Race to the Top

The U.S. Department of Education released a state-specific report profiling Delaware's first-year progress on comprehensive education reform under Race to the Top. Reports on 11 other states also were released.

And now, for some good news about education in Minnesota. December has been a good month for the state, with word that three separate streams of federal dollars are flowing into the state to improve our education system.

The Hawaii Department of Education is struggling to make the grade and now the state has been warned it could lose $75 million in federal funding as a result.

In a unique move, Delaware education officials have threatened to withhold $2.5 million in federal funding from a district for failing to provide its teachers with sufficient time dedicated to planning.

Mayor Vincent C. Gray has lauded the District's efforts on early-childhood education. The District of Columbia was one of 37 applicants – including 35 other states and Puerto Rico – that competed for the White House's Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge grants.

Rockdale County principals and teachers will be sharpening their pencils over the next few months to get up to speed on a pilot program for evaluating staff as part of the Race to the Top grant program.

When it comes to education, the Republican field of presidential candidates has a unified stance: Get the federal government out of schools. How they'd do that varies.

School districts across New York State could win as much as $75 million in grant money if they can prove to state education officials that they have been able to raise performance and have new ideas for further gains, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced.

The state Department of Education has awarded a $2.5 million grant to support a program that coaches principals in high-needs schools.