Governor Schwarzenegger Issues Statement on Race to the Top Legislation ABX5 8

Press Release

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today issued the following statement on Race to the Top legislation ABX5 8, which fails to meet federal Race to the Top competitiveness requirements and threatens California's ability to secure up to $700 million in federal education funding. State applications for Race to the Top are due to the Obama Administration on January 19, 2010.

"This is Race to the Top -- not race to the status quo. We must make the necessary reforms to improve our schools and make California highly competitive for this federal education funding. The Assembly bill is a step backwards and if it reaches my desk -- it will be vetoed."

ABX5 8 strips California's Race to the Top effort of crucial elements and fails to meet federal guidelines. Specifically, ABX5 8 fails to empower parents to be more involved in their child's education, inhibits charter school formation and renewal, and adds layers of the same failed bureaucracy on charter schools that plague our public schools.

Source