Hawaii Keeps Race to Top Grant, 'High Risk' Status

The U.S. Department of Education has decided not to pull Hawaii's $75 million Race to the Top grant but to keep the grant on "high risk" status after federal officials visited the state to check in on progress. However, a deal on teacher evaluations—seen as crucial to the state keeping its grant—still faces major obstacles.

The state was notified Dec. 21 by the department that it was in danger of losing its grant because it had not made "adequate progress" in implementing various pieces of its Race to the Top program. But in a May 4 letter, state officials were told they were...