A contest among states for more than $ 3 billion in federal education reform grants is called Race to the Top. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced Wednesday that 18 states and also the District of Columbia are finalists in the second round of the contest. Finalists such as California confident various school district to cooperate with the grant application. Losers like Nevada had politicians blaming each other and using the occasion to blast large government.
Billions in incentives for Race to the Top finalists
In March the first round of Race to the Top winners, Delaware and Tennessee, received $ 100 million and $ 500 million respectively. The United States of America Department of Education will award $ 3.4 billion in federal education grants within the second phase. Second round finalists include are Arizona, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and South Carolina. They will compete in August in the interview portion of the competition. Race to the top winners will be declared in September.
Program motivates states to tackle education reform
In a speech to the National Press Club in Washington, Duncan called the program “part of a quiet revolution” in education reform when he announced the Race to the Top finalists. Supporters of the competition say its most profound effect is to motivate states to start taking action on controversial reforms before having to find cash for them in their budgets. Since Race to the Top was announced, the Department of Education Reform said 23 states have passed education reform laws around things like charter schools and teacher evaluations to improve their chances of winning.
California cooperation helps it advance
Race to the Top finalist California made the cut after placing 27th out of 40 within the first round. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that across the state, 300 local school districts and county offices of education signed on to the Race to the Top application, agreeing to implement the reforms it outlined. California’s application, which highlighted what districts are already doing to turn around struggling schools, evaluate and support teachers and principals, and measure student performance, was written by superintendents from seven school districts.
Nevada politicians blame each other for failure
Writing Nevada’s failing Race to the Top application netted $ 40,000 for a consultant. Fox News Las Vegas reports that Nevada’s failure to reach the finals sparked a fury of finger-pointing. ”Lack of leadership” was the accusation leveled on Republican Governor Jim Gibbons by Democratic Senator Harry Reid. Reid never “lifted a finger” to help his state compete, Gibbons said. Right wing Republican Senate candidate Sharon Angle also criticized Reid about Race to the Top, perhaps though she wants less federal involvement in schools and has called for eliminating the Department of Education .
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