Critical Issues Influence Institute

Are you up-to-date on reforming your district? The Obama Administration has laid out reform priorities for education:

• Higher standards and better assessment;
• More effective teachers and more equitable teacher distribution;
• Enhanced data systems and improved collection and use of data; and
• Turning around low-performing schools.

Many of these reform efforts have been included in stimulus packages and funds that have been set-up for school districts.

Texas ASCD hosted its first of 5 one-day institutes, at the beginning of December, focusing on critical issues for influence. Are you taking advantage of the funds available through stimulus money? In this session we discussed:

• Who is leading the U.S. Department of Education – their roles and priorities
• ARRA – American Recovery and Reinvestment Act – to help with state budgets and to prevent teacher layoffs
• Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) – known as No Child Left Behind during the Bush Administration
• Stimulus dollars - where they are going
• The Race to the Top Fund – to help promote state reform programs based on the reform priorities that the Obama Administration has laid out
• and the Innovation and Improvement Fund (i3) – promising and innovative practices in the reform priorities.

So what are these acts/funds saying? We need to start reforming our schools to address these standards. After a presentation of all this information, we had discussions with representatives from legislative aides, Superintendents, Assistant/Deputy Superintendents, the State Board and central office staff on what to do with this information and how to distribute this information in our districts so that Texas Districts can apply for these fundings.

This influence institute is a new program Texas ASCD is doing to help districts get the information they need. To find out more about these funds, please visit the U.S. Department of Education website at http://www.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop/index.html. Texas ASCD is trying to help you lead the way in influence. Stay up-to-date on critical issues and to be notified of legislative issues. Join the Texas ASCD’s Educator Advocates Action Center: http://capwiz.com/ascd/tx/home/.