Race to the Top Planning Enters Final Stretch

Almost a year after Delaware was awarded first place in the Race to the Top competition, districts from around the state are putting the final touches on their implementation plans for years 2-4 (2011-2014), with final Success Plans due April 11th.

These plans represent intensive planning, analysis, and effort on the part of all district teams – taking almost seven months to complete.  While we don’t know how bold and innovative districts’ plans will be, the sample Success Plan Template on the DOE’s LEA Support Program website provides a solid benchmark by which districts should be evaluated.  The Sample Plan Template outlines numerous best practices districts could incorporate, including:

• Empowering principals to implement best practices in high-quality teacher recruitment, support, and retention -which has been promoted through Vision 2015;
• Monitoring evaluation results annually and adjusting teacher professional development and supports; and
• Recognizing and rewarding highly-effective teachers through increased responsibilities and compensation.

While each district’s plan should be tailored to their individual context, we hope that they incorporate the online template’s clear timelines, unambiguous delineation of implementation responsibility, and strategies for assessing the programs’ impact.