The News Tribune on Race to the Top

The News Tribune makes another pitch for the state getting serious about Race to the Top dollars. You'll recall the governor passed on Round 1. I wrote about the issue here. From the TNT editorial:

Washington doesn’t offer genuine performance pay for high-caliber teachers. It doesn’t use easily available data to identify the most (and least) effective educators. It doesn’t permit state intervention in failing school districts. It doesn’t offer teachers enough support in mastering and doing their tough jobs.

It doesn’t demand rigorous study of science and math. It is one of the few states that still forbids charter schools.

These and other deficiencies have thrown the state out of the running for any of that federal money.

...There’s going to be another round of competition for the money. The requirements aren’t likely to change...

If lawmakers are willing to pass up this kind of money in the face of fiscal disaster – for the sake of avoiding proven reforms – it will be hard to take them seriously as supporters of quality education.

Right.