A contest among states for more than $ 3 billion in federal education reform grants is called Race to the Top. Wednesday, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced that 18 states and also the District of Columbia as final contestants in the competition’s second round. In states that advanced such as California, various school districts cooperated to apply for the money. In Nevada, which didn’t make the cut, politicians pointed fingers and called the program large government.
Race to the Top finalists eligible for billions
The first round of Race to the Top ended in March, with Delaware ($ 100 million) and Tennessee ($ 300 million) as the winners. In the second phase, the Department of Education will hand out $ 3.4 billion for education reform. Second round finalists consist of 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. Race to the Top finalists will send teams to Washington in August for the competition’s interview phase. In September winners can be announced.
Program motivates states to tackle education reform
Duncan called the program part of “a quiet revolution” in education reform in a speech to the National Press Club in Washington, where he announced the Race to the Top finalists. Race to the Top supporters say the biggest accomplishment of the program is that it motivates states to take on controversial reforms before spending any cash. 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 funds since Race to the Top was announced.
California cooperation helps it advance
After finishing 27th out of 40 within the first round, California made the cut. The San Francisco Chronicle said that the reforms outlined in California’s Race to the Top application were endorsed by 300 school districts and county offices across the state. 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.
Politicians blame each other for Nevada’s failure
A consultant was paid $ 40,000 to write Nevada’s failing Race to the Top application. Fox News Las Vegas reports that Nevada’s failure to reach the finals sparked a fury of finger-pointing. Democratic Senator Harry Reid accused Republican Governor Jim Gibbons of a “lack of leadership”. Gibbons fired back, accusing Reid of never “lifting a finger” to help Nevada succeed. Even though she wants less federal involvement in schools and has called for eliminating the Department of Education, right wing candidate for Senator Sharon Angle piled on Reid after Nevada was left out in the cold .
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