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Schools in America, in the recent past, have had to make major changes. This is because
of the Race to the top initiative initiated by the Obama government. If the schools across the
in our country managed to turn themselves around for a better system, they would be
awarded huge amounts of money in Federal grant.

And now the curtain has been raised. The education department secretary recently
announced the names of the winners who got a share of the $ 3.4 billion federal grant. He
further stated that these schools had made it because they strove hard to make bold changes
to their school systems for the betterment of the education system and the country on a
whole.

The initiative taken up by the Obama government was split into two. And of the many states
selected to win the prize money, 11 of these schools belong to Mississippi alone. Some are
from Florida, followed by schools in Georgia, and then Massachusetts, and New York. An
exception in the location is Hawaii.

Many states however, did not participate and there are many who did participate but did
not win in the race to the top competition. However, these states stated that most of the
winners came from the East coast and this showed that the competition was already in their
favour. Also they stated that these winning states would consider any idea innovative as
long as Washington thought of them as innovative even if it meant throwing out teachers and
principals.

Many experts think following such norms only fit the poor nations and the rural communities.
They feel that in places or towns where there is sparse population and only one school,
getting teachers and principal for these schools is extremely difficult. Plus a small town will
not have enough grants to get better teachers and to put a better education system in place.

So they think that although these norms are being followed by various states in the country,
they are fit for rural communities and not urban states. And the states that did not participate
feel this way as well and that is why they chose to stay out of it.

Last year, the state of Delaware won more than a $100 million dollar in the education stimulus
race and Tennessee was awarded about $ 500 million. And this year’s winners include
Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio and Rhode Island.

Now the states that did not participate in the competition sort of look down upon on the ones
that did and won. The question here is, if the education system in these states benefits,
then what is the harm? If the competition was based on rural norms but it worked, then what
is left to argue? Finally, it is about a better system and it will help the students. At the end of
the day it is going to benefit America and help in acquiring a better educated work force.