State bows to teacher concerns, revising bid for millions in aid

With the clock ticking and opposition lingering, Education Commissioner Eric Smith has agreed to revise the state's application for up to $900 million through the Obama administration's Race to the Top initiative.

Teachers' unions and some school district leaders object to some of the wording in Florida's 300-page proposal for a piece of the $4.35 billion federal grant, in part because it appears to require districts make every reform in every school. The money comes in part from Obama's economic stimulus plan.

There also is concern that districts must adhere to a one-size-fits-all strategy imposed by the U.S. Department of Education, including the turn-around of troubled schools, and with only a year to do it.

That is not the case, Smith said during a meeting with the editorial board of The Tampa Tribune - part of a statewide tour seeking support for the proposal as school districts near Tuesday's state deadline.

Florida must apply for the federal grant by Jan. 19. If it is among the 10 to 20 states chosen, the state could receive $350 million to $900 million, Smith said.

Smith said he won't change local agreements included in the proposal, known as Memorandums of Understanding, but insisted it contains a degree of local control and flexibility - something local teachers' union leaders want to see in writing.

Florida will accomplish this with a revised application, said Education Department spokeswoman Erin Rock. The proposal requires approval from some of Florida's 67 local school districts, each of which has until August to create a plan incorporating the federal overhaul.

The federal requirements include strengthening student achievement standards and assessments, developing data systems that track students from grade school to college, training and retaining high-quality teachers and leaders, and turning around the lowest-achieving schools.

Hillsborough officials are confident they could win a piece of the grant, especially since they just won $100 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to make similar educational reforms during the next seven years.

But there is concern the district could miss out on its allotment - estimated at $24 million or more - because Hillsborough already has achieved some Race to the Top goals.

"We've already expanded our instructional time and provided additional planning time for teachers," said Jean Clements, president of the Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association. "They're telling us it's OK, but they're not saying that in writing."

"We want folks to get credit for their actions," said Rock, the state education spokeswoman. "It wouldn't count against them. ... But we expect all the assurances to be addressed.''

Hillsborough Superintendent MaryEllen Elia is expected to sign the state agreement next week, with one caveat, she said late Wednesday: "We have to have that clarification."

Clements called revisions agreed to in the state's application "huge," but she still wants to see them in writing before signing any agreement. Union representation is not mandatory to receive the federal funds, but the support earns each state points.

"I want that money," Clements said. "We need that money."