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Obama to ask Congress for additional $1.35 billion next year for education reform program
By DARLENE SUPERVILLE
Associated Press Writer
(AP) 12:09:32 PM (ET), Tuesday, January 19, 2010 (FAIRFAX, Va.)
President Barack Obama announced Tuesday he'll ask Congress for $1.35 billion to extend an education grant program for states, saying that getting schools right "will shape our future as a nation."

Obama outlined the proposal that will be part of his budget request for this year at an elementary school here, where he also held a short discussion with sixth-grade students.

The $787 billion economic stimulus program that Obama signed into law soon after taking office included $4.3 billion in competitive grants for states, nicknamed the "Race to the Top" fund. States must amend education laws and policies to compete for a share of the money.

The deadline to apply for the program is Tuesday, and officials expect more than 30 states to apply. The Education Department is expected to announce its first of two rounds of awards in April _ with Obama saying that not all who enter will get a grant.

The president said that extending the program would allow more states to win grants. He also wants to use some of the $1.35 billion for a similarly competitive grant program for local school districts.

"Offering our children an outstanding education is one of our most fundamental _ perhaps our most fundamental _ obligations as a country," Obama said in brief remarks. "Countries that out-educate us today will out-compete us tomorrow, and I refuse to let that happen on my watch."

With the grant programs, Obama is trying to make federal education spending more of a competitive endeavor to encourage states and school districts to do better, rather than a solely formula-driven effort in which states and districts look forward to receiving a certain amount of money each school year, regardless of how good a job they do educating students.

To that end, Obama sees the use of student test scores to judge teacher performance and the creation of charter schools, which are funded with public money.
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* Don't know what to say about this one.
It's more money out of our pockets.*

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