A panel shuts out OK in a federal education grant competition

TULSA - Oklahoma educators found out Tuesday the state is not a finalist in the second round of the federal Race to the Top grant competition. A successful bid would have put $175 million into Oklahoma's classrooms.

Without that money, educators are wondering how the state will pay for some of the new reforms, passed as a result of the attempt to win the grant.

Schools were especially counting on the money because of steep budget cuts from the state.

"I have class sizes now that are gonna be 30 and 35 kids because the funding has been cut," said Cindi Hemm, principal at Tulsa Public's Eugene Field Elementary School. "We're cutting everywhere we can, I don't know where else we can cut."

There's also the question of how to finance a new teacher evaluation system. Governor Brad Henry insists Oklahoma will implement reforms, with or without federal Race to the Top Funding.

18 states and the District of Columbia will now compete for their share of more than three billion dollars.

Finalists:

Arizona
California
Colorado
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Illinois
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Massachusetts
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina