The majority of school districts in Ohio say thank you, but no thank you, to the Race To The Trough grant.
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Not all Schools Seeking Stimulus Dollars
Associated Press
Published: January 24, 2010
HAMILTON, Ohio—More than half of Ohio school districts decided against seeking federal stimulus dollars, worried about government mandates and the future of such funding.
Fifty-seven percent of Ohio’s 600-plus public school districts decided not to join the Ohio Department of Education’s application for the government’s “Race to the Top” funding.
The government stimulus packaged included $4.3 billion in competitive education grants for states, who must amend education laws and policies to compete.
Suzanne Larsen, president of the teachers’ union at Middletown schools, which did not seek the money, says teachers were worried about what would happen when the one-time money disappeared.
A.J. Huff, spokesman for Madison schools in southwest Ohio, says the district opted out because of uncertainty and concerns about the money’s effect on union contracts.