EdWeek: Adopt standards or forget RttT funds

By Jim Stergios
March 19th, 2010

Yesterday, the Globe published an editorial that made the reasonable argument that if Massachusetts’ academic standards are higher than the final product coming out of two trade groups, supported by the Obama administration, then the state should not adopt them. But the piece said more. It noted that

The Obama administration isn’t going to force states to adopt the new standards. But it is implying that uncooperative states could hurt their chances for federal grants. There ought to be a way that Massachusetts can qualify for such funds without making unnecessary curriculum changes.

Problem is that EdWeek’s Catherine Gewertz published a report the very same day entitled “Ed Dept to States: In Race to Top, Only Common Core Will Do” that makes it very clear that the RttT funds will only flow to those states that adopt the common core standards.

The enterprising Gewertz asked lots of questions after the President’s recent trial balloon (more than that?) on using Title I as, well, not a carrot but more like a cattle prod. Because the Title I proposal allows states to adopt the core standards or work with universities to ensure college/career readiness, some thought perhaps that was true for RttT.

Nope. Got to adopt the very “common” standards by August 2010 for full credit and by December 2010 for partial RttT credit.

What a bunch of school marms.