CONTACT: JIM MORRIS |
Vol. 43, No. 82
November 25, 2009
Governor and Commissioner Challenge All Stakeholders to
Be Bold in Preparing for the Race to the Top
Eight leaders named to co-chair subcommittees
Gov. Jay Nixon and Commissioner of Education Chris L. Nicastro have challenged education and community leaders from across the state to embrace a bold vision of the future as Missouri creates its plan for the federal “Race to the Top” initiative.
The governor gave opening remarks Monday (Nov. 23) in Jefferson City at the Race to the Top “Stakeholders Forum,” convened by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Commissioner of Education Dr. Chris L. Nicastro invited nearly 300 public school officials, lawmakers, business leaders, foundation representatives, association leaders, parents and students to participate in the forum and offer their ideas about school-reform initiatives.
Gov. Nixon said it is time for educators and citizens to break free of the status quo.
“We must see to it that all Missouri children have a superior education. We must make sure they have teachers who expect nothing less than excellence – from their students and from themselves,” Gov. Nixon told the audience.
“We must redouble our commitment to turning around our lowest achieving schools, to improving high school graduation rates, to closing achievement gaps, and to preparing more high school students for college. . . .Put aside your philosophical differences. Don’t let the urge to protect the status quo, or the fear of change, prevent you from imagining a brilliant future,” he said.
Commissioner Nicastro echoed the governor’s remarks, emphasizing that the Race to the Top competition is not just another grant application, even though the prospect of significant federal funding is important for the state during this economic slump.
Developing Missouri’s Race to the Top plan, she said, “must be about building a vision to improve education in Missouri. It must be about making Missouri a nationwide leader in applying what we know about education inside the classroom. It must be about developing and implementing an innovative and bold plan for systemic educational reform in Missouri over the next decade,” she said.
At Monday’s daylong Stakeholders Forum, participants spent the afternoon in four subcommittees, brainstorming about the four key themes which every state must address in its Race to the Top application:
- Academic standards and assessments
- Data systems that support instruction
- Recruiting and retaining great teachers and school leaders
- Turning around low-performing schools
Commissioner Nicastro has appointed eight veteran Missouri educators to co-chair each of the four subcommittees and to work with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education during the process of developing the state’s Race to the Top application. They are:
Standards and Assessments
- Mr. Richard Phillips, Director, Missouri Student Success Network
- Dr. Dennis Dorsey, Director, St. Louis Regional Professional Development Center
Data Systems
- Mr. Alex Acsenvil, Assistant Director of Technology, Independence School District
- Ms. Cheryl VanNoy, Assistant Superintendent, Hazelwood School District
Effective Teachers and Administrators
- Ms. Peggy Cochran, Former Executive Director (retired),
Missouri National Education Association - Dr. John Martin, Former Superintendent (retired)
Turnaround Schools
- Dr. Ralph Teran, Superintendent, Grandview School District
- Dr. Phyllis Chase, Assistant Superintendent, North Kansas City School District
Commissioner Nicastro also urged participants and other interested Missourians to submit additional ideas and suggestions about Race to the Top via the Web site developed by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.