Oregon Public Broadcasting

Governor Ted Kulongoski formally announced Oregon’s application for Race to the Top education money Tuesday. Ryan Knutson reports.

The federal program pits states against one another in competition for $4 billion in education funds.

States are eligible if they make innovative school reforms.

Oregon’s application requests $200 million to make changes.  Those include tying student achievement to teachers’ performance evaluations.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Susan Castillo, says Oregon will follow through with the changes regardless of whether the state wins the grant money.

Susan Castillo: “If that funding doesn’t come through we’re going to have a conversation with the leadership in our state, with our foundation partners, with our business partners, and we’re going to work hard to find resources wherever we can find them to help us move forward with our plan. Absolutely.”

Winners of Race to the Top will be announced this spring.