Senators Consider Codifying Race to the Top in ESEA
The Race may be on for a while longer.
Race to the Top, the competitive grant program first created under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, would become an authorized part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, or ESEA, under a draftof Senate education leaders' reauthorization proposal circulating around Washington.
So far, states have split a total of $4 billion in Race to the Top grants, which further some of the Obama administration's top school reform priorities The draft language would allow grants to go to high-need districts in addition to states, and also to groups of states, or groups of high-need districts.
The U.S. Secretary of Education would be allowed to use the program to encourage states and districts to:
• Boost low-income children's access to high-quality teachers (including making sure that teachers are equipped
