Music Teacher Assessment and Race to the Top

Abstract

Race to the Top is the latest in a line of federal programs reshaping K–12 education. This article traces the history and goals of Race to the Top, with particular attention paid to the means by which practicing classroom teachers are evaluated and held accountable for student learning as measured by standardized tests. Implications for music educators are examined through the state of Florida’s efforts to design arts assessments in compliance with Race to the Top regulations. A discussion of the possible long-term effects of Race to the Top concludes that the program will likely have a significant effect on reshaping the behavior and approaches of classroom teachers.