Race to the Top: Florida to seek grant for early-childhood education - OrlandoSentinel.com

Race to the Top: Florida to seek grant for early-childhood education - OrlandoSentinel.com:

Gov. Rick Scott: Let's compete for $100 million Race to Top grant for young kids

But lawmakers must accept other federal money before qualifying for Race to the Top grant

• 
• 
• Comments

  52

• Share40

By Leslie Postal, Orlando Sentinel

9:10 p.m. EDT, August 25, 2011

Florida plans to compete for $100 million in the federal government's latest Race to the Top program, assuming the Florida Legislature is willing to accept other federal money it had previously rejected.

To apply for the Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge, which is designed to improve the care and education of young children, states must be taking part in a federal home-visiting program meant to prevent child abuse.

The Florida Legislature had rejected that home-visiting grant money because it is now part of President Barack Obama's health-care overhaul law, which the state's Republican leaders view as unconstitutional and are challenging in court.

• Related
• Sign up for text alerts on your cell phone
• Sign up for our Schools and Education newsletter
• BLOG: Sentinel School Zone
• Photos
• Pictures: Back to School Bash 2011 at Amway Center
• Topics
• Health and Safety at School
• Finance
• Government
• See more topics »

Lawmakers turned down, gave back or refused to apply for more than $50 million in federal grants tied to the law.

Scott, however, has decided to ask them to reconsider the