California Watch

By rejecting California's application in the first round of the Race to the Top education reform, federal contest reviewers on Thursday may have sent the following veiled message: Strong laws favoring charter schools are great, but not enough.

For example, California is known as having some of the strongest pro-charter laws in the country – a prerequisite for success in the Race to the Top competition. Meanwhile, Kentucky has no charter school laws. None.

New York, which almost refused to even compete in the federal contest, declined to remove the caps on charter school growth that the Obama administration has asked for.

Despite that, New York and Kentucky are popping champagne corks as finalists, while California officials are left to scratch their heads, while sitting on the sideline. A full list of the 16 finalists can be seen here.

Jed Wallace, CEO of the California Charter School Association, said Thursday's announcement was a step in the wrong direction:

California being left out of the Race to the Top funds is a negative blow to public education, and a step backward in the need for reform. This is deeply disappointing for the children of California, particularly after Gov. Schwarzenegger and the Legislature acted to ensure California would meet the federal government's eligibility requirements.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell expressed similar sentiments:

I am disappointed that California was not selected as a finalist in Phase 1 of the Race to the Top competition. We developed a very thoughtful application that outlines how we can make systemic changes to California's public education system that will improve outcomes for all our children. Our application was supported by nearly half of the districts in our state, and it remains a good framework to guide our education reform efforts.

Let's take a closer look at the "nearly half of the districts in our state" part. Of the 790 public schools that supported the state's application, 331 were charters. Roughly 1,100 districts refused to participate because of uncertainly and fear over what the reforms could mean. Many union officials sat out the first round too. Neither are a good recipe for winning.

Here's what U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said about that:

We are setting a high bar and we anticipate very few winners in phase 1. But this isn't just about the money. It's about collaboration among all stakeholders, building a shared agenda, and challenging ourselves to improve the way our students learn. 

There is the silver lining. Now, the state has more time to reach out to school districts and union officials. They must craft ways where everyone can work together. Applications for round two of the competition are due June 1. At least $700 million is at stake.