SAVING AND CREATING JOBS AND REFORMING EDUCATION Shanker Institute: April 20, 2009 Marshall S. Smith The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act:

Historic, One-time Investment Over $100 billion investment Historic opportunity to stimulate economy and improve education Success depends on leadership, judgment, coordination, and communication

Guiding Principles Spend Quickly to Save and Create Jobs Ensure Transparency and Accountability Thoughtfully Invest One-time Funds Advance Effective Reforms

Advance Core Reforms/Assurances College and Work Ready Standards Collection and Use of Data Teacher Effectiveness and Distribution Turnaround Schools Continuous Improvement Innovation Transparency Scale

ARRA Funds Potentially Available Over the Next Two Years for Early Learning- Grade 12 (in millions of dollars):

Key Basic programs for reform Stabilization: state basic formula – roughly $34 billion for K-12: (2/3rds available now) – Effectively general support / use under Impact Aid rules – Available now – obligate by 10/011: use beyond Title I and IDEA: 10 and 13 billion: normal rules: (½ now) Title I School Improvement: $3 billion: targeted to neediest and awards potentially large. (Summer) ED Tech: 0.65 billion. (Summer) TIF (0.2 B), Statewide Data systems (0.25 B) : – Competitions during summer

State Fiscal Stabilization Fund $53.6 billion Governors $48.6 billion Elementary, Secondary, and Institutions of Higher Education 81.8% ($39.8 billion) Education, School Modernization, Public Safety, or other social services 18.2% ($8.8 billion) The Secretary $5 billion Race to the Top ($4.35 billion) What Works and Innovation ($650 million) Formula Competitive

SFSF Incentive Fund: “Race to Top” and “Invest in What Works and Innovation” “Race to Top” (RTT) : $4.35 billion competitive grants to states or clusters of states to drive significant improvement in student achievement and college-going through making progress toward the four assurances + possible other areas (e.g. early childhood): States and clusters of states eligible: 50% goes to Title I districts. “Investing in What Works and Innovation”: $650 million competitive grants to districts and to districts & non-profits that have made significant gains in closing achievement gaps to be models of best practices and innovate and scale reform. Awards for both competitions will be made during FY10.

Potential Uses of Basic ARRA Funds to Drive Long-Term Educational Reform and Improvement Will the proposed use of ARRA funds: – Support state, district and school reform plans – Drive results for students? – Increase capacity: human and social capital and materials? – Be sustainable – Improve efficiency? – Foster continuous improvement?

Districts start by defining problem(s) Problems: – Outcomes Overall lagging achievement and very low in some schools: 4 year graduation rate less than 75%: serious achievement gap(s): – Resources: Teachers not well trained and HR system weak: lack of alignment of resources to teaching and learning: lack of data to drive change: high schools boring….

Districts First Steps Long term (at least 6 years) commitment to stable governance and to reform by Supt., unions and board. Critical first step. Create plan involving significant parties/ include goals, process and input metrics and feedback loops / make all transparent. Realize no magic reform bullet: pieces have to act in concert and be reinforcing.

Key General Elements Coherent, ambitious curricula: formative assessments, learning progressions, aligned with standards, professional development. Supportive, data driven, learning environment for T&L – in center and in schools. Continuous improvement. Strengthen human resource system: Improve and equalize quality of human capital, social capital, supporting materials. Focus strong attention on schools that need substantial improvement.

Other Elements For schools in improvement: – Total Focus on language: – Extend day by 40% – integrated schedule – Engage community and parents – Provide medical diagnosis – referrals – – Counselors. For secondary schools: – Technology: within schools and student directed learning. – Multiple pathways – Constructive and relevant and service opportunities.

Where ARRA fits in. Reforms: – Standards, Curriculum, Assessments: – Improving teacher quality – Data systems and continuous improvement (Data systems competition) – Focus on weakest schools Sources of Funds: For: – State Activities: (RTT, SFSF [other], guidance) – District Activities: (SFSF, RTT, Innovation, Title I/IDEA for selected schools, Ed Tech, TIF) – School Activities: (Most sources: Much more for schools in Title I school-wide programs with Title I School Improvement funds)

Reality Check States do not have a lot of new money unless they win a part of the Race to the Top funds or use SFSF discretionary funds. Districts have more opportunities -- largest are SFSF, RTT and Innovation funds. SFSF focus!!!! Schools have access to all pots of money but with strings attached for much of it. Schools in need of improvement with Title I School Improvement funds will potentially have large amounts of money. (Target most in need)

Potential Uses of ARRA Funds that Support Assurances and Avoid “The Cliff” (1) Examples to consider: Establish intensive, 2 year-long teacher training for all teachers and the principal in a Title I school wide program primary school to train teachers to use a new reading curriculum that aggressively works on improving students’ oral language skills and vocabulary. Train some teachers as teacher trainers so that new teachers beyond the two years could receive professional development. Provide new opportunities for Title I school-wide programs for secondary school students to use open high-quality, online courseware as supplemental learning materials for meeting mathematics and science requirements. Provide other students opportunity for AP and credit recovery courses – teachers become coaches. District uses SFSF funds to expand state longitudinal system to include more data relevant to their needs and train personnel to use the data from the system to drive continuous improvement efforts focused on increased achievement. 16

Potential Uses of ARRA Funds that Support Assurances and Avoid “The Cliff” () Examples to consider: – Districts use SFSF funds to create efficiencies for the future: combine back office functions with other districts – go cloud computing for IT. Train new people in processes. – Coordinate with local Community Colleges for AP like courses that are expensive. – Use tough end-of-course exams and give credit for performance rather than for seat time. Probably need waiver. 17

Think hard before you act Lots of possibilities but need a plan to maximize the use.