George Miller / commentary
November x, 2011

Afterwards 37 years in instruction policy, I can recognize a gilt opportunity for our schools when I see one. California is staring at one right now, and it should take it.

Before this year U.Southward. Secretary of Educational activity Arne Duncan announced the tertiary phase in the Race to the Top contest. Race to the Height is a grant plan born out of the stimulus legislation passed in 2009 to spark innovation and high operation in states. This latest round of applications will provide states like California, which practical for before rounds but did not ultimately win, with the opportunity to receive federal funding. California should utilise for this 3rd phase of funding.

In the last round of Race to the Top, California had a unique application that reflected our country's size and diverseness. California's application focused on a handful of school districts – Clovis, Fresno, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Sanger, and San Francisco Unified – that came together to pioneer a new approach to improving student accomplishment. They outlined a program to puddle their resource and expertise to figure out and share best exercise.

Despite the forcefulness of the awarding, California lost out on these critical funds. Even so, those school districts decided to continue their efforts because they believed in the work they were doing on behalf of students. Now, based on the strength of its terminal Race to the Height Application, California is eligible to receive roughly $l million to practice a portion of the previous proposal. It is upward to the state, in applying for this phase of the competition, to decide whether or not to help these districts access $50 million to accelerate their work on behalf of students.

How could $50 1000000 to seven districts assistance all of California? One way would be past providing a focus on implementation of the Common Core – a land-led endeavour to adopt and implement standards that ensure, if met, students graduate prepared for higher or the workforce. California as a whole is already participating in the Common Cadre try. The $50 million in Race to the Top funds could be used to pilot use of new standards – from concept to classroom to new high-quality assessments – which is a critical chemical element of ensuring these standards reach all students beyond the land.

The standards won't mean much if they don't achieve every pupil in every classroom. The school districts that are the focus of California's application are diverse in their size, geography, and student population. They stand for 15 per centum of California's total educatee population – nearly one 1000000 students – and are representative of the state'due south student demographic as a whole. If these school districts can succeed at implementing the standards in their schools, the rest of the state'southward schools can get it correct too.

California has the largest and 1 of the well-nigh racially and economically diverse student populations in the country. Common Core has the potential to fulfill students' expectations that, with a diploma, they should exist able to enter college or a job without remediation. These standards volition besides exist on par with international standards. Students in California aren't competing for jobs in their town, their land, or even the United States. They are competing with peers in countries all over the earth. If our students aren't taught to the level and rigor of students in other countries, the jobs will go elsewhere.

I strongly believe that nosotros are at present in the midst of the nearly exciting and dynamic pedagogy reform environment in our nation's history. The efforts of the seven Race to the Acme districts grew out of their desire to accelerate their didactics systems and to improve educatee accomplishment. It is about partnership, collaboration, and sharing best practise so other schoolhouse districts can effigy out what will make sense for them. It's almost focusing on what is best for all students and engaging communities to help make the necessary changes. The 3rd phase of Race to the Summit can provide critical resources to facilitate their progress for students and for California every bit a whole.

The question is whether California tin can accept this step forrad and whether these leading districts can go the support they demand to help that effort. The right choice in this matter is for the state to utilize, be a strong partner, and support these districts in their effort.

U.S. Rep. George Miller is the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee. He has been on the committee for 37 years, his unabridged tenure in Congress. Miller is an original author of the No Child Left Backside Act. He is the leading vocalism in Congress on issues of early education, 1000-12 didactics, college accessibility and affordability, and child nutrition. Miller represents California'southward seventh district, encompassing parts of Contra Costa and Solano counties.

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