ASSESSING THE EFFECTS OF THE “RACE TO THE TOP” PROGRAM ON STUDENT OUTCOMES

In response to the financial crisis of 2007-2008, the Obama administration signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to stimulate job creation and jumpstart the economy. Under the Recovery Act, Race to the Top (RTT) was the largest federal competitive grant program focused on education. It aimed to improve school standards, increase the effectiveness of teachers and staff, promote failing schools, and identify better methods for tracking student and teacher progress. The team conducted research to estimate the causal effects of RTT on reading and math scores by comparing students in states that were awarded the RTT grant and students in states that were not. The team detailed its findings in a final report that may be used to inform the design and implementation of current and future competitive grant programs amid the ongoing debate over school finance.