Photo Gallery: Putting Race to the Top Funds to Work

School districts are scrambling to put a flood of federal aid to use under the Race to the Top school reform initiative, which is pouring $4 billion in competitive grants into the coffers of 11 states and District of Columbia. The money is aimed at improving data systems, teacher and principal effectiveness, academic standards, and to turn around low-performing schools. Ohio won $400 million in the competition, and the 6,500-student Huber Heights school system, outside Dayton, is one of its participating districts. Huber Heights is getting at least $605,000 and using that money to help sustain and build data tools that officials say are improving instruction. Teachers in Huber Heights meet regularly to discuss the use of data and how they can use it.