US Presidency
2011

That's why instead of just pouring money into a system that's not working, we launched a competition called Race to the Top. To all 50 states, we said, If you show us the most innovative plans to improve teacher quality and student achievement, we'll show you the money. Race to the Top is the most meaningful reform of our public schools in a generation. For less than 1 percent of what we spend on education each year, it has led over 40 states to raise their standards for teaching and learning. And these standards were developed, by the way, not by Washington, but by Republican and Democratic governors throughout the country. And Race to the Top should be the approach we follow this year as we replace No Child Left Behind with a law that's more flexible and focused on what's best for our kids. You see, we know what's possible from our children when reform isn't just a top down mandate, but the work of local teachers and principals, school boards and communities.