Wednesday, June 02, 2010

35 States Plus D.C. Apply for Race to Top, Round 2

This from Politics K-12:

With $3.4 billion left in the Race to the Top hopper and states facing dire financial straits, 35 states plus the District of Columbia have thrown their hats into the ring for what may be the last round of the Obama administration's signature education-reform competition.

First-time applicants are Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, and Washington, and will join other big-league competitors who were finalists in round one, such as Florida, Georgia, Louisiana ...Massachusetts...[and Kentucky]
The states that skipped Round 21 include: Alaska, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

The reasons for not applying are as diverse as the states themselves. Indiana's efforts broke down amid a bitter feud between State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett and the state teacher's union. Minnesota encountered similar issues. Texas thinks it's already at the top...

For round two, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has said there will be 10 to 15 winners...

Winners will be announced at the end of August or early September.

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