‘Race to the Top’ School Funding Contest

Last night, the Marquette Area Public Schools decided to go forward with a memo of understanding that allows them to apply for funding from the Obama administration’s Race to the Top program.

But another area school system also decided to go forward with the idea last week as well.

The NICE Community Schools board in Ishpeming Township voted to support the nationwide competition.

The NICE schools are also a Re-Imagine school district.

NICE Superintendent Mike Haynes says they decided the potential funding would support enough projects they’d like to take on that they couldn’t afford to not apply.

At the MAPS board meeting last night, there was some discussion of the guidelines for the Race to the Top application.

But like MAPS, Haynes says the NICE district couldn’t afford to take themselves out of the picture.

Once each state submits its Race to the Top application, it takes the Department of Education 3 to 4 months to award funds to the states they choose.