A Trend

From the Partnership for Learning website:

At the end of the day, these reforms are needed to ensure all Washington students receive a quality education that prepares them to succeed in college and work, and are worth implementing even if Washington did not win a single Race to the Top dollar.

From the Excellent Schools Now Coalition:

These reforms are needed to ensure all Washington students receive a quality education, and are worth implementing, even if Washington did not win a single Race to the Top dollar.

From the League of "Education" Voters:

Chasing federal money for the money’s sake usually winds up with the state budget going over a cliff. Making the changes we should be making anyway in order to give at least a few districts the chance to do things differently is the right thing. And the time is always right for that.

In the beginning the theme was that we HAD TO DO THIS because of the money and what that could mean in an era of cuts, cuts, and more cuts to the schools. Now that the money isn't adding up to the cost of the changes that the reformers want to make, the shift is to make it not about the money--instead, let's talk about change for the sake of change.

I'll post specific objections to the bill later on, but it's worth noting that the reasoning has changed. The agenda has changed. Why is that?

Read more here, if any.