The Clarkstown School District is joining other local districts in re-evaluating its position on Race To The Top and its data requirements. School Superintendent Dr. J. Thomas Morton notified parents in an online letter that the program would be discussed at the next school board meeting on Thursday, Nov. 14. at 8 p.m.
The Race To The Top, a federal initiative funded in 2009, uses a data dashboard as a portal for the viewing of student data by district administrators, staff and parents. Dr. Morton wrote the district adheres to strict policies for protecting records of students, parents and staff and maintaining that is “paramount.”
He said the district has been in contact with the New York State Department of Education and other officials regarding participation in the Race To The Top.
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“There also have been many questions submitted to the State and we await clear answers. While we have initially complied with the NYSED directive, we retain the right to withdraw from RTTT at any time if we determine there are any concerns regarding privacy and security of the data.”
“What has been shared with us from the State Education Department is that student data will be sent to inBloom, a non-profit organization, regardless of our decision. However, there is additional information regarding our students that we may decline to allow to be included.”
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His complete letter can be read here.
The Pearl River School Board voted last week to withdraw from Race To The Top and the Nanuet Board of Education will discuss the program at its meeting next week.
Information on the “data dashboard” is available on the Education Department’s EngageNY Portal at: www.engageny.org/portal.
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