Public school systems in Virginia and the District of Columbia would be better equipped to use student data to fire lousy teachers if the jurisdictions win their hoped-for share of federal education dollars.
Both included that promise in exhaustive applications turned in Tuesday for a share of $4 billion in Race to the Top funds. About 40 states and the District will compete for the money, designed to drive new ideas to improve public education, but feared by some as a federal intrusion upon states’ rights.
In the District, some of the funds would support the completion of the city’s SLED project — the beleaguered effort to track individual student achievement year to year. It also would support the creation of teacher evaluations based at least 50 percent on student performance.
“D.C. is at the forefront of reforming public education,” said Mayor Adrian Fenty, who took control of the school system in 2007. “Our application takes these efforts to the next level.”
In Northern Virginia, Alexandria is the only district that would use some of the funds to turn around failing schools — possibly including the use of charter schools. Alexandria joined Falls Church and Prince William schools in signing on to the promise to use student performance to judge teachers and principals.
Both D.C. and each of the Northern Virginia districts would use some of the funds for aligning standards and tests across schools. Those in favor of common standards argue that a level of consistency is the only way to bring failing schools up to speed, while those opposed say it sets a lower-than-necessary achievement goal and discourages individuality and competition.
The District applied for $112 million to be used in the public schools and for 30 public charter schools. The remaining 27 charter schools chose not to participate, retaining independence from the requirements likely to be attached to the winnings.
Virginia requested $350 million for the 117 jurisdictions that signed on to the state’s application. Northern Virginia’s school districts were not among the 14 jurisdictions saying “no thanks.”
Maryland is preparing an application for the competition’s second round, due in early June, according to a state spokesman.
President Obama on Tuesday visited a Falls Church elementary school to announce his request for another $1.35 billion in grants for fiscal 2011.
