And the Winners Are ...

Florida and New York on Tuesday tied for the highest amount, $700 million each, in the second round of federal funding for the Race to the Top competition. Georgia and North Carolina each won $400 million in the education reform program.

“Florida’s students, teachers and schools won a great victory,” Gov. Charlie Crist said. “My congratulations go out to every one of our stakeholders who worked diligently to build a successful application that proposes bold ideas while emphasizing our unified approach to education reform.”

Florida’s plan will accelerate academic progress, provide assistance to low-performing schools, and develop a system that recognizes and rewards teachers, said education commissioner Eric Smith.

Georgia and 14 other states received technical help from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to develop their applications. “While this has seemed more like a marathon at times, now the real race begins,” Gov. Sonny Perdue said in a statement.

The state’s plan includes strengthening traditional and alternative preparation programs for teachers and leaders, using performance-based salary increases, implementing common curricular standards and internationally benchmarked assessments — all aimed at improving Georgia’s ability to compete in a globally connected economy, officials said.

The $4 billion Race to the Top program  was authorized in the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Kentucky was a finalist in the first two rounds but not selected for a grant.

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