RI education officials to announce districts supporting grant application

By Elisabeth Harrison

Providence, R.I. – State education officials announce today how many school districts and teachers unions have signed onto their application for $75 million in federal race to the top education grants.

One of the state's two teachers unions has already endorsed the application, and several local union presidents have followed suit. They include Providence, Pawtucket and West Warwick.

The second teachers' union, the National Education Association has not yet decided whether to endorse the proposal. Union leaders said yesterday they do not expect to make a decision until later this week.

State officials believe that broad union support will bolster their application, which is due June 1. In the first round of the competition Rhode Island was a finalist but did not receive funding.