Center On Education Policy Says Race To The Top Reforms Will Take Time To Show Results

A new study from the Center on Education Policy says the momentum toward improving public education that started with the federal Race to the Top program is in danger of dying.In the last two years, many states passed education reforms to better compete for Race to the Top grants which came from the federal stimulus package. And now that stimulus money is no longer available, reforms may go unfunded and lawmakers may not be motivated to enact further changes.But CEP president Jack Jennings says lawmakers shouldn't be discouraged. He says schools will improve along with the economy…if lawmakers keep the reforms in place."The state governments are going through that debate right now and local school districts are too. By continuing to work on these reforms, even with little money in hand, hopefully they've laid the groundwork for future success," he says.Jennings says lawmakers should be looking for ways to insulate education funding from the ups and downs of the national economy.The Kentucky General Assembly passed school assessment reforms in 2009 in part to compete for Race to the Top dollars. Those changes take effect next fall.