Two states win Round 1 of Race To The Top

Race To The Top is an education
funding program that was established with the 2009 recovery act. Race To The Top uses a point system to determine who should get a portion of the $4 billion budget. Funds will be distributed after two rounds of competition, and only states with education plans that earn enough points can
be given funds. With the winners of round 1 announced, many schools are scrambling to get the exact same day cash loans they might get if they win round 2.

How Race To The Top works

Race To The Top created a scoring system for
school reforms based on 500 points. One reform is worth 58 points, but most are worth 10-40. Making education funding a priority is worth 10 points. Demonstrating progress in closing achievement gaps is worth 30 points. If the state has universal achievement standards, they get 40 points. There are 10 states that have opted to compete in Race for the Top. The Department of Education has the final say on winners, and the awards are based on both points and the number of
students.

Winners of Race To The Top: Round 1

Only two states met the federal government’s needs for round 1 of Race To The Top. Race To The Top cash will be going to Delaware and
Tennessee.
The Delaware education spending budget will get a $ 107 million boost, and Tennessee may receive as much as $ 502
million. Many states are getting left out of the funding, admitted Arne Duncan, the Secretary of Education. However, he also stated that he hopes it will “light a fire” in statehouses across the nation. It turns out that support of teachers’ unions for the reforms were the clinching factor for these two states.

Desperate for
Round 2 Race To The Top

When Congress initiated Race To The Top, it had fairly few
rules. The judged point system Arne Duncan put in weighs a
state’s reforms with their Race To The Top points. Many states have voiced concerns with Race To The Top, namely the point system favors tying a teacher or principal’s performance to student achievement. Many states have questioned why, with cash to lend, the government is not allocating the cash equally to conserve states from education budget cuts. With huge spending budget deficits, most states cut education funding
first. With $3 billion remaining, the Round 2 Race To The Top winners, due to be announced in June, can look forward to some appreciable federal help.