By Victor Skinner
EAGnews.org

PITTSFIELD, Mass. – Another multi-million dollar Race to the Top grant bites the dust.

Union objections to education reforms contained in the federal Race to the Top grant for Pittsfield Public Schools means the school district won’t be eligible for up to $20 million, reports the Berkshire Eagle.

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The Race to the Top competition awards grants to states and school districts based on several factors, including local plans to implement school reforms. But “shareholder engagement and support” – meaning approval from the teachers union – accounts for 10 of 200 possible points in the highly competitive process.

The United Educators of Pittsfield wouldn’t sign off on the district’s grant application. So Pittsfield schools will join school districts in California, Florida, Maryland, Nevada, New York and other states where teachers unions have recently blocked RTTT grants.

Union bosses seem to be using the same justification in every community where they’ve refused to sign off: they were not involved enough in drafting the RTTT application and they don’t understand how the money will be spent.

But we have to wonder if the problems with the Race to the Top application process weren’t by design. Many of the reforms called for in the program – such as tying student test scores to teacher employment decisions – go against the grain of union tradition.

Teachers came out strong for President Obama in the last two elections, in terms of financial support and help in getting out the vote.

Obama owes the teachers unions his presidency, and the teachers unions hate his Race to the Top program.

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Perhaps that explains why schools had a very short time frame for applying for a total of nearly $400 million federal funds.

From the Berkshire Eagle:

“The Race to the Top grant competition was announced by the federal government on May 22, but it wasn’t until August that U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan formally invited districts to apply.

“A statement of intent to apply was due from districts by Aug. 30, and Pittsfield administrators followed through on it.

“According to (Pittsfield Superintendent Gordon) Noseworthy, seven district administrators and grant writers, including Deputy Superintendent Tracy Crowe, drafted a 195-page Race to the Top proposal between Aug. 30 and Sept. 29. On Sept. 29, Pittsfield teachers union President Gail Yates was notified via email of the district’s plan and was asked to garner the union’s approval to sign it.

“Both the Pittsfield school administration and the teachers union say they were stressed for time in preparing the submission and reviewing it.”

Completed Race to the Top applications were due by Oct. 30, but the deadline was postponed to Nov. 7 for areas hit by Hurricane Sandy. The rushed timeline provides a ready-made excuse for union leaders, and they seem to be taking full advantage.

Superintendent Noseworthy penned a lengthy letter to the editor of the Eagle outlining his disappointment in the union’s decision, and union officials responded recently with a paid advertisement countering Noseworthy’s comments.

But none of it really matters now. Besides, the $400 million available through Obama’s Race to the Top is pennies compared to his plan to send $30 billion to states to hire and retain teachers.

We suspect it’s that big money bailout that the unions are banking on.