The Obama administration has released new information regarding its Race to the Top program, which has received a great deal of criticism since it was first unveiled. Although the new draft is still garnering criticism, some of the changes have met with approval from those who were initially against the plan.

Obama’s Race to the Top program has received criticism largely due to the fact that it sets in place many of the same requirement’s as Bush’s No Child Left Behind legislation that many educators were unhappy about. Other aspects of the plan that are drawing criticism include the emphasis the plan places on charter schools, the use of standardized tests in teacher evaluations, the implementation of a merit system and the fact that local school districts will be encouraged to dismiss the staffs who are working in schools that are failing.

Under the Race to the Top program, the Obama administration will be awarding $4 billion worth of grants to schools throughout the country. In order to obtain the funding, however, states must complete a long and complicated application process. The process is so involved, in fact, that several states have said they won’t be able to apply for the grant simply because they won’t be able to undertake the paperwork.

Winning grant funding through the program is to be determined by a points system, with a perfect application receiving 500 points. Points are awarded according to various categories. These include:

· 125 points for perfectly articulating an agenda for change
· 70 points for creating higher standards as well as higher quality tests
· 47 points for creating computerized systems to track the academic progress of students
· 138 points for taking measures to recruit quality teachers, creating a system for evaluating their effectiveness and using evaluations when making important staffing decisions
· 50 points for getting failing schools turned around
· 30 points for “miscellaneous” categories of change
· 40 points for taking steps to help charter school development

The changes that have been made to the proposed legislation have been praised by both national teacher’s unions: the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association.

“The administration worked very hard to find the right balance,” said Randi Weingarten, who is the president of the American Federation of Teachers. “This is not a ‘Kumbaya’ moment, but these rules suggest they won’t dictate from on high but will work together with teachers and their unions.”