Can Education Reformers Bypass UTLA and Governor Brown?

President Obama's Education Secretary Arne Duncan has encouraged states to compete for education reform money under the program called Race to the Top. California's applications have failed every time, most recently because Governor Brown refused to commit to using $49 million federal dollars in ways opposed by the California Teachers' Association. Now, Duncan has warmed to a proposal by big city mayors — Bloomberg of New York, Emanuel of Chicago and LA's Antonio Villaraigosa. Individual districts, including LA Unified, might be able to apply on their own.