RIVERSIDE USD DOES NOT BUY INTO RACE TO THE TOP; Superintendent says among large Southern California districts only Long Beach plans to participate

By DAYNA STRAEHLEY | Riverside  Press-Enterprise | http://bit.ly/7NNt6e

10:00 PM PST on Friday, December 18, 2009 -- Saying they don't have clear information and too little time before the deadline, Riverside school officials Friday declined to sign up for Race To The Top, the federal effort to reform education.

"It appears there's a lack of information on Race To The Top," said Riverside Unified School District Superintendent Rick Miller.

He said that among his network of superintendents of school districts in Southern and Northern California, none were participating. Among large districts, Deputy Superintendent Mike Fine said only Long Beach planned to participate.

Monday, top state education officials asked school districts, which were getting ready to close for winter break, to sign an agreement by Jan. 8 to participate in the program. However, the Legislature still hasn't passed the legislation necessary to make California eligible.

"The conference call was clear we all need to sign up, but we don't know what we're signing up for," Miller said.                 [entire story: http://bit.ly/7NNt6e]