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This paper describes Tennessee's progress in implementing a comprehensive and coherent approach to education reform from the time of application through June 30, 2011. In particular, this report highlights key accomplishments over the reporting period in the four reform areas: standards and assessments, data systems to support instruction, great teachers and leaders, and turning around lowest-achieving schools. Tennessee's application for Race to the Top laid out an ambitious education reform agenda at all levels--from the state to the school district to the classroom. The state established equally ambitious goals for improving both teacher and leader effectiveness and student achievement. In the first year of implementation of the Tennessee First to the Top initiatives, the state made modest gains towards achieving those goals. From 2010 to 2011, overall student achievement in the two primary focus areas of the grant, 3rd grade reading and 7th grade math, increased by 2 percentage points and 7 percentage points respectively. The implementation of Tennessee's reform agenda has been complex and not without its challenges, but the state has made significant progress in a number of key areas over the past year. Tennessee has made the most significant progress in the area of great teachers and leaders-specifically the development of a new teacher and principal evaluation system, recruitment initiatives, and strategic compensation plans. The state has also laid the groundwork for significant progress to come in the next year on standards and assessments, data systems, school turnaround and STEM, specifically through initial awareness training for the Common Core standards, planning for an early warning data system, establishing charter schools and a co-management process for the state's Achievement School District, and creating two new STEM platform schools. Local education agencies that are experiencing gains in student achievement are executing on First to the Top plans that support these initiatives and have a comprehensive focus on the state goals. [For the parent document, "Race to the Top Annual Performance Report," see ED529267. For the state summary report, "Race to the Top. Tennessee Report. Year 1: School Year 2010-2011. [State-Specific Summary Report]", see ED529330.]

This paper describes Rhode Island's progress in implementing a comprehensive and coherent approach to education reform from the time of application through June 30, 2011. In particular, this report highlights key accomplishments over the reporting period in the four reform areas: standards and assessments, data systems to support instruction, great teachers and leaders, and turning around lowest-achieving schools. Race to the Top has provided Rhode Island with the funding needed to carry out a single powerful vision: an education system that prepares all Rhode Island students for success in college, careers, and life. Rhode Island's comprehensive strategic plan, Transforming Education in Rhode Island (RIDE Strategic Plan), continues to form the foundation for the state's Race to the Top implementation. Rhode Island is utilizing a unified, statewide approach toward Race to the Top; the state and participating Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) are working together to build and implement statewide systems of support that benefit all students and educators. Rhode Island has adopted the Common Core State Standards and has held Study of the Standards training sessions with more than 50% of the state's educators in 19 districts in order to prepare for the transition to the Common Core. The training sessions, which continue into year two, will help educators and administrators understand how the Common Core will impact their classroom practice. Rhode Island has engaged in planning activities around enhancing its data systems to support instruction, as well as developing the systems that will support critical activities around instruction and assessment. This included establishing a Data Governance Board to oversee all elements of the data enterprise system and stakeholder engagement. Rhode Island has developed a model educator evaluation system in collaboration with educators from more than 23 school districts and education organizations in Rhode Island. Rhode Island utilized the analysis of student-test-score and graduation-rate data to identify five persistently lowest-achieving (PLA) schools. Through the Protocol for Intervention: Persistently Lowest-Achieving Schools, approved by the Board of Regents, Rhode Island has articulated all roles, responsibilities, and expectations for LEA leadership once a school is identified as PLA and the models recommended for addressing their schools' PLA status. [For the parent document, "Race to the Top Annual Performance Report," see ED529267. For the state summary report, "Race to the Top. Rhode Island Report. Year 1: School Year 2010-2011. [State-Specific Summary Report]," see ED529328.]

This paper describes Ohio's progress in implementing a comprehensive and coherent approach to education reform from the time of application through June 30, 2011. The sections presented in this report highlight key accomplishments made by Ohio to implement a comprehensive and coherent approach to education reform over the reporting period in the four reform areas: standards and assessments, data systems to support instruction, great teachers and leaders, and turning around lowest-achieving schools. Some of the achievements made by Ohio are: (1) Ohio's State Board of Education adopted the common core standards in June 2011; (2) Standards crosswalks comparing the K-12 common core state standards and Ohio' 2001 K-12 academic content standards in English language arts and mathematics were developed and published on the ODE website; (3) Standards crosswalks comparing the 2010 state revised standards in science and social studies to the 2002 academic content standards; (4) Model curricula aligned to the common core state standards and the state revised standards were State Board adopted in March 2011; (5) 774 model curricula in ELA, Mathematics, science, social studies were developed and published on the ODE website; (6) Approximately 13, 000 educators participated in state-sponsored awareness and professional development sessions on the standards; (7) Fall and spring standards and model curricula sessions provide awareness and understanding to 10,744 educators statewide; (8) Revising Ohio Board of Regents (OBR) college readiness expectations aligned to the common core state standards; (9) Ohio and the Center for Educational Leadership and Technology (CELT) defined the Instructional Improvement System (IIS) requirements and it continues to work with Local Education Agency (LEA) stakeholders to refine Ohio's requirements; (10) Ohio and Board of Regents collaborate to work on data exchange to link K-12, Higher Education, and Workforce data; (11) Ohio will expand upon and leverage its existing statewide longitudinal data system and associated data tools to develop a comprehensive integrated system that allows user-friendly access to various data analysis and reporting capabilities; (12) Ohio redesigned Educator Performance Management Systems/Support Educators through evaluation results; (13) Ohio expanded effective educator preparation programs; (14) Ohio supported educators to increase student growth; and (15) A strategic goal of Ohio's Race to the Top plan is to improve achievement for 33,000 students enrolled in 68 persistently low-achieving schools (PLAs) (42 district schools and 26 community schools). [For the parent document, "Race to the Top Annual Performance Report," see ED529267. For the state summary report, "Race to the Top. Ohio Report. Year 1: School Year 2010-2011. [State-Specific Summary Report]," see ED529325.]

This paper describes the State's progress in implementing a comprehensive and coherent approach to education reform from the time of application through June 30, 2011. In particular, this report highlights key accomplishments over the reporting period in the four reform areas: standards and assessments, data systems to support instruction, great teachers and leaders, and turning around lowest-achieving schools. North Carolina's progress and accomplishments in the first year of Race to the Top have positioned the state for effective implementation of reform efforts over the course of the grant. In the first year, North Carolina established its project infrastructure, including project plans, vision documents, policies/procedures, staffing, partnerships and contracts, input and oversight mechanisms (including stakeholder oversight bodies and working groups), as well as gathered diagnostic information to guide implementation in the education reform content areas. [For the parent document, "Race to the Top Annual Performance Report," see ED529267. For the state summary report, "Race to the Top. North Carolina Report. Year 1: School Year 2010-2011. [State-Specific Summary Report]", see ED529322.]

This paper describes New York's progress in implementing a comprehensive and coherent approach to education reform from the time of application through June 30, 2011. In particular, this report highlights key accomplishments over the reporting period in the four reform areas: standards and assessments, data systems to support instruction, great teachers and leaders, and turning around lowest-achieving schools. Highlights of this report include: (1) The State Board of Regents adopted the Common Core State Standards for Math and ELA; made progress in developing and disseminating CCSS implementation resources--including conducting a statewide webinar with David Coleman and creating the EngageNY.org microsite; completed the design of its very successful statewide Network Team Summer Institute for approximately 500 educators (August 2011); continued its active engagement as a governing state for PARCC; and conducted a gap analysis to determine how well aligned its current state assessments are to the CCSS; (2) One of five states participating in Phase One of the CCSSO Shared Learning Initiative (SLI); launched initiatives to develop comprehensive course catalog and data system security for teachers, students, and parents; started working with a number of other NYS agencies to enhance the P-12 data system; and collaborated with NY's two public higher education systems (SUNY and CUNY) to promote data sharing and enhance functional and systems architecture; (3) This Spring, the Board of Regents adopted regulations to implement the historic 2010 legislation on teacher and school leader effectiveness by requiring annual evaluations based in significant part on student achievement. This new law and regulations not only fundamentally change the way teachers and principals are evaluated, but requires that these evaluations be a significant factor in decisions relating to promotion, retention, tenure, and differentiated professional support and professional development. The law also provides an expedited disciplinary process for the removal of ineffective teachers and principals. The State Education Department also published guidance to the field around the regulations and conducted a statewide webinar on the regulations as well. The state made substantive progress on the design of RFPs to promote clinically-rich pilot programs in undergraduate and graduate teacher education and for principal preparation; and (4) Awarded 2009 Cohort 1 SIG grants and almost completed the review of applications for SIG 2010 Cohort 2 during this time period; published guidance to districts with PLA schools regarding the implementation of the new Teacher/Leader evaluation system and for implementation of Educational Partnership Organizations; conducted Joint Intervention Teams to new PLA/SURR schools; aligned NCLB and IDEA Accountability Systems; redesigned and strengthened the Regents approach to charter school authorizing. [For the parent document, "Race to the Top Annual Performance Report," see ED529267. For the state summary report, "Race to the Top. New York Report. Year 1: School Year 2010-2011. [State-Specific Summary Report]," see ED529326.]

This paper describes Maryland's progress in implementing a comprehensive and coherent approach to education reform from the time of application through June 30, 2011. In particular, this report highlights key accomplishments over the reporting period in the four reform areas: standards and assessments, data systems to support instruction, great teachers and leaders, and turning around lowest-achieving schools. Maryland has established a Race to the Top (RTTT) office in the Division of Academic Reform and Innovation under the direction of an Assistant State Superintendent. The personnel in this office manage the day-to-day operations of the Race to the Top program. English language arts and mathematics curriculum teams completed the draft Maryland Common Core Curriculum Frameworks in May, 2011. Maryland educators from across the state worked for nine months to develop these frameworks. Maryland has made some significant progress on its data systems in this initial year of Race to the Top funding. On June 1, 2010, Governor Martin O'Malley signed an Executive Order creating the Maryland Council for Educator Effectiveness. The Executive Order set forth the membership, identified the co-chairs, prescribed operating procedures, and set forth the responsibility of the Council. During 2010-2011, MSDE's Breakthrough Center has provided turnaround services to the bottom 5 percent of schools in Maryland--11 low-achieving schools required to adopt one of the four federal intervention models (Turnaround, Restart, Closure, and Transformation) and 10 feeder schools in the Baltimore City Schools and Prince George's County. Throughout 2010 -2011, the Center created partnership agreements with Baltimore City and Prince George's County for the lowest-achieving schools and their feeder schools in the Breakthrough Zones, a five-year commitment of assistance from MSDE, coordinated by the State's Breakthrough Center. [For the parent document, "Race to the Top Annual Performance Report," see ED529267. For the state summary report, "Race to the Top. Maryland Report. Year 1: School Year 2010-2011. [State-Specific Summary Report]," see ED529320.]

This paper describes Massachusetts' progress in implementing a comprehensive and coherent approach to education reform from the time of application through June 30, 2011. In particular, it highlights key accomplishments over the reporting period in the four reform areas: standards and assessments, data systems to support instruction, great teachers and leaders, and turning around lowest-achieving schools. Massachusetts has made substantial progress on its education reform priorities during Year 1 of its Race to the Top program. The state has build a workforce of effective educators. The state has provided curriculum and instruction resources. The state has prepared students for college and career. The state has turned around its lowest performing schools. [For the state summary report, "Race to the Top. Massachusetts Report. Year 1: School Year 2010-2011. [State-Specific Summary Report]," see ED529318. For "Race to the Top Annual Performance Report," see ED529267.]

This paper describes Florida's progress in implementing a comprehensive and coherent approach to education reform from the time of application through June 30, 2011. In particular, it highlights key accomplishments over the reporting period in the four reform areas: standards and assessments, data systems to support instruction, great teachers and leaders, and turning around lowest-achieving schools. Florida has relied on its strong foundation of education reform and results coupled with the new resources of Race to the Top to further its reform efforts. The state has accomplished a great deal during Year 1 of the grant, not only in initiating state and LEA (local education agency) grant projects, but in furthering related state reforms through embracing Race to the Top as the new way of work in Florida. (Contains 1 table.) [For the parent report, "Race to the Top Annual Performance Report," see ED529267. For the state summary report, "Race to the Top. Florida Report. Year 1: School Year 2010-2011. [State-Specific Summary Report]," see ED529312.]

This paper describe Georgia's progress in implementing a comprehensive and coherent approach to education reform from the time of application through June 30, 2011. In particular, it highlights key accomplishments over the reporting period in the four reform areas: standards and assessments, data systems to support instruction, great teachers and leaders, and turning around lowest-achieving schools. Race to the Top focuses on improving Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education for Georgia students. The plan includes providing professional development for math and science teachers, strengthening the pipeline of science and math teachers from institutes of higher education, and expanding STEM related virtual courses. As a result, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Education, Georgia Tech received funding through the Race to the Top program to expand STEM programs through its outreach center, the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics and Computing (CEISMC). In year one, Georgia established the "Innovation Fund," a competitive grant program to promote innovative and high-impact practices that boost student achievement. The program is designed to support the establishment and deepening of partnerships among Georgia's local education authorities (LEAs) or charter schools, institutions of higher education (IHEs), businesses and non-profit organizations. Through Race to the Top funds, Georgia is expanding its existing partnership with Communities in Schools in Georgia (CISGA). These funds allow for the creation of three new CISGA-led centers in LEAs that have lowest-achieving schools. Through RT3, Georgia entered into strategic partnerships with organizations such as Teach for America (TFA) and The New Teacher Project (TNTP) to increase the pipeline of effective teachers to low-achieving schools. The Race to the Top--Georgia "steering committees" continue their work around three major components of the program: Value Add/Student Growth, Evaluations, and Other Student Learning Measures. [For the state summary report, "Race to the Top. Georgia Report. Year 1: School Year 2010-2011. [State-Specific Summary Report]," see ED529314. For "Race to the Top Annual Performance Report," see ED529267.]

This paper describes Hawaii's progress in implementing a comprehensive and coherent approach to education reform from the time of application through June 30, 2011. In particular, it highlights key accomplishments over the reporting period in the four reform areas: standards and assessments, data systems to support instruction, great teachers and leaders, and turning around lowest-achieving schools. This past year, Hawaii embarked upon a whole system transformation effort with more clearly articulated roles and responsibilities across the central office, complex area and schools. Catalyzed by the Race to the Top award (RTTT), the Hawaii State Department of Education (HIDOE) has begun to advance a set of comprehensive reforms across four major strands of work: standards and assessments, human resource management, data systems, and turning around persistently underperforming schools. Meeting the aggressive performance goals demands the entire state rally around this agenda, which is why the state has also solidified cooperative partnerships that better align its actions vertically from Pre-Kindergarten to institutions of higher learning and horizontally across the K-12 system. Early results of the 2011 Hawaii State Assessment are in: the percentage of students scoring proficient or above on the Mathematics exam rose from 48% to 54%, while English Language Arts performance held steady at 66%. At the same time, the achievement gap between elementary-age Native Hawaiian students and their statewide peers in ELA was reduced from 12% to just over 9% in the past school year. [For "Race to the Top. Hawaii Report. Year 1: School Year 2010-2011. [State-Specific Summary Report]," see ED529316. For "Race to the Top Annual Performance Report," see ED529267.]

This paper describes Delaware's progress in implementing a comprehensive and coherent approach to education reform from the time of application through June 30, 2011. In particular, it highlights key accomplishments over the reporting period in the four reform areas: standards and assessments, data systems to support instruction, great teachers and leaders, and turning around lowest-achieving schools. With its Race to the Top win last year, Delaware embraced a unique opportunity, and responsibility, to dramatically improve student outcomes for all students in the state. Race to the Top is not just another grant program; rather, it has become the catalyst for comprehensive and sustainable statewide reform. Individual sections contain references and footnotes. [For the parent report, "Race to the Top Annual Performance Report," see ED529267. For the state summary report, "Race to the Top. Delaware Report. Year 1: School Year 2010-2011. [State-Specific Summary Report]," see ED529310.]

This paper describes the District of Columbia's progress in implementing a comprehensive and coherent approach to education reform from the time of application through June 30, 2011. In particular, this report highlights key accomplishments over the reporting period in the four reform areas: standards and assessments, data systems to support instruction, great teachers and leaders, and turning around lowest-achieving schools. Washington, DC has made significant progress in implementing a comprehensive approach to education in the four core reform areas since receiving the Race to the Top grant. Highlights of this report include: (1) Race to the Top has collaborated with the Division of Standards, Assessment and Accountability to create an aggressive Common Core Standards Roll-out Plan for the District. Each LEA (local educational agency) will implement the Common Core Standards beginning in school year 2011-12. During the spring and summer of 2011, OSSE (Office of the State Superintendent of Education) and Race to the Top participating LEAs provided extensive professional development for their teachers, including those teaching special education. Additionally, OSSE provided guidance to all LEAs so they could provide information on the Common Core Standards to parents through parent meetings and Back-to-School nights using parent guides created by the National PTA; (2) Washington, DC awarded $5,000,000 in Instructional Improvement Systems grants to four lead Local Education Agencies. These lead LEAs with expertise in instructional improvement systems are sharing their technology and expertise with 20 LEAs that are not as far along in their data systems initiatives; (3) DC has developed a number of rigorous metrics and tools for measuring the performance of teachers and schools and informing improvements to instruction. OSSE has developed common criteria for Race to the Top participating LEAs' teacher and leader evaluation systems. OSSE is in the process of managing a process of reviewing these plans to ensure that they meet these criteria. DC has adopted a common schoolwide growth model for use in the 2011-12 school year that is based on 2010-11 DC CAS data. The model results will be used as part of the Public Charter School Board's Performance Management Framework, DC Public Schools' School Score Card, and OSSE will give the data to LEAs to inform their practice. DC has also adopted a common value added model for use in participating LEAs' teacher evaluations; and (4) Although funding is not scheduled to begin until Year 2 of the Race to the Top grant, Washington, DC has been a leader in implementing initiatives for turning around the lowest-achieving schools. During the reporting period, DCPS, its largest LEA, implemented plans for turnarounds in 21 of its most struggling schools, including significant staffing changes at six schools being reconstituted under the No Child Left Behind law. DC Public Schools also has a comprehensive screening process that produces high quality teachers and principals for all of their schools, many of which are low achieving. As it relates to Race to the Top activity, DC PS has defined needs and requirements for SY11-12, established a detailed turnaround plan and timeline for each school slated for turnaround, posted job requisitions for enhanced capacity, and identified potential vendors to support the work. [For the parent document, "Race to the Top Annual Performance Report," see ED529267. For the state summary report, "Race to the Top. District of Columbia Report. Year 1: School Year 2010-2011. [State-Specific Summary Report]," see ED529308.]