ED Adds Data-Collection Strings For States to Receive Second Stabilization Fund Grants

Washington, July 30 — States that want to receive their share of the remaining $12.1 billion in “stabilization” funds will have to meet augmented data collection and reporting requirements that go beyond the basic law, according to tentative guidelines released July 24 by the U.S. Department of Education (ED).

The proposed guidelines would require states to establish systems to track back an individual student’s test results to the student’s classroom teacher, a costly requirement that is a common element of several new grant programs announced the same day. While the immediate objective is to give teachers feedback on their own effectiveness, the results ultimately would enable school districts to evaluate teachers and principals for purposes of compensation, promotion and tenure — an Obama administration priority.