Demian Bulwa, Chronicle Staff Writer
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
(08-24) 15:47 PDT SACRAMENTO -- California education officials expressed disappointment Tuesday after learning that the state had lost its bid for as much as $700 million in the Obama administration's Race to the Top competition, a $4.35 billion grant program aimed at improving schools.
U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced Tuesday that nine states and the District of Columbia were winners in the second round of a program designed to encourage such aggressive reforms as connecting teacher evaluations and pay to students' test scores.
"I am deeply disappointed that our application was not chosen," said California Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell. "However, the loss of the funding may slow, but not defeat, our efforts to improve student achievement in California."
California had made the cut as one of 19 finalists after submitting a second round application assembled by seven superintendents, including Carlos Garcia of the San Francisco Unified School District.
The 'winning' states - which claimed awards ranging from $75 million to $700 million - were Massachusetts, New York, Hawaii, Florida, Rhode Island, Maryland, Georgia, North Carolina and Ohio. Delaware and Tennessee received money in the first round.
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http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/08/24/BA6J1F2HOM.DTL&tsp=1Guess those expensive consultants from the Gates foundation weren't enough. Sucks to be living in Georgia, though....