NASHVILLE — The Bredesen administration released details Wednesday on its application for federal Race to the Top education grants, including a new figure on the amount of money the state is seeking.
That turns out to be $501.8 million over four years instead of the $485 million officials previously were citing.
Tennessee Department of Education officials attributed the nearly $17 million increase to additional resources being sought for what it calls “turnaround” schools.
The application, totaling 1,111 pages with supporting documents, was sent to the U.S. Department of Education on Tuesday. On Friday, lawmakers approved changes in tenure law that Gov. Phil Bredesen says will help Tennessee better compete for the grant.
“We’re proud to put forward Tennessee’s very best proposal for meaningful reform in public education,” Gov. Bredesen said in a news release.
If Tennessee receives the grant, it would share half the money with local school districts. Information released Wednesday shows:
* The state will spend $108.8 million to help turn around struggling schools — including 12 or so already failing schools that may join the new state-run “Achievement School District.” Moreover, another 180 increasingly troubled schools may be designated as “Renewal” or “Focus” schools.
* Another $62.2 million would go toward professional development and “human capital” initiatives, including a new educator leadership program, expansion of an existing program to improve math instruction in elementary schools and training for teachers on higher academic standards.
* About $54.5 million would be spent to improve public school teachers’ use of and access to Tennessee’s data system used for tracking “student growth,” or a child’s improvement in the classrooms.
* The state would spend $22.5 million to invest in programs and schools focusing on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
* About $2.9 million would help the department of education implement Tennessee’s plan and to establish a “First to the Top Oversight Team,” charged with ensuring that funds are deployed according to plan and properly utilized.