Complete Coverage

Race to Top Finalists Prepare for Last Pitch

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan addresses an audience at The National Press Club in Washington on July 27, where he announced the 19 finalists that will compete in the interview portion of the Race to the Top Round Two competition.

—Christopher Powers/Education Week

$3.4 Billion Left in Second Round as 18 States, D.C. Remain Hopeful

By Michele McNeil

Representatives from 18 states and the District of Columbia will descend on Washington this week as part of the final round of the Race to the Top competition, where they’ll interview before a panel of judges for a piece of $3.4 billion in remaining federal funds.

At stake is 10 to 15 grants that will be awarded in September to applicants that U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan believes have the boldest, most sustainable plans for education improvements.

This week’s interviews offer the last chance for states to influence peer reviewers, who can adjust scores based on those interviews. In round one, however, scores only changed by 4.6 points on average after the interviews, not a significant margin on the 500-point grading scale .