16 Finalists Announced in Phase 1 of Race to the Top Competition

[tonysam]

Finalists to Present in Mid-March; Winners Announced in Early April

Arne Duncan's blackmail victims have been announced:

Today the Department of Education announced that 15 states and the District of Columbia will advance as finalists for phase 1 of the Race to the Top competition. Race to the Top is the Department's $4.35 billion effort to dramatically re-shape America's educational system to better engage and prepare our students for success in a competitive 21st century economy and workplace.

States competing for Race to the Top funds were asked to document past education reform successes, as well as outline plans to: extend reforms using college and career-ready standards and assessments; build a workforce of highly effective educators; create educational data systems to support student achievement; and turn around their lowest-performing schools.

The phase 1 finalists are:

* Colorado
* Delaware
* District of Columbia
* Florida
* Georgia
* Illinois
* Kentucky
* Louisiana
* Massachusetts
* New York
* North Carolina
* Ohio
* Pennsylvania
* Rhode Island
* South Carolina
* Tennessee

"These states are an example for the country of what is possible when adults come together to do the right thing for children," Secretary Arne Duncan said.

"Everyone that applied for Race to the Top is charting a path for education reform in America" Duncan continued. "I salute all of the applicants for their hard work. And I encourage non-finalists to reapply for phase 2."

The 16 finalists were chosen from among the 40 states and the District of Columbia that submitted applications for phase 1. Winners for phase 1 will be chosen from among the 16 finalists and announced in April. Applications for phase 2 will be due on June 1 of this year, with finalists announced in August and winners in September. The only states prohibited from applying in phase 2 are those that receive awards in phase 1.

More is right here

[mzteris]

1. 2nd chance opportunity

Applications for phase 2 will be due on June 1 of this year, with finalists announced in August and winners in September. The only states prohibited from applying in phase 2 are those that receive awards in phase 1.



more info:

How Finalists Were Chosen

Panels of 5 peer reviewers independently read and scored each state's application. The panels then met in February to finalize their comments and submit scores. Each state's score is the average of the five independent reviewers' scores.

The Department arranged the applications in order from high to low scores and determined which applicants were the strongest competitors to invite back based on "natural breaks"—i.e. scoring gaps in the line-up. The top 16 applications were then selected as finalists. All 41 applicants from phase 1 will receive their peer reviewers' comments and scores after the winners are announced in April. The Department will post the scores and applications on its Web site.

Choosing Winners from Among the Finalists

The finalists will be invited to DC in mid-March to present their proposals to the panel that reviewed their applications in depth during the initial stage, and to engage in Q&A discussions with the reviewers.

The purpose of the finalist stage is to allow reviewers to ensure that the state has the understanding, knowledge, capacity, and the will to truly deliver on what is proposed. The presentations will be videotaped and posted for viewing on the Department's website at the end of Phase 1.

At the conclusion of the presentations, the reviewers will meet again to discuss each application, finalize scores and comments, and submit them to the Department. Again, the final score for each application will be an average of the five peer reviewers' scores. The scores will be arranged in order from high to low and presented to Secretary Duncan for final selection.

[Hannah Bell]

10. are you on the committee or something?

you can can the bullshit about the process - it's rigged.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. Oops didn't see you had already posted this tony

I'll take mine down.

BTW, what a surprise to see Rhode Island on the list! LOL

[Reader Rabbit]

3. Luckily for me, Oregon's not on the list.

Whew.

[alp227]

4. Neither is California. Yay! eom

[tonysam]

5. Not Nevada, either, thank God.

It looks like most of the West, outside of Colorado, is free from the stench of Arne--at least for the time being.

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. Not MO or KS either

I'll second and third that whew.

[Fire1]

12. Just a matter of time, my friend. n/t

[YvonneCa]

7. This is hilarious! I watched the California State...

...Legislature (on TV) turning somersaults a couple of weeks ago to change the law to be eligible, and they didn't make it...

Too funny! :7

[Reader Rabbit]

8. Not exactly hilarious, but similar in Oregon.

OEA sold out its teachers by endorsing the state's application, which would have linked teachers to students' test scores. I wonder if they can get their thirty pieces of silver back?

[YvonneCa]

9. The thing is, there is a second round...

...and probably a third. All states will end up doing this.

[Fire1]

11. YAY!! Michigan didn't make the cut!!! Granholm is PISSED!!!

It's just a matter of time before we bend over, too.:mad: