$40M 'Race To The Top' Over For LAUSD

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The Los Angeles Unified School District was unable to continue its pursuit of $40 million in federal funding Tuesday after a failure to reach an agreement with the teachers' union.

KNX 1070's Ed Mertz reports now the district's top official says teachers are merely ducking any accountability.

Officials at United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) refused to approve the LAUSD's application for the federal "Race To The Top" program, which provides funding for reforms and innovations.

LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy said last week that teachers were leery of the grant because of requirements that included "a new, robust teacher evaluation program."

"Some who did not want to sign it just want to simply avoid reasonable accountability," Deasy told KNX 1070 NEWSRADIO. "It just doesn't make sense that we would then use that as a reason to deny services to tens of thousands of students."

The district's application was focused in the first year on boosting performance levels for 25,000 students in 35 low-performing middle and high schools, and proposed personalized learning plans aided by digital tablets, summer school, anti-dropout counseling and other services, according to The Los Angeles Times.

But UTLA President Warren Fletcher said the "flawed" program would cost more than the amount of revenue it would bring in.

"I understand the district's are looking to find those funds, but 'Race to the Top' is a net loss," said Fletcher.

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