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Wednesday, May 25, 2011

"Race to the Top" grants made available for nine states | Reuters

Education grants made available for nine states | Reuters

Education grants made available for nine states

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Faheem Hanson, 5, colors a Chinese mask at Broadway Elementary School in Venice, Los Angeles, California, April 11, 2011. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

Faheem Hanson, 5, colors a Chinese mask at Broadway Elementary School in Venice, Los Angeles, California, April 11, 2011.

Credit: Reuters/Lucy Nicholson

WASHINGTON | Wed May 25, 2011 1:06pm EDT

(Reuters) - Nine states will be eligible to compete for education grants of up to $50 million through President Barack Obama's "Race to the Top" program, the federal government said on Wednesday.

The states -- Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and South Carolina -- were picked in the third round of grant competition after they failed to win funding in their first two tries.

Race to the Top was created as part of the 2009 federal stimulus plan to encourage states to adopt unified education standards, implement