New York State Receives Nearly $700 Million

Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke released the following statement on the United States Department of Education announcing the winners in the second round of the federal Race to the Top Competition :

“As a Member of the House Education and Labor Committee, one of my top priorities is to ensure that our children have access to quality education. That is why I am very pleased that New York State was awarded $696,646,000 in the second round of the Race to the Top Competition. Investing in our children’s education is crucial to moving this nation forward. We need to ensure that our children have the resources they need to compete on a global scale,” stated Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke.

“It is also important to note that while I am grateful that New York has been awarded these funds, I am concerned that funding competitions like these leave the vast majority of our nation’s school systems out in the cold. It is important that we avoid creating winners and losers among our nation’s students and understand that any school that is underfunded affects our  ability to compete at a global level,” added Rep. Clarke.

New York City Schools will receive $250 million to $300 million dollars for educational resources such as creating a new teacher evaluation system and developing more rigorous curriculums.

“We must work directly with our school systems to ensure that these resources are targeted to schools that need them the most. As a community, we must come together with teachers, parents, and local leaders to ensure that our students excel academically. Know that I will be doing everything in my power at the federal level to ensure that our students have access to the educational resources they need to advance in this society,” concluded Rep. Clarke.

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