History of IDEA
Jeannie Oakes, Founder and Former Director
Youth Voice in School Finance
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Without Dollars and Sense Powerpoint
Past Educational Opportunity Reports
Obama’s education awards put high value on union support
- 03-31-2010
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By Neil King Jr./Wall Street Journal
The Obama administration sent a core message to the states by picking just Delaware and Tennessee as winners in its $4.35 billion Race to the Top competition: Buy-in from unions and school districts matters, a lot. Most observers had pegged Florida and Louisiana as the big favorites to win money in the first of two rounds of grants. Those states are making sweeping changes to their school systems. But their applications won support from only a sliver of local teachers unions. Delaware, by comparison, won support from all its unions, while Tennessee’s bid garnered 93% union approval. Another frontrunner in the competition, the District of Columbia, ended up placing last among the 16 finalists. The D.C. government has waged a long-running battle with its teachers union, which has refused to accept a contract proposed by the city. (more...)
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