As mentioned earlier, this summer the U.S. Department of Education expanded the Race to the Top grant program to accept applications not just from states (Texas declined to apply) but also from districts.
Two charter management organizations with campuses in San Antonio, IDEA Public Schools and Harmony Public Schools, are among the 61 finalists. “Two charter schools here are Race to the Top finalists”, Maria Luisa Cesar, San Antonio Express-News, November 26, 2012; “IDEA, McAllen ISD among Race to the Top finalists”, Andrew Kreighbaum, Monitor (Rio Grande Valley), November 26, 2012; “Texas Districts, Charters Advance in Federal Contest”, Morgan Smith, Texas Tribune, November 28, 2012.
Four other charter school systems made the list of finalists: Uplift Education in Dallas, Texas; Green Dot Public Schools in California; KIPP DC; and the Morgan County Charter School System in Georgia. “Ten Percent of Race to the Top District Finalists are Charter Local Education Agencies”, Kristin Yochum, The Charter Blog (National Alliance for Public Charter Schools), November 28, 2012.
Other local applicants (Harlandale ISD; Edgewood ISD; and Education Service Center, Region 20) did not make the list of finalists.
