Office of Elementary & Secondary Education; Overview Information: Race to the Top Fund (ARRA) CFDA 84.395
ID: 49325Type: Posted
Overview

Buyer

Department of Education (ED)

Eligible Applicants

Others

Funding Category

Education

Funding Instrument

Grant

Opportunity Category

Discretionary

Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement

Yes
Timeline
    Description

    The Department of Education is offering the Race to the Top Fund (ARRA) grant, a competitive funding opportunity aimed at incentivizing states to implement comprehensive education reforms. This program, with an estimated total funding of $4.35 billion, focuses on four core areas: adopting rigorous standards and assessments, enhancing teacher effectiveness, building data systems for student success, and improving the performance of the lowest-performing schools. States eligible for this grant must demonstrate their commitment to these reforms and submit applications that showcase their progress and plans, with at least 50% of the awarded funds allocated to local educational agencies. Interested applicants can reach out to Julius Cotton at the Department of Education via email at julius.cotton@ed.gov or by phone at 202-245-6140 for further information.

    Point(s) of Contact
    Files
    Title
    Posted
    The document outlines the Race to the Top Fund's objectives and criteria as part of the U.S. Department of Education's initiatives under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. This competitive grant program aims to incentivize states to implement comprehensive education reforms targeting improved student outcomes, including enhanced achievement rates and reduced achievement gaps. Key focus areas include developing rigorous standards and assessments, improving teacher effectiveness, enhancing data collection systems, and supporting struggling schools. States must submit applications demonstrating progress in these reform areas. Proposed priorities include a comprehensive approach to reform, collaboration with industries to enhance STEM education, expanding longitudinal data systems, and ensuring effective coordination from early childhood through higher education. Eligibility requirements mandate states have no legal barriers preventing the linkage of student achievement data to teachers for evaluation purposes. The document provides detailed selection criteria for evaluating applications based on states' prior accomplishments and proposed reform plans, emphasizing the importance of stakeholder support, instructional improvements, and significant progress in student performance metrics. Overall, this grant program is designed to create a sustainable impact on the education system across participating states.
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