Lindsay should be proud of being a national finalist

Being named one of 61 finalists for the Race to the Top federal program is a real feather in the cap for Lindsay Unified School District, which has instilled a very innovative teaching approach.

The US Department of Education announced last week that Lindsay was one of 61 finalists for the final 20 to 25 awardees that will share the $400 million allotment from the federal program designed to reward districts with innovative approaches to teaching.

Lindsay was a finalist out of 372 applications and only one of four districts from California to be named. It is the only district out of the Central Valley to be so honored.

If the district is successful in its application, and we think it will be, then the district will be awarded $10 million over four years to further improve its unique approach to learning.
More important than being named a finalist, Lindsay is taking an approach to learning that appears to be very effective and one that meets individual needs. Its Performance Based Learning program that is now being utilized at every grade level in the district is founded on the concept that not every student learns at the same pace, so the individual approach is needed. And, as Lindsay Superintendent Tom Rooney pointed out, the individualize approach is not just directed towards students who are behind. It is designed to help those who are excelling to excel even further.

We agree with the statement by US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan that Lindsay, like the rest of the finalists, are indeed “setting the curve for the rest of the county.”

We applaud not only the administration at Lindsay Unified, but the staff, the parents and the students. The proof, we hope, will be students better prepared for their adult lives and better prepared to find their place in society and the workforce.
Congratulations to all.