Chris Fiora

 

I didn't see the article to which you are referring. From the numbers, it sounds like it was reporting the number of districts that signed up for the first round. Districts were given a very short time frame over Christmas break to consider the proposal, and the Middletown teachers union declined to sign at that time. In order for a school district to be eligible to participate, the union president, superintendent and school board president all have to sign the memorandum of understanding agreeing to the state's terms. In any event, it is a competitive grant and Ohio was not awarded the grant in the first round. Only 2 states were (Delaware and Tennessee).

 

The deadline to join in the second round application is tomorrow.  Middletown City Schools has already signed (all 3 required signatures).  The Middletown Journal reported on this agreement Saturday May 1 (the same day they reported that the district and the union agreed to a one year freeze on base salary for the school year 2010-2011).

 

Whether or not Middletown City Schools receives any money from Race to the Top depends, first of all, on Ohio being chosen in this second round.  Then, if it is, the amount of money for Middletown will depend on how many other school districts in Ohio signed up to participate.

 

If we do receive the grant money, it will have to be used for the purposes outlined in the grant, not general operating costs.  Many of the district's initiatives are already aligned with the purposes of the grant, but most grants have rules saying you can't use the grant money to pay for something you are already doing; you must use it to do something new or additional.  There are no detailed rules yet for how the Race to the Top funds may be used.