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RTTT - 05 07 2010
RTTT - 05 07 2010
May 7, 2010
Dear State Lawmakers,
As public school parents, community leaders, clergy, and business leaders, we are all feeling the sting of
these difficult economic times. In our homes and workplaces we are tightening our budgets and making
do with less. Our businesses will likely need to operate with less capital and fewer human resources.
We can’t let our school children suffer over a crisis adults have created, however. That’s why we were
so disheartened to learn that New York came up short in Round 1 of President Obama’s $4.3 billion Race
to the Top education grant competition.
Chancellor Merryl Tisch and Commissioner David Steiner deserve praise for creating a compelling vision
of reform for New York and guiding the state to the final round of the competition. As they would be the
first to acknowledge, however, reaching the final round is not enough. If Albany moves forward with the
school aid cuts proposed by the Governor, New York City may have to lay off 6,400 teachers—the first
teacher layoffs in New York City since the 1970s. It is nearly a certainty that our students will lose
beloved teachers and programs vital to their ongoing success.
Race to the Top requires that we adopt innovative, achievable strategies boosting student achievement.
Our failed application is a sign our educational standards don’t go far enough.
We urge lawmakers to begin immediately with the work of crafting—and passing—a school reform
package that will help New York more closely align with the Obama Administration’s educational
priorities and put the state in the strongest possible position to win the $700 million it is eligible for in
the second round of Race to the Top. We believe three key reforms must be passed: 1) substantially
raising (or eliminating) the cap on charter schools (without adding provisions that would make it more
difficult for new charters to be authorized or find locations); 2) allowing districts to use student
performance data as one component in teacher evaluations and decisions to grant tenure; and 3)
allowing school districts to use more comprehensive metrics than simply seniority when making
decisions about teacher retention.
We also call on all of New York’s educational stakeholders to work collaboratively in support of the
state’s application, guided by the need to do what is right for our public school children. For New York to
regain its competitive edge in this global economy, it will require a highly‐skilled and educated work
force. President Obama understands this and that’s why he’s willing to make such an unprecedented
investment in our schools. We must all greet this challenge with the urgency it deserves for our children,
their futures, and the future of our great state. We look forward to working with you to ensure a
successful outcome.
Sincerely,
Shirley Rodriguez‐Remeneski, President & Founder Rev. Calvin O. Butts, III, Pastor
100 Hispanic Women The Abyssinian Baptist Church
Race To The Top: Let’s Win
Soledad Hiciano, Executive Director Randy Bourscheidt, Executive Director
ACDP‐Community Association of Progressive Dominicans Alliance for the Arts
Kristy Nguyen, Executive Director Hector Gesualdo, Executive Director
APEX ‐ Asian Professional Extension, Inc. ASPIRA of New York
Carol Matthews, Chief Operating Officer Sarah Calderon, Executive Director
Beginning with Children Foundation Casita Maria Center for Arts and Education
Richard Buery, President & CEO Rev. A.R. Bernard, Founder and CEO
The Children's Aid Society Christian Cultural Center
Nitzan Pelman, Executive Director Itai Dinour, Executive Director
Citizen Schools New York City Year New York
Janine Thomas‐Smith, President Rev. Les Mullings, Senior Pastor
Coalition for Positive Change Community Church of the Nazarene
Rev. Lawrence Aker, Senior Pastor Richard Green, Founder and Director
Cornerstone Baptist Church Crown Heights Youth Collective
Joe Williams, Executive Director David Banks, President
Democrats for Education Reform/Education Reform Now Eagle Academy Foundation
Jeff Ginsburg, Executive Director Cheri Walsh, Executive Director
East Harlem Tutorial Program Exploring the Arts
Rev. Patrick Young, Senior Pastor Rev. Demetrius Carolina, Senior Pastor
First Baptist Church First Central Baptist Church
Sister Paulette LoMonaco, Executive Director Rev. Dr. Floyd Flake, Senior Pastor
Good Shepherd Services Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral of New York
Lloyd A. Williams, President & CEO Voza Rivers, Chairman
The Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce Harlem Arts Alliance
Geoffrey Canada, President & CEO Richard Berlin, Executive Director
Harlem Children's Zone Harlem RBI
Race To The Top: Let’s Win
Mindy Duitz, President Carole J. Wacey, Executive Director
Learning Leaders MOUSE
Richard Stopol, President Phillip Banks, Jr., President
New York City Outward Bound One Hundred Black Men, Inc.
Michelle Sidrane, Executive Director Ruth Lande Shuman, Founder and President
Partnership with Children Publicolor
David Saltzman, Executive Director Rev. David K. Brawley, Senior Pastor
Robin Hood Foundation St. Paul Community Baptist Church
Lucy Friedman, President Arva Rice, President & CEO
The After‐School Corporation (TASC) The New York Urban League
Dr. Pamela Cantor, President & CEO Una Clarke, President
Turnaround for Children Una Clarke & Associates