35 States Plus D.C. Apply for Race to Top, Round 2
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, and Massachusetts. The number of round-two competitors is lower than in round one, which saw 40 states plus the District of Columbia apply. Of course, round-one winners Delaware and Tennessee didn't apply in this round.
Here's who did not apply by today's 4:30 p.m. deadline for applying in round two: 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.
Texas is one of four states that chose to entirely sit out the Race to the Top, as they didn't apply in either round
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, and Massachusetts. The number of round-two competitors is lower than in round one, which saw 40 states plus the District of Columbia apply. Of course, round-one winners Delaware and Tennessee didn't apply in this round.
Here's who did not apply by today's 4:30 p.m. deadline for applying in round two: 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.
Texas is one of four states that chose to entirely sit out the Race to the Top, as they didn't apply in either round