LI schools get 2.3% of NY's 'Race to Top' funds

Long Island schools will receive 2.3 percent of the hundreds of millions of dollars in federal "Race to the Top" money earmarked for districts statewide - an amount many local educators consider too meager to be effective.

As a region, the Island stands to receive about $8 million of the $348.3 million in school-improvement grants. More than half the region's recipient districts will get less than $35,000 each, according to a state distribution list that will be the subject of a statewide video conference Monday morning.

"Think what that buys you - half a teacher," said Bill Johnson, superintendent of Rockville Centre schools and a former president of the State Council of School Superintendents. "It's embarrassingly small."

Rockville Centre's announced share is $34,220 - far less than a tenth of 1 percent of the district's $93.4-million annual budget.

However, state education officials plan to distribute another $133.6 million in "Race to the Top" money in the form of competitive grants, at a time to be announced later. The grants, which state officials say appear to be the largest of their kind ever, would give the state significant leverage in coaxing failed school districts to reform.

Federal and state authorities note that "Race to the Top" money is distributed under a formula designed to help districts - most of them urban - with concentrations of students from low-income families. In this way, authorities add, the money is most likely to boost academic achievement in schools where needs are greatest.

"There is a direct correlation between poverty and performance," said State Sen. John Flanagan (R-East Northport), ranking minority member of the Senate's education committee.

A handful of Island districts with pockets of poverty stand to benefit substantially from "Race to the Top" money. Central Islip is to receive $346,911; William Floyd, $512,253; and Brentwood, $867,637.

A Brentwood spokesman, Rick Belyea, said his district welcomed the additional cash, though it had hoped for more. Joe Hogan, president of the district's 1,300-member teacher union, also hailed the award.

"It's fabulous news for Brentwood," said Hogan, whose union recently lost about 80 members through layoffs. Hogan said he looked forward to working with district officials to put additional instructional staff in place to help raise student test scores.

New York City schools will get more than $256 million, or nearly 74 percent of the statewide pot. City schools enroll about 36 percent of the state's students; the Island's schools, 17 percent.

"Where's the fairness?" said Roberta Gerold, superintendent of the blue-collar Middle Country school district, which will receive $83,451.

Flanagan said he would push for more regional money from the half of the state's "Race to the Top" winnings that have not yet been distributed, including the $133.6 million in competitive grants. Much of the rest will be spent on state-level projects, such as upgrading academic standards, curriculum and testing.

The nearly $700 million won by New York State in competition with other states was hailed as a major victory when it was announced in August. To win, Albany agreed to major changes in its educational system, including an increase from 200 to 460 in the number of independent charter schools allowed to operate with public funding statewide.

School administrators insist they don't begrudge low-income communities' getting the biggest share of funding. Many do object, however, to new, complex requirements for all districts that the state put in place to win federal money - for example, that 20 percent of teachers' job-performance ratings be based on student test scores, starting next year. Many districts contend that the cost of putting such rating systems into place will exceed their "Race to the Top" grants, and aren't needed to ensure high-quality instruction.

"It's like we're all being put in the same box, but we don't all fit in the same box," said Anthony Annunziato, the Bayport-Blue Point superintendent and president of the Suffolk County School Superintendents Association.