So Americans are now competing for dollars to educate our children? No Child Left Behind was ridiculed, but look at the alternative. Our kids futures are at stake now. This was published in an online teacher magazine. What do you think about the competition for you child’s education? Wake up America!

President Obama and Secretary Duncan Announce “Race to the Top” Competition to Advance School Reform

On July 24, President Barack Obama and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced that states leading the way on school reform will be eligible to compete for $4.35 billion in competitive grants, provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) to support education reform and innovation in classrooms. Key education stakeholders, including National PTA CEO Byron V. Garrett, were invited to attend the meeting during which the Secretary and President made this announcement. Race to the Top is designed to encourage and reward states who are implementing ambitious plans in four core areas: implementing rigorous content standards and assessments, improving teacher effectiveness and achieving equity in teacher distribution, improving collection and use of data, and turning around the lowest performing schools.

Race to the Top is designed to encourage and reward states who are implementing ambitious plans in four core areas: implementing rigorous content standards and assessments, improving teacher effectiveness and achieving equity in teacher distribution, improving collection and use of data, and turning around the lowest performing schools.

The Department of Education will consider applications from states that address the four core reform areas, as well as have demonstrated conditions and a solid plan for the reform. The Department is particularly interested in states’ current progress and continued plans to turn around their lowest performing schools using a number of innovative measures, including increased family engagement. One of the proposed selection criteria for Race to the Top grants is that states make available a variety of educational data to parents, students, and families.

This competition will not be based on politics or ideology or the preferences of a particular interest group,” Obama said. “Instead, it will be based on a simple principle�whether a state is ready to do what works. We will use the best evidence available to determine whether a state can meet a few key benchmarks for reform�and states that outperform the rest will be rewarded with a grant. Not every state will win and not every school district will be happy with the results. But America’s children, America’s economy, and America itself will be better for it.”

The Department will award grants in two phases, with Phase 1 closing in late 2009 and Phase 2 closing in 2010. States that do not receive grants for Phase 1 application are encouraged to apply again during Phase 2.

“States will have two chances to win,” Duncan said. “They have plenty of time to learn from the first-round winners, change laws where necessary, build partnerships with all key stakeholders, and advance bold and creative reforms.”