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GoogleL-S Superintendent Ron Bush explained that the program could be coming to Indiana and if it does it could also bring $150 million to $240 million in public education funds.
"Indiana is in line to receive it ... it's a huge chunk of money so it's catching people's attention, but there are a lot of strings attached to it," Bush explained.
Conditions come with the program.
"You have to have assurance that you will participate," he added.
That means the school board and teacher union both have to sign off in order to receive funds.
The program also entails "performance pay" for teachers, he added.
"If students do well then you (teachers) get paid more money," he added. "The problem is who decides what's better?"
The state of Indiana must apply by the end of the year. So there's limited time in understanding the entire program.
"We have a short window," Bush added.
School Board President Frank "Frog" Gennicks questioned the process of signing off without knowing full details on the program.
School Board Member John Preble requested additional information on the matter.
Bush noted that he would forward the information on to board members.
"There's a strong push to change the way public schools are ran," Bush added. "Race to the Top is a hot topic ... there's an awful lot of pressure being put out there."
The Obama administration wants change in the public education system.
According to www.ed.gov/index.jhtml, the $4.35 billion Race to the Top Fund is the largest ever federal competitive investment in school reform. It will reward states for past accomplishments and create incentives for future improvements.
Bush also talked budget cuts during the Monday meeting.
"Don't be surprised if between now and Dec. 31 we don't get an e-mail saying we're getting cut," Bush told the board.
Look for a possible loss at both the local and state level.
"We've already lost the homestead exemption and (revenue from) those who haven't paid taxes ... we could have a shortfall in December on local taxes," he said.
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The federal government is not neutral or benevolent in any case, especially in matters such as education. In this case it is about purchasing control.
What school would not want more money in an effort to further the educational quality available to children? But what is the cost?
Control. Local school districts would cede more control over educational content and method to the federal government. Local Principals and Superintendents would lose more of their ability to make good, common sense decisions on what their students need to be learning.
The continued availability of these funds are based on student performance on standardized testing. Standardized, fill-in-the-bubble testing does not necessarily reward those teachers who teach students to think for themselves, to be innovators, to love learning for its own sake. Instead it terrorizes teachers, forcing them to spend more time making sure the kids can pass the standardized test, lest they lose their job, instead of allowing them to rely on their God-given teaching gifts.
Instead of relying on funds from the federal government, why don't communities do what they do best, work together to solve a common problem? Instead of athletics boosters, start an academic booster! Hold bake sales to provide better materials to schools and teachers. Convince the people that it is in their best interest to have a well-educated citizenry.
We are not a bunch of backwoods idiots! We have the brains, the will, and the money in our communities to educate our own. We do not need federal government to rescue us.