Analysis of Ohio's Competitiveness for "Race to the Top" Funding

Thomas B. Fordham Institute / November 19, 2009

Like other states, Ohio has committed to applying for federal Race to the Top (RttT) dollars. If the state’s application is selected, it will receive $200 to $400 million for education innovation that targets six criteria:

• Great Teachers and Leaders;
• State Success Factors;
• Standards and Assessments;
• General Selection Criteria;
• Turning Around the Lowest-Achieving Schools; and
• Data Systems to Support Instruction.

Following is the Fordham Institute’s analysis of Ohio’s present competitiveness for RttT funding based on the final priorities released by the U.S. Department of Education in early November. (A PDF version of this analysis is available online here.)

Note: The Race to the Top selection criteria are listed below in order of weight by points to reflect the importance of these areas to the U.S. Department of Education and the Obama Administration.

1) D. Great Teachers and Leaders (138 points)
(D)(1) Providing high-quality pathways for aspiring teachers and principals (21 points)
(D)(2) Improving teacher and principal effectiveness based on performance (58 points)
(D)(3) Ensuring equitable distribution of effective teachers and principals (25 points)
(D)(4) Improving the effectiveness of teacher and principal preparation programs (14 points)
(D)(5) Providing effective support to teachers and principals (20 points)

Fordham Analysis: Portions of HB 1 seek to improve teacher quality by implementing a four-year residency program for new teachers and delaying tenure decisions until a teacher’s seventh year. These reforms may contribute to points in D1 and D5 (residency program with lead or

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Analysis of Ohio's Competitiveness for "Race to the Top" Funding