Senate Panel Approves Race to Top Renewal
The federal Race to the Top program would be renewed for another year under a spending bill approved today by the Senate Appropriations subcommittee that deals with education spending—but wouldn't receive nearly as much money as President Barack Obama has sought.
Under the measure, which passed by voice vote with Republicans audibly voting "no," the Obama administration's signature education reform initiative would get $675 million in fiscal 2011 for another round of grants. That's a lot less than the $1.35 billion the administration asked for, and even less than the $800 million provided by a measure approved earlier this month by the Senate subcommittee's House counterpart.
Still, it looks like the Race to the Top competition, which received $4.35 billion under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, may be on track to stick around for another year. That could be good news for states thatofficially didn't make the list of finalists today in the second round of the grant competition.
Also under the Senate language, districts would be allowed, for the first time, to compete alongside states for
Under the measure, which passed by voice vote with Republicans audibly voting "no," the Obama administration's signature education reform initiative would get $675 million in fiscal 2011 for another round of grants. That's a lot less than the $1.35 billion the administration asked for, and even less than the $800 million provided by a measure approved earlier this month by the Senate subcommittee's House counterpart.
Still, it looks like the Race to the Top competition, which received $4.35 billion under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, may be on track to stick around for another year. That could be good news for states thatofficially didn't make the list of finalists today in the second round of the grant competition.
Also under the Senate language, districts would be allowed, for the first time, to compete alongside states for
18 States & D.C. Named Race to Top Round 2 Finalists
Education Secretary Arne Duncan picked 19 finalists, including Hawaii and Arizona as surprise picks, to compete in the interview portion of the Race to the Top Round Two competition. That means each state will assemble a group of five people to come to Washington the week of August 9 to make their final, last-ditch pitches for a portion of the $3.4 billion in federal money still left in the pot.
The finalists, which beat out 17 other states that applied in the second round, 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. These finalists all scored above 400 points on the 500-point grading scale. Arizona vaulted from a surprising 40th place finish in the
The finalists, which beat out 17 other states that applied in the second round, 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. These finalists all scored above 400 points on the 500-point grading scale. Arizona vaulted from a surprising 40th place finish in the