DENVER—Colorado will try again to win millions in federal funding for education reform.
After meeting with education officials, Gov. Bill Ritter announced Tuesday that the state will enter the second round of the “Race to the Top” competition after losing out in the first round.
Colorado placed 14th out a field of 16 finalists. Just two states were named winners—Tennessee and Delaware.
Ritter has criticized the scoring system, likening the experience to being an American ice skater getting rated by a Soviet judge in the 1980s. He said the state’s second attempt would be even better.
“Our Round 2 application will make an even stronger case for how we will improve student achievement, turn around struggling schools and improve educator effectiveness,” Ritter said in a statement.
Both winning states passed laws linking teacher tenure to student performance. Sen. Michael Johnston, D-Denver, plans to introduce similar legislation in Colorado.
Deborah Fallin, a spokeswoman for the state’s teachers’ union, the Colorado Teachers Association, said that proposed bill will only address a portion of the state’s score. She said the state also lost points for flat standardized test results.
Colorado applied for $377 million in the first round and is eligible to win up to about $170 million from the smaller pot available in round two.
