18 States, D.C., Named Race to Top Round 2 Finalists

Education Week

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan picked 18 states and the District of Columbia to advance to the final round of the Race to the Top competition, where 10 to 15 grants totaling $3.4 billion will be awarded in September to applicants he believes have the boldest, most sustainable plans for education improvements. The list announced Tuesday includes all of the states that were finalists in the first round, along with five additional states. Top contenders are: Arizona, California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and South Carolina. In the first round of the $4 billion competition, Mr. Duncan selected two states, Delaware and Tennessee, for a total of $600 million in awards.

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