As I noted on Rick Hess Straight Up, sixteen Race to the Top finalists, huh? Secretary Duncan has repeatedly told us to watch what he does, not what he says, once declaring, “It’s going to be a very, very high bar. People won’t believe it until we do it. Obviously, hold us accountable for sticking to that.” Okay, I’m watching. On his signature program, the one that made palatable a hundred billion dollars in subsidies for the status quo, Duncan just declared that 40 percent of the applicants are finalists. So, I’m watching, but so far I’m not impressed.

[Please see the blog entries here and here and here and here and  here and here for more discussion of the Race to the Top finalists.]