Today, Vermont announced that it will not compete in round two of the Race to the Top. It was one of ten states to not apply in the first round.
State leaders said the program has distracted attention from its own reform initiatives.
By my count, there are now four states that will not compete: AK, IN, TX, and VT. Based on recent comments, it appears several other states may also officially opt out soon: MN, ND, NE, and SD.?I also wouldn't be surprised if AL, MS, MT, NH, NV, or WV did not apply. (The rural connection among the disaffected is unmistakable.)
That means as many as 14 states might be out of the running. With enough money remaining in the kitty to fund 10 ? 15 winners, sadly round two is slowly looking like a war of attrition or at least evidence of Woody Allen's quip about showing up being 80 percent of life.
?Andy Smarick