DFER's Director of Federal Policy, Charles Barone, with a column on what MA has to do to win RTTT $ in round 2:

Massachusetts, missed out on $250 million in federal funds in March under President Obama's Race to the Top initiative. But the results, in which Massachusetts placed 13th out of the 16 states chosen as finalists and 41 applicants overall, provide clear guidance about what the Bay State needs to do to reach the winners circle next time.

Round one demonstrated that federal officials are looking for systemic reforms that will impact student performance across the state school system, not just in isolated areas. With that in mind, first round results, in which Delaware and Tennessee were the only states awarded grants, indicate that state officials should focus on charter schools, ongoing questions about whether to adopt proposed national academic standards, and improving teacher quality as they craft the commonwealth's new grant application, which is due June 1.

------------------------

How Bay State can win

The Lowell Sun

Updated: 05/29/2010 06:35:49 AM EDT

www.lowellsun.com/editorials/ci_15188779