"At first glance, Colorado's wimpy entry in the national 'Race for Big Education Bucks' wouldn't seem to stand much chance in the first round of the competition.
But don't bet that we'll get shut out when the feds get ready to dole out the grants. Other states aren't exactly racing toward the top, either.
Legislators and lawmakers from coast to coast are having great difficulty approving tough reform measures for public schools despite the fact that $4.2 billion is on the table.
It was explained — facetiously — by the independent Center for Education Reform this way: 'States feel that it's the little things that count.'
That may be a slightly harsh assessment. But the 'Race to the Top,' proposed by President Obama, has largely turned into a tug-of-war between school reformers and the champions of the status quo — primarily the National Education Association, the nation's No. 1 special interest group."
But don't bet that we'll get shut out when the feds get ready to dole out the grants. Other states aren't exactly racing toward the top, either.Legislators and lawmakers from coast to coast are having great difficulty approving tough reform measures for public schools despite the fact that $4.2 billion is on the table.
It was explained — facetiously — by the independent Center for Education Reform this way: 'States feel that it's the little things that count.'
That may be a slightly harsh assessment. But the 'Race to the Top,' proposed by President Obama, has largely turned into a tug-of-war between school reformers and the champions of the status quo — primarily the National Education Association, the nation's No. 1 special interest group."
