The document discusses the "Race to the Top" education program which provides $4 billion in grants to states to improve their education systems. It will evaluate teachers based on student performance on standardized tests and link teacher pay to those results. While supporters believe this will help students succeed, teachers are concerned it overemphasizes testing and doesn't account for factors outside teachers' control that influence scores. There are currently no good solutions to address teachers' issues with the program.

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Paige Amoss
Lester
Advanced Grammar and Composition
5 October 2011
Race to the Top Issue
For a teacher, his or her salary is based on his or her degree level and how many years he
or she has taught; however, in 2014, this is all going to change. According to the new “Race to
the Top” program, teachers’ salaries are now going to be based on students’ performance on
standardized testing. The issue of “Race to the Top” is starting to become nationwide, as more
and more states take part in this program. “Race to the Top” is a new fund program that is going
to majorly affect teachers and students across the country. The major questions that “Race to the
Top” are stirring up are what exactly is “Race to the Top”, in what ways will it impact the
students and teachers, is the outlook a negative or positive one, and are there any current
solutions to the issue.
One major question that “Race to the Top” brings up is what exactly is “Race to the
Top.” Race to the Top is a $4 billion, four year grant opportunity provided in the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Cardoza). In order to receive this funding, states had
to apply for the grant opportunity. Georgia applied in the first round, but did not get the grant
opportunity until Georgia reapplied in the second round (Georgia Racing to the Top). The fund
is expected to help students prepare for their life after college, whether the student attends
college or goes straight into the work force (Georgia Racing to the Top). Race to the Top will
have rigorous standards and high-quality assessments by encouraging states to work towards a
system of common academic standards that focuses on college and career readiness. Race to the

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Top wants to raise student achievement and close achievement gaps between the students. It also
wants to provide more math and science education. The fund has also prepared money to help
the school system itself (Georgia Racing to the Top). The goal of Race to the Top is to attract
and keep the best teachers and leaders in America's classrooms by expanding support the
teachers and principals. It will reform and improve teacher preparation. It will revise teacher
evaluation, compensation, and retention policies to encourage effectiveness. Also, to place the
teachers were they are most needed. States need to put low-performance schools first on their
lists so that the education department can help create a better learning system for that school.
“Race to the Top” is another new fund that hopes to help the students achieve.
The second major question that “Race to the Top” raises is how it will affect the teachers,
and how the impact on teachers will affect the students. If one is not suited to teach, then they
should not be a teacher. Race to the Top will help figure out who is qualified and who is not
(Crowe). According to Race to the Top, "effective teachers" are defined as those "whose
students achieve acceptable rates (at least one grade level in an academic year) of student
growth” (Crowe). "Student growth" is defined as "the changed in student achievement for an
individual student between two or more points in time." "Student achievement" is "a student's
scores on the State's assessments under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act” (Crowe).
Teachers' salaries are going to be based on students test performance (Condon). Standardize
tests do not consider different factors. The impact of previous teachers, both negatively and
positively are two major factors. Also, achievement in writing and critical thinking is not
measured by these tests. Other subjects, nonacademic subjects like art and music, are also not
measured through standardized tests. People believe that teachers deserve most of the blame for
bad school performance. However, people do not take in account of factors that affect a students

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learning: language problems, hunger, stress, mass media exposure, cultural differences, etc. The
whole idea of Race to the Top is more into helping the students achieve in school; however,
others disagree (Obama’s Race to the Top). Representatives of “Race to the Top” say that Race
to the Top is going to help students get ready for college and the work force. Teachers and
parents are criticizing Race to the Top because the say it requires states to follow specific
educational reforms, which consists of standardize testing, rather than letting the education
department set their own agenda (Condon). There are so many effects that “Race to the Top” is
going to inflict on teachers and students that they need to adjust to as soon as possible.
The third major question that the population is asking about “Race to the Top” is what the
expected outlook for the fund is. For the students, the Obama Administration is working hard so
that Race to the Top will be a positive outlook for every child (Promoting Innovation, Reform,
and Excellence in America’s Public Schools). The Obama Administration’s goal is to make sure
that every student succeeds in the future, whether it is in college or the work force. The
Administration believes that if the “Race to the Top” fund is well spent, the school system
should see excellent results. However, the Obama Administration is focusing on the students
and their futures, not the teachers. The teachers realize that there is more to “Race to the Top”
that meets the eye, and these affects can be bad. Many students do not benefit from standardized
testing or basic curriculum. Many students need to be challenged or watched over more.
Teachers have been around students longer than the Administration so the teachers understand
how to teach the different kinds of students. Just like “No Child Left Behind,” the outlook of
“Race to the Top” is a negative one due to false assumptions (Brady). These false assumptions
are not excuses. Teachers cannot pick their students, their textbooks, or their working
conditions. Unfortunately, all these factors play a major part in standardized test scores. If the

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Administration does not realize this soon, they are going to be in shocked with the outcome of
“Race to the Top,” in a bad way.
The fourth major question of “Race to the Top” is what solutions are available. As of
right now, there are not really any solutions for “Race to the Top.” Basically, “Race to the Top”
is just another program that was put together in order to try and benefit the students. "It's no
secret the U.S. education system is failing," Bill Gates says in this report. "We're doing all kinds
of experiments that are different. The Race to the Top is going to do many different ones. There's
no group-think” (Silva). Only time will tell how “Race to the Top” turns out. Many teachers are
not happy with the new standards of “Race to the Top.” Unfortunately, there is not much
teachers can do to change the standards. The best thing for teachers to do right now it to just
accept the fact that there are new standards, and do the best he or she can do to teach his or her
students. More than likely there is going to be a new program of learning coming soon, so
teachers need to do their best now to impress.
After researching “Race to the Top” and seeing how the teachers are taking the new
program, my advice to others who are looking into the field of teaching is to stick with it. “Race
to the Top” is just a “here-now” program, and it seems like something will change eventually.
For me, “Race to the Top” doesn’t really affect me. I have wanted to be a high school teacher
for as long as I can remember. I would use to play “school” down in the basement with my sister
and grandmother every second I could. I would even play “school” by myself. I’m not going to
let “Race to the Top” get in the way of becoming want I have inspired to be all my life. I’m not
going to change careers because of one program that is likely to change in the next four or so
years. Change happens everywhere, in every job. I want to be the best teacher out there. I feel
like “Race to the Top” shouldn’t really matter to teachers because if the teachers really love to

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teach, they wouldn’t worry about trying to do a good job because they would already be doing a
good job. Teaching is a great and rewarding career. I could not think of any better career path
that I would rather choose.

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Works Cited
Cardoza, Matt. “Georgia Wins Race to the Top.” Georgia Department of Education. N.p., 24
Aug. 2010. Web. 12 Sept. 2011. <http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/
pea_communications.aspx?ViewMode=1&obj=1969>.
Condon, Stephanie. “Nathan Deal: Georgia Shouldn’t Take ‘Race to the Top’ Money.” CSB
News. N.p., 2010. Web. 12 Sept. 2011. <http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-
20012504-503544.html>.
Crowe, Edward. “Race to the Top and Teacher Preparation.” Center for American Progress.
N.p., 1 Mar. 2011. Web. 12 Sept. 2011. <http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/
03/teacher_preparation.html>.
“Georgia Racing to the Top.” Georgia. N.p., 20 Jan. 2010. Web. 12 Sept. 2011.
<http://www.georgia.gov/00/press/detail/
0,2668,78006749_154885747_155733684,00.html>.
“Promoting Innovation, Reform, and Excellence in America’s Public Schools.” The White
House. N.p., 2009. Web. 12 Sept. 2011. <http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/
fact-sheet-race-top>.
“Race to the Top Fund.” U.S Department of Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Sept. 2011.
<http://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop/index.html>.
Silva, Mark. “Race to the Top: Teachers Left Behind?” The Swamp. N.p., 25 Oct. 2009. Web. 12
Sept. 2011. <http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2009/10/
race_to_the_top_teachers_left.html>.