Frequently Asked Questions
Race to the Top
North Carolina
6/25/2013
FAQs – Race to the Top in NC
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To access information found in the table of contents, click on the appropriate section below.
Contents
Section A: Submission of LEA Plans ................................................................................................ 5
A.1 Timeline for Submission ........................................................................................................ 5
A.2 Technical Assistance for Developing Plan ............................................................................. 6
A.3 Plan Documents .................................................................................................................... 6
A.4 Submitting the DSW .............................................................................................................. 7
A.5 Signatures for the DSW ......................................................................................................... 7
A.6 Changing the DSW ................................................................................................................ 7
A.7 Late LEA/Charter Plans.......................................................................................................... 7
Section B: LEA and School Participation ......................................................................................... 8
B.1 LEA Participation ................................................................................................................... 8
B.2 Requirements for Schools ..................................................................................................... 8
Section C: Implementation ............................................................................................................. 8
C.1 Implementation Timeline ...................................................................................................... 8
Section D: Reporting ....................................................................................................................... 8
D.1 Reports .................................................................................................................................. 8
Section E: RttT Budgets ................................................................................................................... 9
E.1 Allocation Determination ...................................................................................................... 9
E.2 Release of Funds.................................................................................................................. 10
E.3 Allocating Funding Across Years:......................................................................................... 10
E.4 Administrative Costs: .......................................................................................................... 10
E.5 Indirect Costs: ...................................................................................................................... 10
E.6 Personnel Costs: .................................................................................................................. 10
E.7 State Budget (50%): ............................................................................................................. 10
E.8 Funding Reallocation: .......................................................................................................... 10
E.9 Other Funding Sources ........................................................................................................ 11
E.10 Allowable Purchases.......................................................................................................... 11
E.11 Supplanting........................................................................................................................ 11
E.12 Budgeting by Initiative ...................................................................................................... 11
E.13 Managing RttT Funds ........................................................................................................ 12
E.14 Funding Splits: ................................................................................................................... 12
E.15 Pre-award Costs: ............................................................................................................... 12
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E.16 Sustainability ..................................................................................................................... 12
E. 17 Revising Budget Categories .............................................................................................. 12
Section F: NC Education Cloud (RttT Section A2) ......................................................................... 12
F.1 Definition of NC Education Cloud ........................................................................................ 12
F.2 Timeline for Development and Implementation: When do you envision the technology
cloud being fully operational statewide? .................................................................................. 13
F.3 Additional Information and FAQs ........................................................................................ 13
Section G: Standards and Assessments (RttT Section B3) ............................................................ 14
G.1 Timeline for Implementation:............................................................................................. 14
G.2 Professional Development:................................................................................................. 14
G.3 Support and Sustainability: How will the new regional ERD leads assist in the support
and sustainability of district plans? ..................................................................................... 14
G.4 Use of instructional tools and modules: Are LEAs expected to use all of the
instructional tools and online modules?................................................................................ 14
G.5 Online Assessments: ........................................................................................................... 15
Section H: Data to Support Instruction (RttT Section C)............................................................... 15
H.1 Instructional Improvement System (IIS) ............................................................................. 15
Section I: Great Teachers and Leaders (RttT Section D) ............................................................... 17
I.1 Definition of Growth: ........................................................................................................... 17
I.2 Student Achievement and Teacher Effectiveness................................................................ 17
I.3 Reporting Teacher and Principal Effectiveness: ................................................................... 17
I.4 Teacher Effectiveness and Non-Tested Areas:..................................................................... 18
I.5 Partnerships with Universities: ............................................................................................ 18
I.6 Measuring and Incorporating Growth: ................................................................................ 18
I.7 Professional Development: .................................................................................................. 18
I.8 Teach for America ................................................................................................................ 19
I.9 Alternative Certification ....................................................................................................... 19
Section J: Turning Around Lowest Achieving Schools (RttT Section E2) ....................................... 19
J.1 Intervention Models: ........................................................................................................... 19
J.2 Turnaround: ......................................................................................................................... 19
J.3. Restart Model: .................................................................................................................... 20
J.4 School Closure ...................................................................................................................... 20
J.5 Transformation Model: ........................................................................................................ 21
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J.6 Lowest Achieving Schools .................................................................................................... 25
Section K: Evaluation (RttT Section A2) ........................................................................................ 26
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Section A: Submission of LEA Plans
A.1 Timeline for Submission: What are the key dates surrounding the 2011-12
LEA/Charter School Detailed Scope of Work submission for Race to the Top (RttT)?
Submission Date: Updated 5/16/2011
LEA/Charter’s Detailed Scope of Work (DSW) must be submitted to NCDPI by 5:00 pm on
August 3, 2011. See A.4 below for information about how to submit the proposal.
Regional Meetings & Webinars for LEAs/Charters: Meetings will be held in the eastern,
western, and central areas of the state to provide technical assistance to LEA RttT teams.
Additionally, NCDPI will host a series of webinars for both LEAs and Charter Schools. Please
reserve the date on your calendar.
Face-to-Face Technical Assistance
Region
Date
Location
Address
Session Times
East
14 June
Lois Britt Agricultural Services
Center
Kenansville, NC
9-11:30 a.m.
1-3:30 p.m.
9-11:30 a.m.
Central
15 June
NC School Boards Association
Assembly Room
Raleigh, NC
Holiday Inn Express
Wilkesboro, NC
1-3:30 p.m.
9-11:30 a.m.
West
22 June
1-3:30 p.m.
LEA Webinar Technical Assistance:
Date
16 June
Time
9-11 a.m.
Registration Link
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/110217144
16 June
20 June
2-4 p.m.
9-11 a.m.
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/278711521
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/572531056
20 June
2-4 p.m.
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/857559856
Charter School Technical Assistance:
Date
21 June
Time
9-11 a.m.
FAQs – Race to the Top in NC
Registration Link
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/390592641
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A.2 Technical Assistance for Developing Plan: How can I get assistance with
preparing my Plan? Where can I get more information?
 The NC Race to the Top Application: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/rttt/state/

Other Information: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/rttt/district/
Documents with information for LEAs/Charters include:
o LEA/Charter Detailed Scope of Work Template
o Guidance Documents
 State and LEA/Charter Objectives
 NC Education Cloud Information and FAQs
 Instructional Improvement System PowerPoint
o RttT Turnaround Schools & Districts
 NC’s Lowest-Achieving Schools – List
o Funding
 Race to the Top Budget Approval - Frequently Asked Questions
 Estimated LEA/Charter School RttT Allocations

Email Address: LEAs/Charters can send questions to RacetotheTop@dpi.nc.gov.

Contact Information: (Updated 6/25/2013) For specific questions and information,
LEAs/Charters may also direct questions to their Regional Leads. Regional Leads are listed
below.
Region
Contact Person
Email Address
Phone Number
Region 1
Tamara Berman-Ishee
tamara.bermanishee@dpi.nc.gov
252-646-0777
Region 2
Robin Loflin Smith
robin.smith@dpi.nc.gov
336-802-6824
Region 3
James Coon
james.coon@dpi.nc.gov
252-571-9540
Region 4
James Coon
james.coon@dpi.nc.gov
252-571-9540
Region 5
Frances Harris-Burke
frances.harrisburke@dpi.nc.gov
703-217-8170
Region 6
Terry L. Cline
terry.cline@dpi.nc.gov
252-560-9732
Region 7 & 8
Jan King
jan.king@dpi.nc.gov
828-606-0177
A.3 Plan Documents: What documents do LEAs/Charters need to submit to NCDPI?
As in November 2010, LEAs/Charters need to submit the completed Detailed Scope of Work
(DSW) Excel file document.
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A.4 Submitting the DSW: Where and how should LEAs/Charters submit the DSW?
You must submit your completed DSW to NCDPI no later than 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August
3, 2011 by emailing the completed Excel file to NCDPI at RacetotheTop@dpi.nc.gov.
Note: Please title the file as: RttT LEA/Charter DSW - <Your LEA/Charter Name>.
Please also put “RttT LEA/Charter DSW - <Your LEA/Charter Name>” in the subject line of your
email.
For questions or concerns about how to submit or to confirm that your information has been
received, please contact NCDPI at RacetotheTop@dpi.nc.gov. NCDPI strongly encourages all
LEA and Charter School staff to consult with NCDPI Regional Leads for support in planning and
completing the DSW. Additional information and resources can be found on the NCDPI RttT
website (www.ncpublicschools.org/rttt/).
A.5 Signatures for the DSW: What signatures are required for the DSW?
The DSW requires that the LEA/Charter provide the names and titles of the members of the
RttT planning and advisory team. However, signatures of members of the team are not
required. The Planning and Advisory Contacts sheet contains a space for any of these members
to sign the plan to indicate support. This is not required, but it does demonstrate the broader
commitment of the local team.
A.6 Changing the DSW: Are LEAs/Charter Schools permitted to change their DSW
throughout the implementation of RttT?
Yes. In fact, NCDPI would be surprised if an LEA/Charter did not have to adjust their plans
throughout the process. For each submission of an amended DSW, an LEA/Charter must
identify any changes made to the prior DSW in RED font. Amended DSWs should be submitted
by email to RacetotheTop@dpi.nc.gov. All changes to a LEA/Charter DSW must be approved by
NCDPI.
Note: Budgets submitted in the BUD system must align to the DSW. Changes made to the DSW
may require an LEA/Charter to submit a budget amendment in the BUD system. When sending
an amended DSW to NCDPI, please title the file as: RttT LEA/Charter DSW - <Your LEA/Charter
Name>-amendment <number of amendment>
A.7 Late LEA/Charter Plans: What happens if my LEA/Charter does not submit their
completed DSW to NCDPI by August 3, 2011?
The LEA/Charter will be considered to have not upheld their prior agreement to meet the RttT
requirements. Consequences may include not being funded for the remainder of the grant
period and having to pay grant back funds already expended.
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Section B: LEA and School Participation
B.1 LEA Participation:
 Are LEAs/Charters required to participate in Race to the Top?
No, LEAs and Charter schools are not required to participate. In order to receive RttT funds,
LEAs/Charters must submit an acceptable plan for implementing all “required activities”
(see Required Activities worksheet in Detailed Scope of Work template; and “LEAs/Charters
will…” in Guidance documents). LEAs/Charters who do not agree to implement all
“required” activities will be considered to be not participating, will not receive further RttT
funds, and will be required to pay back any RttT funds already expended.

Are LEAs/Charters required to participate in all activities?
In order to receive Race to the Top funds, a LEA/Charter must participate in all required
activities. The LEA/Charter may select to implement any or none of the ‘optional’ activities
(see Optional Activities worksheet in Detailed Scope of Work template; and “LEAs/Charters
may…” in Guidance documents).
B.2 Requirements for Schools: Is the LEA required to implement activities in all
schools?
Required activities must be implemented in all schools for which the activity is relevant. For
optional activities, an LEA may propose implementation in only select schools. LEAs may
propose to implement some required activities in only select schools, if they have a strong
justification to do so. This can be negotiated with NCDPI through the Detailed Scope of Work.
Section C: Implementation
C.1 Implementation Timeline: What is the timeline for implementing Race to the
Top?
LEAs may begin implementing activities immediately, though funds for each fiscal year will be
released only once their annual budgets (and plans, if the budget reflects an amended DSW)
are approved by NCDPI. Race to the Top funds may be used through August 31, 2014.
Section D: Reporting
D.1 Reports:
 How will LEAs/Charters report on deliverables? Updated 5/16/2011
Each LEA/Charter will be required to submit an annual standardized progress report
reflecting the progress to date in implementing their RttT activities. NCDPI will release
template documents soon for LEAs/Charters to use for reporting.
NCDPI will use the progress report, in addition to other information, to determine where
additional technical assistance and monitoring is needed. LEAs/Charters may be required to
provide additional documentation to substantiate the progress reported in the selfassessment.
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
How will LEAs/Charters report expenditures?
LEAs and charter schools will report their expenditures monthly through their normal UERS
processes.

Will RttT financial reporting requirements for expenditures be similar to ARRA
reporting?
Yes. Like the quarterly 1512 reporting, expenditures and positions will be reported to the
federal government. Through the RttT PRC 156, we will do the reporting like all other ARRA
funds distributed by the NCDPI.
Section E: RttT Budgets
E.1 Allocation Determination:
 How were LEA allocations derived?
The US Department of Education directed states to distribute funding based on the 2009-10
Title I appropriations (regular and ARRA).
To determine each LEA’s and Charter school’s allocation, total the two Statewide allocations
(2009-10 regular and ARRA) and divide each receiving LEA and Charter's total for that year
by the grand total (2009-10 regular and ARRA) for all LEAs and Charters. The resulting % of
the total is the exact same percent that was applied to the LEA/Charter 50% portion of the
RttT grant to determine the total RttT allocation for an LEA or Charter.
Each participating LEA /Charter will receive three numbers:
(1) Percentage of the LEA/Charter allocation that will go to the individual LEA/Charter
(note that this amount includes the redistribution of funds reverted by Charters who
were eligible, but chose not to participate).
(2) The amount each LEA/Charter is to contribute to the technology infrastructure
(3) The net appropriation available to the LEA/Charter for the four years (#1 minus #2)
The percent of Title I funds each LEA/Charter received is posted on the NCDPI website
(www.ncpublicschools.org/rttt/). The total RttT allocations, including adjustments for
reverted funds redistributed, are also available on that site.

Does every school within an LEA have to be Title I eligible to benefit from Race to
the Top?
No, funding is applied based on the Title I fund distribution, but these funds can be used
across the school district receiving them.

Over what period of time are the Title I funds to be spent?
Allocations are for the four-year period of the RttT grant. All RttT funds must be spent by
August 31, 2014.
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E.2 Release of Funds: When will money be released to LEAs/Charters?
All funds were released to North Carolina on January 31, 2011, and have been allotted to the
LEAs/Charters. LEAs/Charters must enter budgets annually in order to access the funds. See
Funding section in District Resources on the RttT website
(http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/rttt/district/funding/district-faq.pdf) for more
information about the budget process.
E.3 Allocating Funding Across Years:
 Are LEAs required to spread funding over multiple years?
Funding may be spread across all four years of the grant. The LEA will determine how much
to expend in each year.

Can any unexpended balance the first year be carried over to the next year?
Yes. Funds unexpended can be carried over to the next grant year.

Can money be carried over to a fifth year?
No. The RttT funds are expected to be available until August 31, 2014.
E.4 Administrative Costs: Is there a cap on administrative costs?
No; however, LEAs/Charters are encouraged to keep administrative costs to a minimum.
E.5 Indirect Costs: May LEAs charge indirect costs?
Yes. LEAs may budget and charge indirect costs to RttT under their currently approved indirect
cost rate, to be adjusted annually consistent with the changes to the rate as approved by the
Department of Education.
E.6 Personnel Costs: Is there a maximum and/or recommended percentage that can
be dedicated to Personnel costs? Updated 4/1/11
No. The amount budgeted for personnel should be allocable, reasonable, necessary, and
allowable consistent with OMB Circular A-87. Positions hired under the RttT programs should
be associated with initiatives selected and outlined in your Detailed Scope of Work (see also
E.13: Supplanting).
E.7 State Budget (50%): Will LEAs/Charters receive money from the state’s 50% of
the budget?
All LEAs/Charters will benefit from the initiatives and tools developed from the State’s funds.
Some funds will be indirectly allocated to LEAs/Charters or targeted to specific high-need
schools within LEAs/Charters.
E.8 Funding Reallocation: If LEAs/Charters select not to participate, do not submit a
complete Detailed Scope of Work, or do not receive approval, is their allocation
divided up amongst remaining participating districts?
Yes. If LEAs/Charters do not participate, their allocations will be redistributed on a pro-rata
basis to participating districts and charters.
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E.9 Other Funding Sources: Do RttT projects have to be paid with RttT funds,
or can LEAs/Charters combine funding sources?
LEAs are encouraged to use other funding sources, including State, federal, or local, to
supplement RttT funds in order to complete all required and optional activities. If an
LEA/charter uses all of its RttT money in year one, the LEA/charter will be required to use
another source of funds to support initiatives described in its DSW during the remaining three
years.
E.10 Allowable Purchases: Updated 10/21/10
 Can technology hardware be bought with Race to the Top funds (for example,
increasing server capacity, computers, iPads and other infrastructure)?
Yes. LEAs/Charters may purchase hardware if needed to expand or create an educational
opportunity linked to a Race to the Top initiative. Examples of valid purchases might
include a laptop cart or other devices to use in delivering benchmark or interim online
assessments, or for completing teacher evaluations online. Each LEAs/Charter should
provide a justification for any such expenditure in its Detailed Scope of Work.

May RttT funds be used to pay for substitutes to cover classrooms when teachers
are participating in professional development?
Yes. In addition, LEAs can use RttT funds to provide stipends for teachers to attend PD
during the summer or evenings and to reimburse for travel expenses, as appropriate.

May RttT funds be used to pay for non-technology related materials?
Yes, as long as you have a justification for how these materials are required to implement
one or more activities in your DSW.
E.11 Supplanting: What is meant by supplanting?
Supplanting, or the replacement of state funds with federal funds, is not prohibited under the
Race to the Top guidelines. However, RttT funds are not to be used to supplant funding for
basic school operations (other fund sources, including EduJobs and SFSF may be used for this
purpose.) RttT expenditures must be either for a new program or an enhancement or
expansion of an existing, proven program that is aligned with the RttT initiatives. Exceptions
may be made if significant justification exists and the expenditure is directly related to a RttT
initiative.
E.12 Budgeting by Initiative: How will LEAs/Charters budget for RttT activities?
LEAs/Charters will provide a budget for each required activity and any optional activity they
plan to implement for RttT. In the DSW document, LEAs/Charters must detail plans and budgets
by each of the required LEA activities (see the Detailed Scope of Work document and
Instructions for more information
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/rttt/district/scope/template-instructions.pdf ).
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E.13 Managing RttT Funds: How should LEAs/Charters categorize and manage RttT
funds?
NCDPI’s Financial and Business Services Area has established a new PRC (156) for capturing RttT
expenditures. Otherwise, the State will manage RttT budgets through the same process used to
manage other federal grants.
E.14 Funding Splits: Are RttT funds 100% ARRA funds that are fully awarded as S
project, or are they split between A and S projects like the School Improvement
Grant funds?
RttT funds are 100% ARRA and are not split. Also, expenditures of RttT funds must comply with
the OERI Management Directives, especially as related to purchases of goods and services. The
directives are found at http://www.ncrecovery.gov/Compliance/OERIDirectives.aspx .
E.15 Pre-award Costs: Are pre-award costs allowed?
Yes, as long as the costs are approvable as part of a required or optional RttT activity listed in
the DSW. Costs that are anticipated to be charged as pre-award costs to the grant should be
identified as such in the DSW. LEAs may charge expenditures back to cost incurred August 24,
2010.
E.16 Sustainability: Must RttT initiatives be sustained once the grant is gone?
Please note, the main focus of the RttT funding is to accelerate the infrastructure change
necessary for sustained growth; RttT is about creating capacity that will live on beyond the fouryear grant period. Accordingly, funding should be expended for non-recurring activities or for
activities for which other recurring funding has been or will be identified. Specific initiatives
funded with RttT dollars do not necessarily have to continue, however, once the grant funding
ends.
E. 17 Revising Budget Categories: Are LEAs/Charters permitted to move money from
one budget category to another?
Yes. However, the LEA/Charter budget amendment will need to align to the DSW in order to be
approved. If the budget change is significant and reflects a change in activities, the LEA/Charter
will be required to submit an amended DSW along with the budget amendment. See Funding
section in District Resources on the RttT website
(http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/rttt/district/funding/district-faq.pdf) for more
information about the budget process.
Section F: NC Education Cloud (RttT Section A2)
F.1 Definition of NC Education Cloud: What is the NC Education Cloud?
North Carolina proposed a “cloud computing” approach, which involves moving technology
resources to centralized servers and then rapidly delivering what is needed, when it is needed,
to individual devices, ranging from desktop computers to smart phones. This state-of-the-art
approach is used by technology leaders such as Amazon, Google, and IBM to provide Internetbased services and software.
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The NC Education Cloud will provide a highly reliable, cost-effective, server-based infrastructure
that will support PK-12 education statewide. This initiative will involve transitioning statewide
from individual, LEA-hosted server infrastructures to this centralized, cloud-hosted
infrastructure as a service. The primary objective of the NC Education Cloud is to provide a
world-class technology infrastructure as a foundational component of the NC education
enterprise. Benefits of the NC Cloud include:

Reduced overall cost, with a significant savings once the transition to the Education
Cloud is complete;

Decreased technical support staffing requirements at the LEA level;

Equity of access to computing and storage resources;

Efficient scaling according to aggregate NC PK-12 usage requirements;

Consistently high availability, reliability, and performance;

A common infrastructure platform to support emerging data systems;

Ability to provide statewide access to core technology applications;

Improved security; and

Sustainable and predictable operational cost.
For more general information about the Cloud, see section F.3 below.
F.2 Timeline for Development and Implementation: When do you envision the
technology cloud being fully operational statewide?
The NC Education Cloud will be implemented in phases. NCDPI estimates that it will be fully
operational by the end of the four-year grant period, if not sooner. The NC Education Cloud will
take a minimum of six months to plan. The migration of LEAs into the NC Education Cloud will
be done in phases over two to three years.
F.3 Additional Information and FAQs: Where can I find additional information about
the NC Education Cloud? Updated 10/21/2010
Please find additional information about the NC Education Cloud and FAQs by clicking the
following link NC Education Cloud Information. Or, access the website at:
http://it.ncwiseowl.org/blog/One.aspx?portalId=11753536
Please submit your questions about the NC Education Cloud technology initiative to the
following email address: cloudhelp@ncsu.edu.
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Section G: Standards and Assessments (RttT Section B3)
G.1 Timeline for Implementation:
 Are all LEAs required to implement the new Common Core State Standards and
the North Carolina Essential Standards in 2012-2012?
All schools are required to implement the K-12 Common Core State Standards and the
North Carolina Essential Standards beginning with the 2012-2013 school year.

May LEAs and schools begin transitioning to the new Common Core State
Standards and the North Carolina Essential Standards in 2011-2012?
LEAs may begin transitioning teachers to the new standards specifically in non-tested
grades or content areas in 2011-2012. However, full implementation for all content
areas and grades are required to being with the 2012-2013 school year.
G.2 Professional Development:
 Other than the Summer Institutes, will there be additional professional
development to assist districts in gaining a deeper understanding of the Common
Core State Standards and the North Carolina Essential Standards?
A new phase of Common Core State Standards and the North Carolina Essential Standards
professional development offerings will be shared with all LEAs in the fall. The new phase
will include face-to-face as well as virtual opportunities.

How is blended professional development defined?
According to (Graham, 2006;Stacey & Gerbic, 2001; Garrison and Vaughn, 2008),
A blended professional development approach includes a combination of online and faceto-face learning that includes various combinations of technologies, pedagogies, and
contexts. This blended professional development approach will be modeled with district
and charter teams during the upcoming Summer Institutes. District teams are highly
encouraged to model this approach during their local professional development
opportunities.
G.3 Support and Sustainability: How will the new regional ERD leads assist in the
support and sustainability of district plans?
The regional Educator Recruitment Development team at NCDPI will work closely with LEAbased teams to coordinate the extensive set of professional development activities required to
achieve the RttT PD goals. Curriculum and Instruction staff will continue to develop, deliver, or
identify external partners who can address content-specific professional development and will
partner with the regional ERD teams as the need arises.
G.4 Use of instructional tools and modules: Are LEAs expected to use all of the
instructional tools and online modules?
NCDPI highly encourages all LEAS who have signed on as a partner to use the tools and modules
developed. LEAs have the flexibility to determine the structure and timeline by which these
tools are to be accessed and utilized by the educator.
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G.5 Online Assessments:
 When will the State move to online ONLY assessments? Updated 10/21/2010
North Carolina intends to move to online only assessments in the 2014 – 2015 school year.
This is consistent with the timeline the SMARTER Balanced Consortium is using for
implementing shared assessments to test students on the Common Core Standards.
LEAs/Charters are encouraged to begin implementing at least one course assessment online
beginning as soon as possible in order to help students and schools plan for this transition.

What can I do to prepare my LEA/Charter for online assessment? Updated
10/21/2010
LEAs who have met the ‘required’ activities for RttT are encouraged to use RttT funds to
purchase hardware and make investments in school connectivity. For guidance on the types
of purchases an LEA might make, please see:
http://it.ncwiseowl.org/blog/One.aspx?portalId=11753536
Section H: Data to Support Instruction (RttT Section C)
H.1 Instructional Improvement System (IIS): (See NC’s IIS page at
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/acre/improvement/)
 What is North Carolina’s Vision for the new Instructional Improvement System
(IIS)?
The North Carolina (NC) IIS will be:
An online resource for students, parents, teachers and administrators that will house
instructional and learning resources, technology-based tools and other strategies that
provide meaningful support and actionable data to make informed decisions related to
improving instruction and learning, including such activities as:
o instructional planning;
o gathering information using a balanced assessment approach (e.g., through formative
assessment (as outlined in NC FALCON ), interim assessments (utilizing item banks that
will be made available to all districts), summative assessments (at the classroom and
state levels);
o displaying and analyzing information through user friendly dashboards using this
information to inform decisions on appropriate next instructional or learning steps,
career and college readiness; and
o evaluating the effectiveness of the actions taken.
The NC IIS will promote collaborative problem-solving and action planning; integrate
instructional and learning data with student-level data such as attendance, discipline,
grades, credit accumulation, and student survey results to provide early warning
indicators of a student’s risk of educational failure.
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
How will the IIS support formative assessment?
North Carolina defines formative assessment according to the Council of Chief State School
Officers:
Formative assessment is a process used by teachers and students during instruction that
provides feedback to adjust ongoing teaching and learning to improve students'
achievement of intended instructional outcomes.
NC’s Formative Assessment Online Community’s Network (NC FALCON) released in August
010 provides professional development and resources for educators to learn about
formative assessment. NC FALCON will be integrated into the IIS once it is released. The IIS
will also house additional tools and resources to support formative assessment.

How will the IIS support benchmark or interim assessments?
The State will provide a secure and non-secure item bank that teachers, schools, and
districts can use to develop their own benchmark assessments. The IIS will provide
instructions for building assessments and for analyzing data. Individual items in the item
bank can also be used during the formative assessment process to determine if students are
learning the concepts during a lesson.

LEAs/Charters are currently using vendors (e.g., ClassScape, Thinkgate,
Blackboard) for benchmark assessments. Has the State chosen a vendor? Updated
10/21/2010
o The State has contracted with an external planning team to develop an implementation
plan based on what is currently available on the market and NC’s vision for the IIS. The
planning team will issue RFPs for the benchmark components in late Fall 2011. Once a
vendor is chosen, LEAs will be informed so that they can decide how and when they will
use the items that will be available in the IIS. LEAs will continue to have the option of
using third-party vendors.
o How will the IIS support statewide summative assessments?
All districts will be required to access the statewide summative assessments through the
IIS.
o What are the technical requirements for the IIS?
The external planning team will meet with stakeholders, reviewing existing documents
(e.g., NC Education Cloud Plans, Best Practices Guide for Online Assessments) and
develop the IIS technical requirements in Fall 2011. The Technical Requirements
Document will be available in December 2011.

What will the State pay for and what will the LEAs pay for regarding the
Instructional Improvement System? Updated 10/21/2010
During the planning phase, the State will develop a sustainability plan. This plan will be
available in December 2011.
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Section I: Great Teachers and Leaders (RttT Section D)
I.1 Definition of Growth: How does North Carolina and USED define growth?
In the Race to the Top guidance, USED defined growth as “the change in student achievement
between two or more points in time.” For Race to the Top, the State has established an
Educator Effectiveness Work Group. Its membership includes superintendents, school
administrators, teachers, central office staff members, human resources directors, research
scholars, leaders at institutions of higher education, representatives from not-for-profit
organizations and the North Carolina Association of Educators, and staff from the Department
of Public Instruction. The Work Group will consider an interim process to measure student
growth during the 2011 - 2012 school year. The Work Group will make recommendations on
the long-term approach to measuring student growth. The measurement for student growth
ultimately adopted for long-term use will be approved by the State Board of Education using
the guidance and recommendations of the Work Group.
I.2 Student Achievement and Teacher Effectiveness: Will student achievement be
used in teacher evaluations as a way to measure teacher effectiveness?
Yes. Teacher evaluations and teacher effectiveness will be determined in part by a student’s
growth over the course of time. North Carolina will expand its teacher evaluation instrument
to include a sixth standard on student growth. The Educator Effectiveness Work Group will
determine the language for the standard, as well as acceptable measures of student growth. In
order for a teacher in North Carolina to be effective, he or she must receive at least a
“proficient” rating on each standard of the teacher evaluation instrument and make at least
expected academic gains with students. For a teacher to be highly effective, he or she must
receive at least an “accomplished” rating on each standard of the evaluation instrument, and
make significantly higher than expected academic gains with students. Principals will not
evaluate teachers on the new sixth standard until there are three years of valid measures of
student growth to be used to inform the rating.
Note that growth (that is, change in achievement over time) will be used as a part the teacher
evaluation processes. A single absolute achievement score that does not account for where a
teacher’s students started the year will not be used. A measure of student growth between
two points in time relates more strongly to the teacher’s work with his or her students.
I.3 Reporting Teacher and Principal Effectiveness: How will North Carolina report on
effective teachers and principals?
The US Department of Education requires the State to report on the percentage of teachers and
principals who are rated across each level of the Teacher/Principal Evaluation Instrument. The
State will report the percentages of teachers at the school, LEA, and State level. Percentages of
principals at who score at each level of the scale will be reported by LEA and by State. Since the
evaluation instrument contains five individual standards for teachers and seven for principals,
the State will take the median of an individual’s ratings in order to provide one rating per
individual. The use of the median will ensure that ratings do not have to be rounded, and that
any one low or high rating does not skew a teacher’s aggregate evaluation
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*Please note, teacher and principal information will not be reported for any individual.
Reporting about the effectiveness of teachers is complex. This data will be supported with
online documents and media to help educators, parents, and the public understand what
conclusions can and cannot be drawn from the data.
I.4 Teacher Effectiveness and Non-Tested Areas: How will teachers in non-tested
grades, subjects, and positions be assessed to determine effectiveness?
(PENDING USED APPROVAL OF AMENDMENT to State RttT Plan) During the 2011 – 2012 school
year, teachers of non-tested grades and subjects will receive the school-wide student growth
measure as their first of three years of student growth information. During this time, the State
Educator Effectiveness Work Group will be evaluating options and planning how to best collect
and use growth information in tested and non-tested areas. The State will convene fifty
workgroups during the summer of 2011 and 2011 – 2012 school year to determine how to
measure student growth in all courses and grades not assessed with End of Grade, End of
Course, or VoCATS assessments.
I.5 Partnerships with Universities:
 Can LEAs/Charters use RttT funds to support the expansion of partnerships with
non-UNC system higher education institutions?
Yes, as long as the work is aligned with a Race to the Top initiative.
I.6 Measuring and Incorporating Growth:
 Will LEAs be required to use growth to evaluate teachers during the 2010 – 11
school year?
LEAs will be required to measure the growth of students for individual teachers in every
subject in the 2012 – 13 school year. The growth will be incorporated into the new teacher
evaluation instrument.
I.7 Professional Development:
 How will teachers take advantage of the many professional development
opportunities provided by the State through Race to the Top?
LEAs will need to develop a plan that will empower, build capacity and sustain professional
learning in their districts and schools for all teachers. As part of this plan, LEAs may use RttT
funds to pay for substitutes or provide stipends for teachers to attend any professional
development opportunity through the Professional Development Initiative (PDI). LEAs may
also consider providing incentives for teachers to participate during the summer, evenings,
or weekends. In addition, NCDPI anticipates offering opportunities both face-to-face (f2f)
and online. Therefore, not all sessions will require additional funding, travel or time away
from the classroom.

For professional development, which pieces will the State organize and fund and
for which pieces will LEAs assume the costs?
The State will host regularly scheduled face-to-face training sessions for each designated
local Professional Development Leadership Team and there will be online professional
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development modules to be shared with all educators in NC through the NC Professional
Development Repository. The primary responsibility of the LEA and charter school will be to
make sure educators have access to the professional development offered and to support
and sustain the professional development within their district and schools. For example, the
LEA might use funds to pay for substitute teachers to attend training or access the online
modules. Or, the LEA or charter school might provide stipends to teachers who attend
online trainings and/or facilitate subsequent discussion groups within the district or school
on an evening or weekend.
I.8 Teach for America: Is the state using state money to bring in more TFA teachers?
Or, are LEAs encouraged to use their funds for this? Updated 10/21/10
The amount in the State portion is for expansion in the northeastern region of the State. LEAs
can use their portion of the funds for this purpose.
I.9 Alternative Certification: Will the State develop additional routes for alternative
certification? Updated 10/21/10
The State legislature has requested that the NCDPI continue to evaluate alternative certification
options. As an example, the State Board of Education approved the creation of TeachCharlotte,
an alternate certification program serving Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
Section J: Turning Around Lowest Achieving Schools (RttT Section E2)
J.1 Intervention Models: What are the four intervention models for low-achieving
schools?
Turnaround, Restart, School Closure, and Transformation
J.2 Turnaround:

What are the required elements of a turnaround model?
A turnaround model is one in which an LEA must do the following:
(1) Replace the principal and grant the principal sufficient operational flexibility (including
in staffing, calendars/time, and budgeting) to implement fully a comprehensive
approach in order to substantially improve student achievement outcomes and increase
high school graduation rates;
(2) Using locally adopted competencies to measure the effectiveness of staff who can work
within the turnaround environment to meet the needs of students,
(a) Screen all existing staff and rehire no more than 50 percent; and
(b) Select new staff;
(3) Implement such strategies as financial incentives, increased opportunities for promotion
and career growth, and more flexible work conditions that are designed to recruit,
place, and retain staff with the skills necessary to meet the needs of the students in the
turnaround school;
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(4) Provide staff ongoing, high-quality job-embedded professional development that is
aligned with the school’s comprehensive instructional program and designed with
school staff to ensure that they are equipped to facilitate effective teaching and learning
and have the capacity to successfully implement school reform strategies;
(5) Adopt a new governance structure, which may include, but is not limited to, requiring
the school to report to a new “turnaround office” in the LEA or SEA, hire a “turnaround
leader” who reports directly to the Superintendent or Chief Academic Officer, or enter
into a multi-year contract with the LEA or SEA to obtain added flexibility in exchange for
greater accountability;
(6) Use data to identify and implement an instructional program that is research-based and
vertically aligned from one grade to the next as well as aligned with State academic
standards;
(7) Promote the continuous use of student data (such as from formative, interim, and
summative assessments) to inform and differentiate instruction in order to meet the
academic needs of individual students;
(8) Establish schedules and implement strategies that provide increased learning time;
(9) Provide appropriate social-emotional and community-oriented services and supports for
students.

In addition to the required elements, what optional elements may also be a part
of a turnaround model?
In addition to the required elements, an LEA implementing a turnaround model may also
implement other strategies, such as a new school model or any of the required and
permissible activities under the transformation intervention model described in the final
requirements. It could also, for example, replace a comprehensive high school with one
that focuses on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The key is that
these actions would be taken within the framework of the turnaround model and would be
in addition to, not instead of, the actions that are required as part of a turnaround model.
J.3. Restart Model: What is the definition of a restart model?
A restart model is one in which an LEA converts a school or closes and reopens a school under a
charter school operator, a charter management organization (CMO), or an education
management organization (EMO) that has been selected through a rigorous review process. A
restart model must enroll, within the grades it serves, any former student who wishes to attend
the school (see C-6).
J.4 School Closure: What is the definition of “school closure”?
School closure occurs when an LEA closes a school and enrolls the students who attended that
school in other schools in the LEA that are higher achieving. These other schools should be
within reasonable proximity to the closed school and may include, but are not limited to,
charter schools or new schools for which achievement data are not yet available.
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J.5 Transformation Model:
 With respect to elements of the transformation model that are the same as
elements of the turnaround model, do the definitions and other guidance that
apply to those elements as they relate to the turnaround model also apply to
those elements as they relate to the transformation model?
Yes. For example, the strategies that are used to recruit, place, and retain staff with the
skills necessary to meet the needs of students in a turnaround model may be the same
strategies that are used to recruit, place, and retain staff with the skills necessary to meet
the needs of students in a transformation model. For questions about any terms or
strategies that appear in both the transformation model and the turnaround model, please
refer to the turnaround model section of this FAQ.

Which activities related to developing and increasing teacher and school leader
effectiveness are required for an LEA implementing a transformation model?
An LEA implementing a transformation model must:
(1) Replace the principal who led the school prior to commencement of the transformation
model;
(2) Use rigorous, transparent, and equitable evaluation systems for teachers and principals
that —
(a) Take into account data on student growth as a significant factor as well as other
factors, such as multiple observation-based assessments of performance and
ongoing collections of professional practice reflective of student achievement and
increased high school graduation rates; and
(b) Are designed and developed with teacher and principal involvement;
(3) Identify and reward school leaders, teachers, and other staff who, in implementing this
model, have increased student achievement and high school graduation rates and
identify and remove those who, after ample opportunities have been provided for them
to improve their professional practice, have not done so;
(4) Provide staff ongoing, high-quality, job-embedded professional development that is
aligned with the school’s comprehensive instructional program and designed with
school staff to ensure they are equipped to facilitate effective teaching and learning and
have the capacity to successfully implement school reform strategies; and
(5) Implement such strategies as financial incentives, increased opportunities for promotion
and career growth, and more flexible work conditions that are designed to recruit,
place, and retain staff with the skills necessary to meet the needs of the students in a
transformation model.

Must the principal and teachers involved in the development and design of the
evaluation system be the principal and teachers in the school in which the
transformation model is being implemented?
No. The requirement for teacher and principal evaluation systems that “are designed and
developed with teacher and principal involvement” refers more generally to involvement by
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teachers and principals within the LEA using such systems, and may or may not include
teachers and principals in a school implementing the transformation model.

In the final USED RttT requirements, an LEA implementing the transformation
model must remove staff “who, after ample opportunities have been provided for
them to improve their professional practice, have not done so.” Does an LEA have
discretion to determine the appropriate number of such opportunities that must
be provided and what are some examples of such “opportunities” to improve?
In general, LEAs have flexibility to determine both the type and number of opportunities for
staff to improve their professional practice before they are removed from a school
implementing the transformation model. Examples of such opportunities include
professional development in such areas as differentiated instruction and using data to
improve instruction, mentoring or partnering with a master teacher, or increased time for
collaboration designed to improve instruction.

In addition to the required activities, what other activities related to developing
and increasing teacher and school leader effectiveness may an LEA undertake as
part of its implementation of a transformation model?
In addition to the required activities for a transformation model, an LEA may also
implement other strategies to develop teachers’ and school leaders’ effectiveness, such as:
(1) Providing additional compensation to attract and retain staff with the skills necessary to
meet the needs of students in a transformation school;
(2) Instituting a system for measuring changes in instructional practices resulting from
professional development; or
(3) Ensuring that the school is not required to accept a teacher without the mutual consent
of the teacher and principal, regardless of the teacher’s seniority.
LEAs also have flexibility to develop and implement their own strategies, as part of their
efforts to successfully implement the transformation model, to increase the effectiveness of
teachers and school leaders. Any such strategies must be in addition to those that are
required as part of this model.

How does the optional activity of “providing additional compensation to attract
and retain” certain staff differ from the requirement to implement strategies
designed to recruit, place, and retain certain staff?
There are a wide range of compensation-based incentives that an LEA might use as part of a
transformation model. Such incentives are just one example of strategies that might be
adopted to recruit, place, and retain staff with the skills needed to implement the
transformation model. The more specific emphasis on additional compensation in the
permissible strategies was intended to encourage LEAs to think more broadly about how
additional compensation can contribute to teacher effectiveness.
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
Which activities related to comprehensive instructional reform strategies are
required as part of the implementation of a transformation model?
An LEA implementing a transformation model must:
(1) Use data to identify and implement an instructional program that is research-based and
vertically aligned from one grade to the next as well as aligned with State academic
standards; and
(2) Promote the continuous use of student data (such as from formative, interim, and
summative assessments) in order to inform and differentiate instruction to meet the
academic needs of individual students.

In addition to the required activities, what other activities related to
comprehensive instructional reform strategies may an LEA undertake as part of
its implementation of a transformation model?
In addition to the required activities for a transformation model, an LEA may also
implement other comprehensive instructional reform strategies, such as:
(1) Conducting periodic reviews to ensure that the curriculum is being implemented with
fidelity, is having the intended impact on student achievement, and is modified if
ineffective;
(2) Implementing a school wide “response-to-intervention” model;
(3) Providing additional supports and professional development to teachers and principals
in order to implement effective strategies to support students with disabilities in the
least restrictive environment and to ensure that limited English proficient students
acquire language skills to master academic content;
(4) Using and integrating technology-based supports and interventions as part of the
instructional program; and
(5) In secondary schools—
(a) Increasing rigor by offering opportunities for students to enroll in advanced
coursework, early-college high schools, dual enrollment programs, or thematic
learning academies that prepare students for college and careers, including by
providing appropriate supports designed to ensure that low-achieving students can
take advantage of these programs and coursework;
(b) Improving student transition from middle to high school through summer transition
programs or freshman academies;
(c) Increasing graduation rates through, for example, credit recovery programs, reengagement strategies, smaller learning communities, competency-based
instruction and performance-based assessments, and acceleration of basic reading
and mathematics skills; or
(d) Establishing early-warning systems to identify students who may be at risk of failing
to achieve to high standards or to graduate.
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
What activities related to increasing learning time and creating communityoriented schools are required for implementation of a transformation model?
An LEA implementing a transformation model must:
(1) Establish schedules and strategies that provide increased learning time; and
(2) Provide ongoing mechanisms for family and community engagement.

What is meant by the phrase “family and community engagement” and what are
some examples of ongoing mechanisms for family and community engagement?
In general, family and community engagement means strategies to increase the
involvement and contributions, in both school-based and home-based settings, of parents
and community partners that are designed to support classroom instruction and increase
student achievement. Examples of mechanisms that can encourage family and community
engagement include the establishment of organized parent groups, holding public meetings
involving parents and community members to review school performance and help develop
school improvement plans, using surveys to gauge parent and community satisfaction and
support for local public schools, implementing complaint procedures for families,
coordinating with local social and health service providers to help meet family needs, and
parent education classes (including GED, adult literacy, and ESL programs).

In addition to the required activities, what other activities related to increasing
learning time and creating community-oriented schools may an LEA undertake as
part of its implementation of a transformation model?
In addition to the required activities for a transformation model, an LEA may also
implement other strategies to extend learning time and create community-oriented
schools, such as:
(1) Partnering with parents and parent organizations, faith- and community-based
organizations, health clinics, other State or local agencies, and others to create safe
school environments that meet students’ social, emotional, and health needs;
(2) Extending or restructuring the school day so as to add time for such strategies as
advisory periods that build relationships between students, faculty, and other school
staff;
(3) Implementing approaches to improve school climate and discipline, such as
implementing a system of positive behavioral supports or taking steps to eliminate
bullying and student harassment; or
(4) Expanding the school program to offer full-day kindergarten or pre-kindergarten.

How does the optional activity of extending or restructuring the school day to add
time for strategies that build relationships between students, faculty, and other
school staff differ from the requirement to provide increased learning time?
Extra time or opportunities for teachers and other school staff to create and build
relationships with students can provide the encouragement and incentive that many
students need to work hard and stay in school. Such opportunities may be created through
a wide variety of extra-curricular activities as well as structural changes, such as dividing
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large incoming classes into smaller theme-based teams with individual advisers. However,
such activities do not directly lead to increased learning time, which is more closely focused
on increasing the number of instructional minutes in the school day or days in the school
year.

What activities related to providing operational flexibility and sustained support
are required for implementation of a transformation model?
An LEA implementing a transformation model must:
(1) Give the school sufficient operational flexibility (such as staffing, calendars/time, and
budgeting) to implement fully a comprehensive approach to substantially improve
student achievement outcomes and increase high school graduation rates; and
(2) Ensure that the school receives ongoing, intensive technical assistance and related
support from the LEA, the SEA, or a designated external lead partner organization (such
as a school turnaround organization or an EMO).

Must an LEA implementing the transformation model in a school give the school
operational flexibility in the specific areas of staffing, calendars/time, and
budgeting?
No. The areas of operational flexibility mentioned in this requirement are merely examples
of the types of operational flexibility an LEA might give to a school implementing the
transformation model. An LEA is not obligated to give a school implementing the
transformation model operational flexibility in these particular areas, so long as it provides
the school sufficient operational flexibility to implement fully a comprehensive approach to
substantially improve student achievement outcomes and increase high school graduation
rates.

In addition to the required activities, what other activities related to providing
operational flexibility and sustained support may an LEA undertake as part of its
implementation of a transformation model?
In addition to the required activities for a transformation model, an LEA may also
implement other strategies to provide operational flexibility and sustained support, such as:
(1) Allowing the school to be run under a new governance arrangement, such as a
turnaround division within the LEA or SEA; or
(2) Implementing a per-pupil school-based budget formula that is weighted based on
student needs.
J.6 Lowest Achieving Schools:
 What are NC’s Lowest-Achieving Schools?
For Race to the Top, North Carolina defines Lowest-Achieving as:
o Lowest 5% of conventional elementary, middle, and high schools based on 2009-10
Performance Composite and grade span (Elementary-66 schools, Middle-23 schools,
High-23 schools), AND/OR
o Conventional high schools with a 4-year cohort graduation rate below 60% in 2009-10
and either 2008-09 or 2007-08 (9 Schools).
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
When will the State reassess to determine the Lowest Achieving Schools?
Updated 10/21/2010
For Race to the Top, the State will use the 2009 – 2010 data to identify the Lowest
Achieving Schools to be served through Race to the Top. Those schools will be served for all
four years of the RttT grant cycle. Lowest Achieving Schools will not be reassessed during
this time period.
The Persistently Lowest Achieving Schools as defined by the School Improvement Grants
will be monitored annually. School Improvement Funds are renewable for up to a three year
period. Each LEA receiving SIG funds for Tier I and Tier II schools must annually report on
the progress of meeting its goals. NCDPI will review required reports on an annual basis to
determine if the LEAs School Improvement Grant requires revision. For LEAs with schools
not meeting annual goals as described in the initial application, the LEA must revise the
implementation plan outlining specific steps that will be taken to ensure the success of
selected interventions. Revisions and budget amendments along with annual progress
reports will be reviewed to determine if the LEA's SIG funds will be renewed.
Section K: Evaluation (RttT Section A2)

What is the goal of the Race to the Top Evaluation?
The primary goal of the RttT evaluation is to collect quantitative and qualitative data to
inform continuous improvement of RttT initiatives as well as to inform future program,
policy, and funding decisions, including potential removal of policy barriers and the
development of policies that support reforms. The evaluation questions and plans have
been developed in close consultation with the Department of Public Instruction and have
been reviewed and approved by the State Board of Education and the Governor’s Education
Transformation Commission.

What local institutions are involved with the Race to the Top Evaluation?
The evaluation consortium is made up of individuals from the Carolina Institute for Public
Policy at UNC-Chapel Hill, the Friday Institute at NC State University, and the SERVE Center
at UNC-Greensboro. LEAs and charters could be contacted by staff from any of these
organizations.

Are LEAs and charters required to participate in Race to the Top Evaluation?
The evaluation is a central component of North Carolina's RttT plan. Working in partnership
with LEAs and charters, the state will be able to obtain an accurate assessment of RttT
implementation and impacts over time. NCDPI and members of the RttT research
consortium will be available to assist LEAs and charters in their participation.
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
Will all LEAs and charters participate in every component of the RttT evaluation?
LEAs and charters have elected to implement various programs and initiatives as part of
their RttT plans (e.g. STEM, District and School Transformation, Professional Development,
etc.), therefore not all RttT schools will participate in all components of the evaluation.
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