Oakwood, Kettering, Centerville among schools seeking grants

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By Anthony Gottschlich, Staff Writer 11:12 PM Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Centerville, Kettering and Oakwood schools are among the Dayton-area school districts seeking federal Race to the Top education grants, the Ohio Department of Education reported Tuesday, Jan. 12.

Huber Heights, Miamisburg and Xenia school districts also want a share of the nearly $400 million the state is seeking from Race to the Top, a $4.35 billion pot of discretionary funding for K-12 education reform and part of President Obama’s overall economic stimulus plan.

“I think our interest is it’s a reform movement and the district has always been one that wanted to be out there on the cutting edge,” Centerville Superintendent Tom Henderson said. “If Ohio gets funded, I’m estimating we may potentially get somewhere between $55,000 to $65,000 a year for four years. That’s not a lot compared to some districts, but every little bit does help.”

Statewide, 613 school districts and more than 300 charter schools had until Friday, Jan. 8, to submit memorandums of understanding indicating their willingness to participate in Race to the Top goals, which call for policies strengthening academic standards and tying teacher evaluations and compensation to student performance and test results.

More than half, or 347, of the state’s school districts passed on the funding opportunity, or were disqualified for inadequate memorandums, according to the state education department. That includes Dayton schools, which sought funding but was disqualified because the teachers union refused to go along, citing requirements that could unfairly jeopardize teachers’ jobs.

Teachers unions in other large urban districts, including Cleveland and Columbus, signed off on the memorandums. The Ohio Education Association also supports Race to the Top since the rules were revised last summer after complaints by the national teachers union, said Randy Flora, OEA’s point man on Race to the Top.

Statewide, 266 districts and 215 charter schools representing more than 800,000 students are seeking the funding. The amount each district or school receives depends largely on its poverty level, according to the state education department. If Ohio gets $400 million, Dayton stood to receive about $5 million at least.

Staff writer Scott Elliott contributed to this report.

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