February 3rd Deadline Looms For Race To The Top

Race To The Top is a new grant program initiated under the Obama administration challenging states to reform educational practices and to focus on recruitment of teachers, focus on job training and college prep and streamlining the data operations. Let’s take a look at the government web site:
Through Race to the Top, we are asking States to advance reforms around four specific areas:

• Adopting standards and assessments that prepare students to succeed in college and the workplace and to compete in the global economy;
• Building data systems that measure student growth and success, and inform teachers and principals about how they can improve instruction;
• Recruiting, developing, rewarding, and retaining effective teachers and principals, especially where they are needed most; and
• Turning around our lowest-achieving schools.

Awards in Race to the Top will go to States that are leading the way with ambitious yet achievable plans for implementing coherent, compelling, and comprehensive education reform. Race to the Top winners will help trail-blaze effective reforms and provide examples for States and local school districts throughout the country to follow as they too are hard at work on reforms that can transform our schools for decades to come.

For whatever reason, oh let’s say incompetence of central office leaders, Norwalk hasn’t made any progress to apply for the grant, which btw, is an extension of the original deadline.

Now why would Norwalk not go after grant money? Perhaps because the central office leaders, including Papallo don’t care to fill out paperwork and get federal funding because for too long the gravy train of Norwalk taxpayer money has been unrestricted and endless with no oversight.

Read the minutes form the January 5th BOE meeting:

E. Approval of 2010-2011 Operating Budget.

Mr. Colarossi said that although there was a public hearing last night, there were significant questions unanswered.

** MS. BISHOP-PULLAN MOVED THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION:

RESOLVED, UPON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE THE NORWALK PUBLIC SCHOOLS OPERATING BUDGET FOR 2010-2011 IN THE AMOUNT OF $154,832.896.

** MR. CHIARAMONTE SECONDED.

Mr. Colarossi said that he felt that it would be important to have the questions answered before approving the budget.� Mr. Colarossi then listed a number of the areas of concern, such as the legal costs, the recycling and certain cuts.� He then suggested that the budget be sent to the Budget Committee. Discussion followed.

Mayor Moccia then said that there had been a meeting with the BET and the BOE the previous evening.� He then reviewed the figures that the City had in terms of income, which is a reduction of just under 37% in revenue.� The unemployment rate is 7%, there were 54 foreclosures last year, there are 400 houses on the market and the Housing Court has been flooded with cases.� These are the issues that the City is facing, which also mean that the BOE will also have to face.� The Emergency Shelter and Catholic Charities are facing with a sharp increase in request for meals since people are struggling with keeping a roof over their heads.� He said that if the recommendation went to the BET, it would not necessarily be looked upon favorably.

The budget for the Norwalk Public Schools is heading over to the BET and Common Council. What effort was made by the BOE to tackle the operational costs? Well, watch the video clip of the January 19th meeting and see.

Papallo dances around the issue at 28 minutes in on the January 19th video. He’s too uncomfortable with the details.