Courtney Statement on Connecticut's Exclusion from Race to the Top Education Funding

Congressman Joe Courtney issued the following statement today after the Obama Administration announced that Connecticut is not a finalist in the Race to the Top education funding program:

"From speaking with and working with Connecticut educators, I know that Commissioner McQuillan and others deserve a great deal of credit for the hard work they put into the state's Race to the Top application," said Congressman Courtney. "Today's disappointing decision by Sec. Duncan only heightens the serious questions I have been raising about the Administration's one-size-fits-all approach to education funding.

"The House Education and Labor Committee is in the middle of considering Sec. Duncan's reform proposals and their heavy reliance on competitive funding. In light of today's decision, I am more concerned than ever about the direction he wants to take America's schools. I will continue to work with Commissioner McQuillan and other education leaders to examine the Department of Education's decision, and we will redouble our efforts to secure Connecticut's fair share of funding -- as we did earlier this week when the state secured more than $146 million in Recovery Act funding for education."

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