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Pennsylvania is not one of the winners in the second round of Race to the Top money for education, but New York is one of the states chosen to get the federal grant money. New York will get about $700 million. The other winners are Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island and the District of Columbia. Pennsylvania was one of 19 finalists chosen from 36 applicants in the second round. Education Secretary Arne Duncan says he hopes there will be a third round. The Obama administration has requested $1.35 billion in next year's budget for Race to the Top.

A team from Pennsylvania will present the commonwealth's vision for education reform to the reviewers scoring its Race to the Top application on Aug. 11 in Washington, D.C., acting Education Secretary Thomas E. Gluck said today. Pennsylvania was named on July 27 as one of 19 finalists for a Race to the Top grant of up to $400 million. Each of the state finalists will make a team presentation to the reviewers scoring its application, and reviewers will have the opportunity to ask questions. The reviewers can adjust their scores based on the presentations. Race to the Top grant winners are expected to be announced in early September. "Pennsylvania's emergence as a finalist was based upon the strong foundation of reforms already well under way in our state, as well as the potential shown in our application for accelerating our rate of student success," said Gluck. "Our application is strong, and we are optimistic about receiving a grant that will help advance our e...

Pennsylvania and New York have been named two of 19 finalists in the competition for federal Race to the Top money aimed at certain education reforms. This is the second time Pennsylvania has been a finalist in its quest to win up to $400 million for education in the state. Bradford, Kane, Warren and Brockway are among the school districts that submitted Race to the Top memoranda of understanding and would be included in the funding mix. It's unclear how many states will be awarded funding. In the first round only two states – Delaware and Tennessee – got money. "Pennsylvania's finalist status in round two of Race to the Top is a real testament to the hard work we've already done in implementing targeted reforms that help our students to achieve and succeed," Governor Ed Rendell said in a news release. "Pennsylvania's education community should be enormously proud that these efforts have been recognized in advancing our Race to the Top application." ...

The Bradford Area School District has decided it wants to get in on the Race to the Top. Race to the Top is part of the federal economic stimulus package, and offers grants to states for school reform, but only 7 to 10 states will be selected. If Pennsylvania is selected, it will get $400 million. The Bradford school district would get between half a million and a million and a half dollars, according to School District Superindentent Sandra Romanowski. She says Bradford schools are already following many of the program's guidelines. "This is everything we're supposed to do anyhow," she said during Monday's school board meeting, "so why would we not apply for money to do the things we're going to have to do anyhow?" Romanowski and School Board President Tim Bean have already signed off on the memorandum of understanding. The teacher's union is expected to address the matter during a meeting Tuesday.