Some of the states rejected for federal Race to the Top money are reforming their school systems anyway, Ben Wieder reports at Stateline.org–and in some cases their efforts are more ambitious than those of states that won.
Every state that won a grant so far has requested an amendment to the proposal that took home the money, Wieder say. Meanwhile, states such as Colorado and Illinois are proceeding with the changed they outlined in their applications, albeit more slowly in some cases because of financial considerations.
In Connecticut, the legislature this year voted to delay a package of education initiatives, including raising the standards for high school graduation, adopted as part of the Race to the Top application in 2010, citing the cost.