In radio address, governor says up to $500 million to improve Michigan schools at stake

LANSING - In her weekly radio address, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today said that Michigan must be one of the winning states in the U.S.

Department of Education's Race to the Top competition for it could mean up to $500 million to improve Michigan schools.
 
"Race to the Top is a competition in which all 50 states are racing to reform their education systems so our children can compete in a global

economy," Granholm said.  "Only a small number of states will win this race, and they'll be rewarded well.  Each will receive as much as half a billion

dollars in federal Recovery Act funds to improve their schools.  Michigan must be one of the winners."
 
"To win, we need to put forth our best and boldest ideas for helping all Michigan students succeed in our K-12 schools, in our colleges and

universities, and ultimately our workplaces," Granholm continued.  "And we'll need to turn around our lowest performing schools, boost the number of

high-quality charter schools, and increase the ranks of effective teachers and principals."
 
The governor said Michigan got a head start on the Race to the Top five years ago.
 
"That's when we committed ourselves to an ambitious but achievable goal - doubling the number of college graduates in our state," Granholm said. 

"We made important changes that are now helping more students of all ages to earn college degrees, such as high school graduation requirements that

are among the toughest in the nation.  To keep kids at risk of dropping out engaged in learning, we created new types of high schools."

"To create good-paying jobs in Michigan, we need the best-educated workforce on the planet," Granholm said.  "And that requires having schools

second to none.  Race to the Top is the best way to get there, and we are determined to win the race."
 
The governor's weekly radio address is released each Friday morning and may be heard on broadcast stations across the state.  The address is

available for download on the governor's Web site at www.michigan.gov/govtogether with a clip of the quote above.  The radio address also is

available as a podcast on the Web site as well as on iTunes and via RSS feed for general distribution to personal MP3 players and home computers. 

Links to the audio files and text of today's address follow.

Governor Jennifer M. Granholm
Radio Address - Race to the Top

Full:  http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov224Full_301371_7.mp3
Edited:  http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov224Edit_301372_7.mp3
Quote:  http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov224Quote_301374_7.mp3

Hello, this is Governor Jennifer Granholm.

A great race has begun in our country - and no, it doesn't involve NASCAR.

It's called Race to the Top by President Obama's Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.  This is a competition in which all 50 states are racing to

reform their education systems so our children can compete in a global economy.

Only a small number of states will win this race, and they'll be rewarded well.  Each will receive as much as half a billion dollars in federal Recovery

Act funds to improve their schools.

Michigan must be one of the winners.

To win, we need to put forth our best and boldest ideas for helping all Michigan students succeed in our K-12 schools, in our colleges and universities,

and ultimately in our workplaces.  And we'll need to turn around our lowest performing schools, we'll have to boost the number of high-quality charter

schools and increase the ranks of effective teachers and principals.

Michigan got a head start on the Race to the Top five years ago.  That's when we committed ourselves to an ambitious yet achievable goal - doubling

the number of college graduates in our state.

We made important changes that are now helping more students of all ages to earn college degrees, such as high school graduation requirements that

are among the toughest in the nation.  To keep kids at risk of dropping out engaged in learning, we created new types of high schools.

And through our No Worker Left Behind program, we've helped more than 100,000 workers, many of them unemployed, to go to college and get

the training they need for new jobs and better lives.

Race to the Top was inspired by President Obama who, by the year 2020, wants America to again lead the world in the percentage of citizens with

college degrees.  The education reforms put in motion by Race to the Top will help the president achieve his goal for the nation.  To reach our goal in

Michigan, we've got to win this race, and we can.  But we don't have a lot of time.

Critical education reforms must be in place before Christmas.  Otherwise, Michigan will miss out on an opportunity for half a billion dollars to improve

our schools.  Fortunately, the state Legislature is already working on education reform bills that will require quick action.   

To create good-paying jobs in Michigan, we need the best-educated workforce on the planet.  And that requires having schools second to none. 

Race to the Top is the best way to get there, and we are determined to win the race.

Thank you for listening.

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