10:20am | The superintendents of several top-performing school districts across California have come together to form a non-profit organization with the goal of pushing school reform that they believe will improve the education system. Long Beach Unified School District Superintendent Chris Steinhauser is one of the group’s prominent supporters.

These seven superintendents are the very same that were touted by Governor Schwarzenegger as outstanding examples of success earlier this summer. Schwarzenegger and state officials were attempting to apply for Round Two of federal Race To The Top funds after being denied last year. They attempted to re-apply in 2010 with a new strategy: Apply not as a state education system, but as a collection of the seven most reform-minded districts. “We have decided to focus our efforts only on districts firmly committed to reform,” Schwarzenegger said. He signed the application at Lafeyette Elementary in Long Beach this June.

But the state was denied again, and state officials were shocked.

Now, those seven district superintendents are committing to continuing the reform effort by forming the California Office of Education Reform (CORE), a non-profit aiming to change California schools for the better. Supporters believe the group can create and influence state policy without drowning in politics.

“Our districts are continuing to work together to improve the delivery of education in California by working on shared data, best practices and development of standards aligned assessments/databank,” said Steinhauser, appointed CORE Secretary. “We are committed to refining California’s rigorous state standards by adopting internationally benchmarked common core standards and aligned assessments that better prepare students for success in college and the workplace.”

According to a press release, CORE will focus their efforts on four key areas:

Implementing common core standards in English/language arts and mathematics for all
schools even though the RTTT money is not available. The organization is committed
to developing the ideas included in the original application and getting its schools on the
“same page” by identifying and measuring core learning standards.

Working together to share and use information and knowledge more effectively, part of organization’s efforts to look at how the districts collect and then share information
about students’ understanding of the curriculum, not just within each individual district
but across district lines.

Working together to build a capacity for implementing continuous improvement,
especially in support of struggling schools. This is an opportunity for the districts to work
collaboratively to develop best practices for overcoming underachievement.

Working together on accountability and review models that will allow for the development
of outstanding leaders and teachers in all of our schools.

Supporters say that being run independently from state or political organizations will make it easier to solicit donations and funding, with $3 million already having been committed from various sources.

More to come…