NEWS RELEASE

Roseville, MN – A series of public meetings around the state have been scheduled to gather input on Minnesota’s application for federal Race to the Top funding. The Race to the Top Fund is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) and provides competitive grants to states that are engaged in education innovation and reform.

A stakeholder group consisting of leaders from K-12 education, higher education, business and the minority community has been working on Minnesota’s application and are now seeking additional public input from administrators, teachers and parents throughout the state. If Minnesota is awarded funds through Race to the Top, half of the money will be designated for local school districts that pledge to implement the reforms.

“The federal government is recognizing that educational systems around the country need reform, and I expect Minnesota to be one of the leading states in those efforts,” said Alice Seagren, Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Education. “Many of the things they’re asking states to do, we already have in place here in Minnesota. Q Comp, for example, is Minnesota’s nation-leading reform that rewards quality teaching and keeps good teachers in the classroom by paying them in a more professional way.”

The application for Race to the Top requires states to put in place systems and reforms that meet the following four assurances:

· Adopting internationally benchmarked standards and assessments that prepare students for success in college and the workplace;

· Recruiting, developing, retaining and rewarding effective teachers and principals;

· Building data systems that measure student success and inform teachers and principals how they can improve their practice; and

· Turning around our lowest-performing schools.

In addition to the four assurances, there is a separate competitive grant program for states’ efforts in science, technological, engineering and math (STEM). Minnesota’s recent efforts in STEM also make the state well-positioned to win this competition.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation recognized Minnesota’s leadership in this area by selecting the state as one of fifteen states to receive technical assistance with their Race to the Top application. This $250,000 grant allowed the state to hire a consultant to help drive Minnesota’s application process.

Education leaders will be holding public meetings across the state during the week of Oct. 26:

Monday, October 26, 2009

Roseville – Metro School Districts

Minnesota Department of Education

1500 Highway 36 West

Roseville, MN 55113

Conference Center B, Conference Room CC15

Time: 1:00-3:00 p.m.

Rochester

Southeast Service Cooperative

210 Woodlake Drive SE

Rochester, MN 55904

Time: 1:00-3:00 p.m.

St. Cloud

Resource Training and Solutions

4150 2nd Street South, Suite 550

St. Cloud, MN 56301

Time: 2:00-4:00 p.m.



Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Marshall

SW/SC Service Cooperative

1420 East College Drive

Marshall, MN 56258

Time: 9:00-11:00 a.m.

Mankato

South Central Service Cooperative

2075 Lookout Drive

North Mankato, MN 56003

Time: 1:15-3:15 p.m.

Roseville – Metro School Districts

Minnesota Department of Education

1500 Highway 36 West

Roseville, MN 55113

Conference Center B, Conference Room CC15

Time: 1:00-3:00 p.m.




Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Bemidji

Bemidji Holiday Inn Express

2422 Ridgeway Ave. N.W.

Bemidji, MN 56601

Time: 9:00-11:00 a.m.

Thief River Falls

Best Western Inn

1060 Highway 32 S

Theif River Falls, MN 56701

Time: 1:00-3:00 p.m.

Fergus Falls

Lakes Country Service Cooperative

1001 East Mountain Faith

Fergus Falls, MN 56537

Time: 4:15-6:15 p.m.

Roseville – Charter Schools Only

Minnesota Department of Education

1500 Highway 36 West

Roseville, MN 55113

Conference Center B, CC15

Time: 10:00-12:00 noon



Thursday, October 29, 2009

Proctor

Black Woods Conference Center

195 Hwy. 2 (Intersection of Hwy. 2 and Boundary Avenue)

Proctor, MN 55810

Time: 9:00-11:00 a.m.

Mountain Iron

Northeast Service Cooperative

5525 Emerald Avenue

Mt. Iron, MN 55768

Time: 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Roseville – Metro School Districts

Minnesota Department of Education

1500 Highway 36 West

Roseville, MN 55113

Conference Center B, CC15

Time: 10:00 -12:00 noon