District Race to the Top grants are good news for LAUSD

New 'Race to the Top' details officially released; money will go directly to schools

Original article in Southern California Public Radio's Pass/Fail by Tami Abdollah.

California has unsuccessfully tried to compete for these dollars three times in the last two years, often losing out because of budgetary or political reasons. L.A. Unified Superintendent John Deasy and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa have lobbied hard in Washington, D.C., for such changes to the competition.

Allowing districts to apply directly and qualify for larger awards based on their size is especially good news for L.A. Unified, as it is the nation's second-largest school district. Deasy said that he was "extremely pleased" by the changes and that the district plans to apply for "the maximum" funds, or $40 million, to help with a tough budget year.

"Most of the change really takes place at the district level and we had places across the country...who could really use a shot at helping to take change to the next level," [U.S. Department of Education spokesman Justin Hamilton] said.

To read the complete article, visit Southern California Public Radio's Pass/Fail.