Three years ago today, the Obama Administration kicked off Race to the Top, a historic initiative to invest in systemic and innovative school reforms nationwide.
Originating with funds from the Recovery Act, Race to the Top offers funding on a competitive basis to states that develop and committ to plans that address four key areas of education reform:
Forty-six states and the District of Columbia submitted comprehensive reform plans to compete in the initial rounds of the Race to the Top competition. While 19 states have received funding through the K-12 competition, 34 states modified state education laws or policies to facilitate needed change, and 48 states worked together to create a voluntary set of rigorous college- and career-ready standards. The 19 states that have received funding serve 22 million students, representing 45% of all K-12 students and 42% of all low-income students nationwide.