July 27--U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced today that South Carolina is a finalist in the second round of national competition for federal Race to the Top grants, according to a release from the S.C. Department of Education.

Duncan named 19 finalists during a speech at the National Press Club, saying that judges selected them as having "the boldest plans" for reform, the release said. Those states, along with South Carolina, are North Carolina, Arizona, California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. They earned the highest scores from reviewers who rated their commitments to improve teacher effectiveness, data systems, academic standards and low-performing schools.

Thirty-five states and the District of Columbia submitted applications. The release said national observers had been predicting South Carolina's selection because of the state's strong showing in Round 1, where Delaware and Tennessee were the only two winners. South Carolina finished sixth in Round 1 voting.

At stake is $3.4 billion from the economic stimulus package approved by Congress last year, not to mention bragging rights. South Carolina's application is for about $175 million.

"It's gratifying but not surprising," State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex said of today's announcement. "Our performance in Round 1 was a pretty strong hint that we would be a factor in Round 2. Today's announcement validates, once again, that South Carolina is viewed as being on the cutting edge of making the changes that will make schools stronger."

Finalists will send teams to Washington the week of Aug. 9 to make presentations to judges, who will then adjust states' final grades based on how well they answer detailed questions about their applications. Winners will be announced in late August or September.

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