Race to the Top Results ‘Baffling’ to Illinois Education Advocates
Illinois finally crossed the finish line first in the latest “Race to the Top” competition for federal education grants, a cornerstone of the Obama administration’s reform agenda.
After coming up empty-handed three times in a row, the state was awarded $42.8 million from the United States Department of Education last week in a fourth round of Race to the Top. It was the largest grant given in a race that essentially guaranteed everyone would be a winner.
Nine states were eligible for a portion of the $200 million left in the Race to the Top pot because they were finalists in previous rounds of the competition. They were asked to submit a budget plan and an application that reiterated their commitment to raising academic standards, turning around low performing schools, improving teacher and principal evaluations and enhancing student data tracking systems. South Carolina did not apply