Pennsylvania named Race to the Top Finalist

Pennsylvania is one of 19 states named a finalist Wednesday in the second round of the federal Race to the Top funding program.
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said $3 billion was available in this round. Pennsylvania could get $400 million.
Thirty-five states and Washington D.C. submitted blueprints for the reform program. Before the first round of the program, districts had to sign off on participation, with signatures from the district teacher's union president, school board president and superintendent. Central Greene was the only district to sign on in Washington and Greene counties.
In addition to Pennsylvnia, the other finalists are Arizona, California, Colorado, Washington D.C., Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island and South Carolina.
The finalists will travel to Washington D.C. during the week of Aug. 9 to present their plans to peer reviewers. The department of education will announce the winners in September
In the first round, Delaware and Tennessee won grants based on their school reform plans.