Vermont will no longer seek millions of dollars in "The Race to the Top" Federal Grant Program aimed at improving struggling schools. The competitive grant requires the state to link teachers pay to student performance, and invest in charter schools, which would demand policy and legislative changes throughout Vermont.

After spending many hours reviewing the application and program, the state chose not to apply. If the states grant had been successful, Vermont could have been eligible for $40-million. This would have amounted to about half-a-million dollars per Supervisory Union over the course of four years.

St. Johnsbury School Superintendent Nicole Saginor said, "If the money is, was not appropriate or wasn't likely to make its way to Vermont then it's a lost opportunity, but it's you know, not every opportunity is one worth pursuing."