Grasmick: MCPS will not be left out in the cold on Race to the Top $$

At the September 21, 2010, Maryland State Board of Education meeting, State Superintendent Nancy Grasmick announced that, "Frederick and Montgomery Counties will not be left out in the cold." 

Recall that MCPS and FCPS did not sign on to the State's Race to the Top application and therefore will not receive a share of the grant like other Maryland counties. In MCPS' case, that meant giving up $12 million that would have come to the county to implement Maryland's Race to the Top initiatives. 

At the September 21st State Board meeting, Grasmick announced that MCPS and FCPS will have a second chance to get a small portion of the State's Race to the Top Grant funding.  

An MSDE official reported to the State Board: 

"There is not going to be a re-distribution of the dollars, and I know you understand that, but they can become sort of a participating entity..."

'You know there's the $125 million that goes to the state and there's the $125 million that goes to the [Local Education Agencies] LEAs -- the $125 million that goes to the LEA's will stay at the same formula that it's been because that was our application, but they would allow us to amend our application to allow that... $13.3 million -  That are different types of subgrants that we can make out of our portion to different LEA'S..."

"We can include both Montgomery and Frederick counties in that, and we think that's a good idea."

Grasmick said that everyone should be on board to share data and information as we move ahead.

Will MCPS be able to share data and information with the Maryland State Department of Education or will they be barred by confidentiality requirements of their agreement with Pearson Education, Inc.? 

Will MCPS take any portion of the State's Race to the Top funding or will MCPS refuse to implement the State's Race to the Top initiatives and refuse the funding?