Race to the Top: Some States Choose Educational Liberty over Temporary Government Safety

Lindsey Burke / June 02, 2010

A growing number of states have decided not to participate in the Obama administration’s Race to the Top grant program, forgoing hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding. More and more states are choosing not to apply for a RttT grant as it become exceedingly evident that unions are driving the reform agenda and that Washington is becoming increasingly involved in states’ educational decision-making authority. Education Week reported yesterday:

About two dozen states are going back to Washington for another shot at billions in education grants under the Race to the Top program, but at least nine others with more than 7 million children are opting out of trying a second time as Tuesday’s application deadline approaches.

For them, a chance at hundreds of millions of dollars wasn’t enough to overcome the opposition of teachers unions, the wariness of state leaders to pass laws to suit the program and fears of giving up too much local control. (more…)