By Elizabeth Ling, DFER NY State Director
NY State Education Department Commissioner John King warned yesterday that up to ten school districts–including the state’s largest five–are in danger of losing federal education funding for their most troubled schools if they can’t demonstrate by Saturday that they will implement new teacher evaluation systems that they committed to last year.
The implications of not meeting this approaching deadline should be no surprise to districts and local unions. For months the education press and community have been sounding the alarm on the foot-dragging taking place in their negotiations.
This cut-off date, tied to the School Improvement Grant program, is just the first of several upcoming deadlines where districts could potentially lose federal education dollars. Also at risk are more than $700 million of Race to the Top money and Teacher Incentive Fund grants, if these new evaluation plans are not in place by June 30.