Washington to share $160M in education cash with 30 other states
A consortium of 31 states that was led by Washington received a $160 million grant Thursday from the Department of Education to develop a student assessment system that is aligned to academic standards shared by each state.
Washington served as the applicant for the group, known as the SMARTER Balanced Consortium, which will develop an online assessment system aimed at evaluating all students, including English language learners, high and low performers and those with disabilities. The group was one of two consortia to receive funding.
The funding will not be divided among the states; the group will use it to develop the assessment system together, according to the Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Thursday’s grant is part of the $4.3 billion “Race to the Top” program that is awarding large grants to states to reform their education systems. Washington struck out in the competition’s second and largest segment that awarded $3.4 billion in August. In that “race,” Washington finished 32nd out of 36 states that applied.
Filed under: news by Wolf