With a statewide graduation rate of only 70 percent and below 50 percent in many low-income communities, and too many high school graduates unready for college, we must work urgently to deliver the promise of educational opportunity for New York State’s 3 million school children. Keeping the promise requires that all schools have truly effective teachers and principals, rigorous curricula, well-designed assessments and a clear mission of achieving ambitious educational outcomes for every child.

This is the core of successful K-12 education and the foundation of New York’s Race to the Top application. Race to the Top is a fierce competition that awards federal funds only to those states willing to make bold changes to ensure all children succeed.

With schools across New York facing the prospect of a $1 billion reduction in state aid, we cannot pass up the opportunity to secure $700 million to help deliver a high-quality education.

Our application is rooted in the idea that we cannot place teachers in classrooms, nor principals in schools, before they demonstrate effectiveness, including the ability to raise achievement of all children. Our application shifts teacher preparation away from theory toward clinically based practice centered on — and then assessing — key teaching skills and content knowledge.

Our plan creates new incentives to bring effective teachers — particularly in math and science—into our neediest schools and to encourage more to teach English language learners and special education. Our application supports professional development tied to curriculum content.

To ensure that every student is well taught, teacher evaluation must be transparent, fair and demanding. We propose that teachers’ unions and district administrators use student growth, among multiple measures, in performance- based teacher evaluations.

Finally, because certain schools have failed too many of our students, we endorsed a turnaround list of least effective schools, requiring action plans that could include major restructuring or school closures. Our application commits New York to stronger assessments that fully capture skills and knowledge we expect students to master.

The Regents called for legislation that raises the cap on charter schools, requiring transparency and accountability, with access to reasonable funding and space, subject to community sensitivity. While Gov. David A. Paterson and the Legislature did not reach agreement in time for the first round deadline, the Regents and I continue to work with our partners in government to address these issues.

For the future of our economy and democracy, we must prepare students for meaningful employment, college-readiness and undertaking responsible citizenship. Getting us there will be neither instantaneous nor free. We need to get to work, and we need Race to the Top funding to make it possible.

David Steiner is New York State education commissioner.