"Take a school like Bruce Randolph in Denver. Three years ago, it was rated one of the worst schools in Colorado. Last May, 97 percent of seniors received their diploma."The president touted this success story just after praising Race to the Top. Problem is, the changes implemented by the Bruce Randolph School had nothing to do with Race to the Top.
From the Denver Channel:
Bruce Randolph was a middle school when it opened in 2002. In 2007, Denver Public Schools gave Bruce Randolph School permission to operate autonomously. It was the first school in the state to be granted autonomy from district and union rules.
Each teacher then had to reapply for his or her job. A published report said only six teachers remained.What, no examples of schools that benefited from Race to the Top for President Obama to use?
Sounds like students benefit a lot more from teacher accountability than added layers of bureaucracy and federal money.