ABSTRACT
What are the motives for backing Race to the Top, since it is not supported by longitudinal research fi ndings? As I argue in this chapter, there are a variety of motives. Major factors are the ideological beliefs of the supporters, who are anti-union, including anti-teachers’ unions, and believe that the traditional public school system is at fault for the growing inequality of income and the problems the U.S. faces in the global economy. Some of these same supporters resist the economic and racial integration of state school districts and appear to want to protect their educational advantages. Some investment fi rms and for-profi t education industries back Race to the Top because its agenda promises increased earnings. Some have a faith in the ability of data, meaning student test scores and details of their social backgrounds, to improve the quality of teachers, end inequality of educational opportunity, and improve America’s ability to compete in global markets. The belief in databases as a panacea for education is refl ected in the comment by Frank Catalano of Intrinsic Strategy, a consulting fi rm focused on education and technology, that, “The hype in the tech press is that education is an engineering problem that can be fi xed by technology.”2
