With that in mind, the program should move away from formula grants to competitive funding, Mr. Smith said. In addition, Mr. Smith said, competitive grants tend to prompt better planning and better programs. He argued that competition is especially effective when crafting new strategies, including after-school programs. But critics such as Bruce Hunter, the chief lobbyist for the American Association of School Administrators, worry about the overall growth in competitive-grant funding. In addition to concerns that needy districts may not be able to hire grant writers to get the dollars, Mr. Hunter argued that competitive grants are not dependable.
Nobody hires permanent staff out of short-term grants.
Some competitive programs, such as the 21st Century Community Learning Centers initiative, are designed to ensure that needy districts get funding. And, according to Mr. Smith, those efforts appear to be succeeding. He cited a department analysis of 176 grants awarded this month under the program. Still, many districts are inevitably left out. While 176 grants were awarded, that is a small proportion of the more than 2,000 applications the department received.