Improve high school graduation rates

Grant program encourages schools to improve graduation rates

Updated: Monday, November 9th, 2009 | By Robert Farley

President Obama has packed a number of his campaign promises related to education into his "Race to the Top" program, which seeks to encourage innovative approaches to teaching and learning by having states compete for $4.35 billion worth of grants from the Department of Education. The program was funded through the Obama-backed economic stimulus package approved by Congress in February 2009.

In a speech in Madison, Wis., on Nov. 4, 2009, Obama announced the criteria for states to win the grants. And increased graduation rates is specifically mentioned as one of the key criteria.

Specifically, the Notice of Priorities for the grants says that states will be graded on "the extent to which the State has ambitious yet achievable annual targets for increasing graduation rates."

Competition for the grants will be conducted in two rounds -- the first starting this month and the second in June of next year -- with winners announced in April and September 2010.

 So his program to increase graduation rates is underway and we rate this promise In the Works.

Sources: Department of Education, Press release: "President Obama, U.S. Secretary of Education Duncan Announce National Competition to Advance School Reform," July 24, 2009 Department of Education, "Race to the Top Fund" Department of Education, "Race to the Top Fund; State Fiscal Stabilization Fund Program; Institute of Education Sciences; Overview Information; Grant Program for Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of  2009" YouTube, President Obama on Race to the Top , July 24, 2009 Washington Post, Op-ed: "Education Reform's Moon Shot," by Arne Duncan, July 24, 2009 White House Web site, "Fact Sheet: The Race to the Top," Nov. 4, 2009