Federal Priorities

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) lays the foundation for education reform by supporting investments in innovative strategies that are most likely to lead to improved results for students, long-term gains in school and school system capacity, and increased productivity and effectiveness.

The ARRA provides $4.35 billion for the Race to the Top Fund, a competitive grant program designed to encourage and reward States that are creating the conditions for education innovation and reform; achieving significant improvement in student outcomes, including making substantial gains in student achievement, closing achievement gaps, improving high school graduation rates, and ensuring student preparation for success in college and careers; and implementing ambitious plans in four core education reform areas:

Adopting standards and assessments that prepare students to succeed in college and the workplace and to compete in the global economy;
Building data systems that measure student growth and success, and inform teachers and principals about how they can improve instruction;
Recruiting, developing, rewarding, and retaining effective teachers and principals, especially where they are needed most; and
Turning around our lowest-achieving schools.

The School Improvement Grants (SIG) are designed to implement strategies for the improvement of the lowest-achieving Title I schools, through four intervention models:

Turnaround model - replace the principal and at least 50% of the staff, adopt a new governance structure, and implement a new or revised instructional program.
Restart model - close the school and reopen it under the management of a charter school operator, a charter management organization (CMO), or an educational management organization (EMO).
School closure - close the school and enroll the students in other, high-achieving schools in the LEA.
Transformation model -
- Develop teacher and school leader effectiveness;
- Implement comprehensive instructional reform strategies;
- Extend learning time and creating community-oriented schools; and
- Provide operating flexibility and sustained support.

College and Career Ready Standards, including the Common Core State Standards. The U.S. Department of Education is maintaining formula grants to high-poverty school districts while making significant changes towards improving achievement to ensure all students are college and career ready upon graduation by:

Supporting rigorous college and career ready standards.
Providing rigorous and fair accountability and support at every level.
Measuring and recognizing progress and growth at school, district, and state levels.
Building capacity for support at every level.
Fostering comparability and equity.

The Center on Instruction's resources: Documents, tools, examples, and professional development opportunities are designed to aid states, districts, and schools in successfully implementing these initiatives.