Colorado Loses ‘Race To The Top’

DENVER (AP)- Colorado has lost its first bid to win millions of dollars for education reform.

A source tells The Associated Press that the U.S. Department of Education has picked Delaware and Tennessee for the first round of its “Race to the Top” competition.

Colorado was the only state from the West among 16 states chosen as finalists in the competition.

Ellen Dumm, a spokeswoman for Colorado’s Lt. Gov. Barbara O’Brien, says the state hasn’t gotten the official word but has also heard that Delaware and Tennessee won.

Colorado applied for $377 million to pay for things such as expanded merit pay for teachers, more training and new systems to track teachers’ and principals’ performance.

Colorado can reapply for a second round in June.

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