Making choices

Education | New state education chiefs struggle to expand charter schools while eyeing private tuition help | Emily Belz

Associated Press/Photo by Steve Helber

WASHINGTON—On the other side of a year of tea parties, party-line votes, town halls, and rallies on healthcare reform, the Obama administration may seize on a subject that could win consensus: education. U.S. education secretary Arne Duncan likes charter schools and is eager to see more of them dotting the map—a goal some reform-minded Republicans on the state level share as well.

Another national education reform like No Child Left Behind is on the distant legislative horizon, but state reforms are already beginning. Even now the federal government is tossing treats to states that show a willingness to make drastic changes to improve public school systems (see sidebar) through the competitive grant program Race to the Top. Duncan announced the first two states to win at the end of March: Tennessee and Delaware will receive a total of $600 million out of the $4 billion fund. Tennessee lifted its cap on charter schools to be more competitive for the grants. On the 500-point scale that determined winners, 40 points went toward those states that nurtured charter school growth.