District 150 Could Race to Reform

February 3, 2010

PEORIA — A longer school day, performance-based merit pay for teachers, even charter-like qualities could move to the front of Peoria classrooms in exchange for public and private dollars.

School District 150, one of just a dozen urban school districts statewide that has signed on to initiate classroom changes and which contains some of Illinois’ consistently poor-perform ing schools, could find itself in the fast lane for reform.

As much as $4 million or more could be funneled to District 150 during the next four years as a catalyst for dramatic reform. That would be in addition to money the state would disperse if awarded a requested $510 million Race to the Top grant.

But there are strings attached.

In return for the additional money, school districts agree to enact instant change and be able to show progress quickly.

District 150 Interim Superintendent Norm Durflinger said he believed the district would apply for the additional funding "as long as it aligns with our goals in student achievement, improving reading and math. We would have to see the rules and regulations."

The district still must apply for any of the potential funds. It also would have a window in which to back out.

Durflinger said more school districts likely will be faced with similar questions.

"Schools and states are grasping at all the money they can, (and) as long as school districts continue to take federal dollars, I think you’ll see the tightening of the screws and more directives by the federal government," he said, likening the trend in education funding to states adopting seat belt laws or raising the legal age for drinking to receive federal funds.

Plans for the federal money in Illinois already are leaning toward more data collection, improving learning standards, and evaluating and measuring teachers and principals based more on performance. Also being eyed is more training and turning around low-performing schools.

Whether or not Illinois is approved for Race to the Top funding in April, District 150 could apply and be among the first in line to receive a piece of a $75 million ini tiative by Mass Insight Education and Research Institute.

The Boston-based not-for-profit is partnering with six states, including Illinois, to develop and enact reform strategies, state officials said Tuesday. An individual school can receive $750,000 annually for three years.

Criteria for receiving funding from Mass would include setting up a "partnership zone initiative" – a hybrid school combining the benefits of a district with the operating flexibility associated with charter schools.

Much of the $750,000 would go toward increased teacher compensation to support extended learning time, intensive professional development and incentive pay. In exchange, school-level leaders would have the freedom to make staffing, scheduling, curriculum and salary decisions. They also would be accountable for dramatic gains within two years.

Local educators agree a longer school day or year, as well as more teacher training would benefit Peoria’s school children; how to pay for it has remained a hurdle.

Bob Darling, president of the Peoria Federation of Teachers, said they have an open mind but still have concerns.

"We are in unchartered waters," he said. "We come with an open mind, but a lot of these changes, this is scary. There’s no doubt in the U.S. we have a problem with student achievement and we can’t continue doing the same thing. I just worry there will be a lot of mistakes made like No Child Left Behind. There’s a lot of pressure to get this (federal) money, but what happens after that runs out?"