How Would You Spend Grant Money for Schools?

[English version] - New York Times

The Department of Education announced the winners of “Race to the Top,” in which states competed for federal funding for their school systems. The states submitted proposals for how they would spend the money, and the government rewarded innovative ideas. If your state received funding, how would you want education officials to spend it?


As Sam Dillon reports, the 12 winners of Race to the Top were chosen for bold, innovative plans for improving the schools in their states:

The competition was designed to reward what President Obama considers exemplary educational ideas and practice, in hopes that other states will adopt similar practices.

The president’s goals include expanding the number and quality of charter schools, updating the way school districts evaluate teachers’ effectiveness, improving student data-tracking systems to help educators know what students have learned and what must be retaught, and turning around thousands of the lowest-performing schools.

States earned points if they raised their standards and the rigor of standardized tests. Dozens of states responded to that incentive by adopting common standards in English and math written over the last year at the request of the National Governors Association.

More on: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/25/education/25schools.html?_r=1