The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) provides $4.3 billion for competitive grants called the Race to the Top Fund.  It is anticipated that grant application will be required to be submitted by late December or early January.  This program is designed to encourage and reward implementation of significant education reforms across four specific areas around:

• Standards and Assessments
• Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems/Use
• Great Teachers, Great Leaders
• Support to Struggling Schools

The Governor’s P-20 Coordinating Council is aggressively pursuing the development of a competitive application for Race to the Top Funds through the work of four task forces established around the reform areas. 

The Governor’s P-20 Coordinating Council’s Task Forces are soliciting  input for innovative and bold ideas built around the four reform areas.  Below are the draft charters of each of the task forces and the draft requirements specific to each of the reform areas to guide the development of viable suggestions. 

To be considered, your ideas must conform with the below draft requirements and task force guidance for our Race to the Top application. We look forward to hearing from you!

Please send us an e-mail outlining your ideas.

Below is the Memorandum of Understanding and a Scope of Work, both of which require an authorized signature from the school or district in order to participate in the Race to the Top funding.  In the event Arizona is a recipient of the Race to the Top grant the participating LEAs will have 90 days in which to write their plan and complete the signatory process. The Memorandum of Understanding and Scope of Work have only minimal revisions from the documents published in the Federal Register. 

National Council on Teacher Quality Report, November 2009, Arizona’s Race to the Top; What will it take to compete?