Office of the Superintendent - Miami-Dade County Public Schools - Alberto Carvalho And UTD President Karen Aronowitz Sign Race To The Top Assurance

Office of the Superintendent - Miami-Dade County Public Schools - Alberto Carvalho And UTD President Karen Aronowitz Sign Race To The Top Assurance

Alberto Carvalho And UTD President Karen Aronowitz Sign Race To The Top Assurance

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Alberto Carvalho and UTD President Karen Aronowitz

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, October 13, 2010

CONTACT:
John Schuster
305-995-1126

SUPERINTENDENT ALBERTO CARVALHO AND UTD PRESIDENT KAREN ARONOWITZ SIGN RACE TO THE TOP ASSURANCE AGREEMENT PUTS M-DCPS IN LINE FOR UP TO $70 MILLION IN FUNDING

MIAMI- Miami-Dade Superintendent of Schools Alberto M. Carvalho and UTD President Karen Aronowitz signed an agreement today assuring the state that the teachers union is in agreement with Florida’s Race to the Top (RTTT) grant application and agreeing to negotiate the terms and conditions for full implementation. The agreement puts Miami-Dade County Public Schools in line for up to $70 million in RTTT funding.

“This is an important moment for everyone in Miami-Dade County,” Carvalho said. “Teachers, administrators, parents and business leaders are united in support of reform efforts that will be of direct benefit to our students’ educational needs and long-term employment goals.”

Florida is eligible to receive $700 million in RTTT funding over four years. According to Florida’s grant application, the funds will be used to increase student achievement; decrease achievement gaps between subgroups in reading/language arts and mathematics; increase high school graduation rates; and increase college enrollment and the number of students who complete at least a year’s worth of college credit that is applicable to a degree within two years of enrollment in an institution of higher education.

Superintendent Carvalho was named, via executive order, to chair Florida’s RTTT Working Group. Under Carvalho’s leadership, the Working Group revised the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) supporting the state’s application for the RTTT grant, and worked to foster broad stakeholder support for it.

The United States Department of Education sponsors RTTT to provide $4.35 billion to states that will lead the way with ambitious yet achievable plans for implementing coherent, compelling and comprehensive education reform. Florida was selected as one of 16 finalists for Phase I of the RTTT grant, having been awarded the fourth highest number of points for its application.