It took the push of money, but President Barack Obama's new "Race to the Top" competitive grants are getting California's political and educational leaders to act with some urgency on areas long-identified for change.

If testimony at a state Senate education committee hearing last Tuesday is any indication, consensus is building among these leaders that California can leap ahead in the national competition if it demonstrates a sharp focus on turning around the state's chronically underperforming schools.

These are schools where a full range of interventions have failed to raise student performance to acceptable levels and fundamental change is needed to break the cycle of dysfunction.

And, as many testified Tuesday, the state will have to show real partnerships with local school districts to get this done.

So here's the challenge: Districts that want dramatic change, and the potential funding that could come with it, need to begin coming forward now. They need to identify their lowest performing schools, work with teachers and other staff on turnaround strategies, and present specific plans.

It is districts that take the initiative to prepare that will benefit from the state's Race to the Top application.

A turnaround of California's 5 percent lowest performing schools would mean tackling 288 elementary schools, 65 middle schools and 60 high schools. As Sen. Carol Liu, D-Glendale, said Tuesday, "We know where the lowest performing schools are, what districts they're in, the superintendents, the districts offering the most creative alternatives." So let's move.

We've seen four basic strategies for turnaround, and we'll begin highlighting them Monday. We hope parents, teachers and others will come forward with more creative alternatives.

Three of the strategies involve closing and reopening schools:

• Reconstitution. The children stay and the staff leaves. Teachers can reapply for their jobs and some get rehired, but most move on. An example in San Juan Unified School District is Jonas Salk Middle School, now Jonas Salk High-Tech Academy.

• Transformation. Replace staff and leadership and turn over the school to a charter or nonprofit. An example in Sacramento City Unified is Sacramento High School, which closed and reopened as a charter school.

• Closure. Students reenroll in other schools. An example in Sacramento City Unified is Alice Birney Elementary. Students now attend John Cabrillo Elementary.

Another strategy better suits smaller, often rural, communities that have fewer options for new staff, a new operating organization or for sending students to other schools:

• Culture change. Keep most of the existing staff but make major changes in scheduling and curriculum. An example would be Sanger Unifiedin rural Fresno County which serves a high-poverty and high-English-language-learner population. Three historically underperforming elementary schools have seen significant increases in student achievement and have been recognized as California Distinguished Schools.

As the governor, legislators and state education officials proceed with a Race to the Top application, they need to march in quick-time to find local districts that are committed to and excited about participating in the change process. Don't waste time with the naysayers.

The Senate plans to act on legislation, Senate Bill 1 X5, by the first week of November. Then it's on to the Assembly.

Local districts need to step forward now, telling legislators what barriers they need removed so they can achieve dramatic turnaround of their lowest performing schools. And parents, teachers, local school superintendents and school boards need to step up and say, "Count us in."

Monday: San Juan Unified's closing and reopening of Jonas Salk Middle School.