Education Secretary says Federal 'Race to the Top' Funding Offers Opportunity for Pennsylvania to Build on its Progress

Education Secretary says Federal 'Race to the Top' Funding Offers Opportunity
for Pennsylvania to Build on its Progress

HARRISBURG, Pa., Nov. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Education Secretary Gerald
L. Zahorchak today issued the following statement regarding the Obama
administration's issuance of formal applications for states seeking Race to
the Top funds for education improvement:

"The availability of Race to the Top funds presents a tremendous opportunity
for all Pennsylvania's schools to build on our academic gains, and we are
poised to compete vigorously for these funds.

"President Obama has set a goal of turning around the nation's lowest
performing schools - those in the bottom 5 percent. We share that goal, and it
will be an integral part of our Race to the Top strategy. We have been working
diligently on the criteria for identifying Pennsylvania's lowest performing
schools, while also identifying ways to use Race to the Top funds to build on
the progress of higher performing schools.

"Following the initial announcement of Race to the Top funds earlier this
year, the Department of Education began reaching out to school districts to
gather preliminary information on districts' needs and challenges. These
discussions have established a solid foundation for quickly identifying
Pennsylvania's most urgent education needs, and we are solidly on track to
becoming one of the first states to formally apply for Race to the Top funds.

"In the coming weeks, we will continue our conversations with local school
leaders, teachers, legislators and other education stakeholders so we can put
together the most comprehensive plan for using Race to the Top funds across
the state. As the name implies, this is a race, and we plan to waste no time
or opportunity as we continue to build a world-class education system in
Pennsylvania - one that benefits every child in every school."

Media contact: Michael Race, 717-783-9802

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Education

Michael Race of the Pennsylvania Department of Education, +1-717-783-9802