Earlier this week, I spoke to a group of California school board members about the ARRA and RTT. I love talking to these groups because their questions and concerns typically serve as a great wake-up call. That is, what we're talking about in DC is often not at all what's on their minds.
The most interesting part of the conversation was about the state's competitiveness for RTT funds and the role of the state's teachers union. The board members made clear that they felt it was impossible to cajole the union into embracing meaningful reforms; failure to do so, of course, would hurt the state's chances to win a grant.
Unfortunately, I didn't have any advice for them. The application guidelines are silent on this matter, and so far as I can tell by reading Secretary Duncan's comments, the Department's position is "sit down, talk, and negotiate with them."
But what if that negotiating partner doesn't want to budge and isn't all that worried about losing a grant competition that, if won, would lead to changes they don't want to see? ??What do you do then?
I go into a bit more detail about my visit??here and suggest a quick exercise that I found very instructive.