Support for Race to the Top Reforms
Below is a Parent Revolution statement in support of California's attempts to become eligible for Race to the Top Funding:
LOS ANGELES PARENTS SUPPORT GOVENOR’S EFFORTS TO FREE UP FEDERAL EDUCATION DOLLARS
Los Angeles, CA. (September 21, 2009) The Parent Revolution(www.parentrevolution.org) , a Los Angeles-based parent coalition dedicated to transforming public education and taking back their children’s underperforming schools, announced their support for the reforms and innovations being proposed to make California eligible for federal Race to the Top funding. The Parent Revolution stands for a simple yet revolutionary idea: That every decision about our schools should be made based on what is best for our children. These reforms do just that, and are an important step in building a public education system that works for the 21st century.
These proposed changes would remove existing barriers to evaluating teachers based on their students’ performance, focus on transforming our lowest performing schools, and improve school accountability. They are a series of common-sense changes that will ultimately raise student performance and help put an end to the systemic failures of our public education system. “The time has come to answer President Obama’s call to bring transformational change to public education,” said Ben Austin, Executive Director of the Parent Revolution. “If we ever want the federal government or the people of California to invest in our schools, we must first prove to them that we can build a system that actually works for our children. These common-sense proposals are a necessary step along that path.”
“To lose out on billions of dollars from the federal government because of a failure to implement good public policy for our schools would be a disaster for California,” said Shirley Ford, a parent of three and Parent Revolution organizer. “Parents, communities, and education leaders are looking to Sacramento for leadership. We cannot wait another year to bring change to our schools and give our children the education they desperately need for the future they deserve.”
