. Rather than give personal thoughts, I can respond officially on behalf of the Rhode Island Board of Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education (usually my posts to this blog are in an unofficial capacity speaking only on my own behalf). Today RIDE and the Regents issued the following statement in response to questions that Rhode Island is abandoning the Race to the Top competition by cutting funds for charter schools: (PDF version of statement)
Rhode Island Risks Losing $4.3 Billion “Race to the Top”
Statement of Angus Davis, speaking for Rhode Island Board of Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education, Thursday, June 18, 2009:
Preserving the Governor’s proposed $1.5 million in funding for new charter schools is a priority for RIDE and the Regents as the General Assembly debates the budget. On June 8, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said states that fail to embrace new charter schools “jeopardize their applications under the [$4.3 billion] Race to the Top Fund.” Loss of support for new charter schools recently approved by the Regents would put Rhode Island at risk of dropping out of the race, just as it gets underway.
Rhode Island’s budget is balanced in part thanks to an influx of $110 million in new education stimulus funding (with $88 million more pledged next year, and $4.3 billion up for grabs through the ‘Race to the Top’ Fund), all overseen by Secretary Duncan and administered in Rhode Island through RIDE. Winning additional federal dollars (not just for public charter schools but for all public schools) depends on how we spend these new funds we were just given, and how our policies embrace education reform to raise student achievement moving forward.
In distributing this $198 million windfall, the federal government asked states to fund new education initiatives rather than simply maintaining the status quo of current effort. Deputy Secretary of Education Jim Shelton, who oversees the “Race to the Top” Fund, wrote to the Board of Regents: “Thoughtful and high integrity use of those (current stimulus) funds will be a deciding factor in the competition for additional funds.”
Last week, education expert and former Gates Foundation chief Tom Vander Ark singled out Rhode Island’s expanding charter school sector as one of the nation’s top four reform initiatives worthy of winning the “Race to the Top,” crediting the leadership of Governor Carcieri, the General Assembly and mayors for passing “Mayoral Academies” charter school legislation last session in a bold step that won national praise and attention.
Said Secretary Duncan on May 28: “There are a number of states that are leading this effort, and we want to invest a huge amount of money into them, a minimum of $100 million, probably north of that … and the states that don’t have the stomach or the political will, unfortunately, they’re going to lose out.” The Regents ask the General Assembly to preserve the Governor’s proposed charter school funding, and keep our state in the running for the President’s “Race to the Top.” We cannot afford to drop out now just as the race gets underway and nationally respected leaders begin to take notice.
Even more important is the impact such a loss would have on families desperate for better educational options. As Secretary Duncan said last week: “We cannot continue to do the same thing and expect different results. We cannot let another generation of children be deprived of their civil right to a quality education.” We urge the General Assembly to preserve the Governor’s proposed funding for new charter schools as we work together to race to the top of not just the President’s competition for funds but to the pinnacle of educational achievement for Rhode Island children.
References to Arne Duncan’s statements are from US Dept of Education Press Release, June 8, 2009, “States open to charters start fast in ‘Race to Top’“ and his May 28 statements to the Associated Press (“Duncan: States could lose out on stimulus cash”, AP, Libby Quaid). Press contact for Sec. Duncan and Dep. Secy. Shelton: John White, Press Secretary, (202) 401-1576 john.white@ed.gov. Press contact for RIDE is Elliot Krieger, elliot.krieger@ride.ri.gov. Angus Davis can be reached at angus.davis@gmail.com.
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