Fifty nine Idaho school districts and 21 charter schools have signed on to Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna's request for a competitive federal grant for reforming education. Idaho schools could get up to $100 million in federal funds during the next four years.
Luna needs to send the applications for the $4.35 billion Race to the Top Fund to the U.S. Department of Education by Jan. 19. Winners of the grants will be announced in April.
Five of the largest school districts in Idaho, serving Boise, Meridian, Nampa, Pocatello, and Idaho Falls, did not submit applications to Luna.
For more on the Race to the Top program, watch IdahoReporter's interview with Luna. Superintendent Luna's news release and a list of school districts and charter schools that submitted applications is available below.
80 IDAHO DISTRICTS AND CHARTER SCHOOLS SIGN UP FOR RACE TO THE TOP
BOISE – More than half of Idaho school districts and public charter schools across Idaho have signed up to participate in Idaho’s application for the federal Race to the Top grant, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna announced today. In total, 59 school districts and 21 public charter schools chose to participate.
“Race to the Top is an unprecedented opportunity to infuse millions of dollars into education reforms and innovations for Idaho students,” Superintendent Luna said. “We worked closely with Idaho’s educational stakeholders to prepare a visionary grant application that will help raise student achievement statewide.”
Idaho’s application still must be approved by the U.S. Department of Education. Race to the Top is a competitive $4.35 billion grant that U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan created with discretionary dollars he received through the federal stimulus package. Through this fund, Secretary Duncan will award competitive grants to states to implement reforms and innovations. Idaho is planning to apply for up to $100 million to invest in Idaho’s public schools over the next four years.
Superintendent Luna met with representatives from the Idaho Education Association, Idaho Association of School Administrators, Idaho School Boards Association, Office of the Governor, and Office of the State Board of Education weekly since late August to discuss Idaho’s Race to the Top application, primarily the incentive pay pilot program.
“The Idaho School Boards Association is very pleased with the collaborative process Superintendent Luna took in drafting the grant application, and we are pleased with the number of districts that chose to participate,” said Karen Echeverria, executive director of the Idaho School Boards Association.
“We appreciate the opportunity to be at the table to help design Idaho’s application for Race to the Top. The fact that Superintendent Luna brought together all the stakeholders has been beneficial to everyone,” said Jim Reed, superintendent of the Weiser School District and also president of the Idaho Superintendents’ Association. “We are excited to see where this goes, and we are hopeful Race to the Top will take Idaho students and the people of Idaho to the next level.”
“The members of the Idaho Education Association are more than happy to support our educators and other members who signed on to the grant and make it as successful as possible for Idaho kids,” said Sherri Wood, president of the Idaho Education Association.
For more information, please visit Idaho’s Race to the Top web site.
School Districts:
Aberdeen District #58
American Falls Joint District #381
Bear Lake County District #33
Blackfoot District #55
Bliss Joint District #234
Boundary County District #101
Bruneau-Grand View Joint District #365
Buhl Joint District #412
Camas County District #121
Cambridge Joint District #432
Cassia County Joint District #151
Castleford Joint District #417
Challis Joint District #181
Clark County Joint District #161
Coeur d'Alene District #271
Council District #13
Dietrich District #314
Fruitland District #373
Garden Valley District #71
Gooding Joint District #231
Hagerman Joint District #233
Homedale Joint District #370
Jerome Joint District #261
Kellogg Joint District #391
Kimberly District #414
Kuna Joint District #3
Lake Pend Oreille District #84
Lakeland Joint District #272
Mackay Joint District #182
Marsing Joint District #363
Melba Joint District #136
Midvale District #433
Minidoka County Joint District #331
Mullan District #392
Murtaugh Joint District #418
New Plymouth District #372
Nezperce Joint District #302
North Gem District #149
Notus District #135
Oneida County District #351
Payette County District #371
Pleasant Valley Elementary District #364
Post Falls District #273
Preston Joint District #201
Richfield District #316
Shelley Joint District #60
Soda Springs Joint District #150
St. Maries Joint District #41
Sugar-Salem Joint District #322
Teton County District #401
Twin Falls District #411
Valley District #262
Vallivue District #139
Wallace District #393
Weiser District #431
Wendell District #232
West Bonner County District #83
West Jefferson District #253
West Side Joint District #202
Charter schools
Another Choice Virtual Charter
Compass Public Charter School
Falcon Ridge Charter School
Garden City Community Charter School
Idaho Virtual Academy
Inspire Virtual Charter School
iSucceed Virtual High School
Kaplan Academy of Idaho
Liberty Charter School
Nampa Classical Charter Academy
North Valley Academy
Palouse Prairie Charter School
Rolling Hills Charter School
Sage International School of Boise
Taylors Crossing Charter School
The Academy (ARC) Charter School
Victory Charter School
Vision Charter School
White Pine Charter School
Wings Charter Middle School
Xavier Charter School
