Gov. Jim Doyle announced Wisconsin filed its application for $254 million in federal Race to the Top funds last week, focusing on closing the achievement gap and early childhood development.

The state’s application, which was due to the federal government Jan. 19, outlines how Wisconsin would break down the funds if it receives the grant.

Doyle is requesting $137 million for school districts taking action to improve education, although the exact amount would change based on participation.

A competitive grant program titled “Wisconsin Achieves” would be established with $19 million of the grant.

About 12 percent of the funding, $30 million, would be set aside specifically for the Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, Kenosha, Racine and Beloit school districts. The last $68 million would be used to help struggling school districts, train teachers and create standards of accountability in school districts.

“It is a unique opportunity for us to build on some of the good work we have done on education and to really be able to move it further down the road,” Doyle said in a press conference early this month. “Frankly, it’s a maybe once in a generation opportunity for us to address significant problems, most importantly the achievement gap that has confronted this state for decades.”

The three main focuses of the application are early childhood development, addressing the achievement drop-off between middle school and high school, and teacher and principal development.

The chance to receive Race to the Top funding is a great opportunity, said Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction spokesperson Patrick Gasper.

“Across the nation, in these economic times, any additional funding is going to be a help to our students and school districts,” Gasper said. “We’re competing against a lot of other states, but we’re putting our best effort forward.”

Gasper said any Wisconsin school district is eligible to participate, but they must sign and submit a memorandum before Jan. 13 stating they want to take part in the application.

According to Jo Ann Webb from the Department of Education, states should find out whether they have been approved for funding in April.

The Department of Education will evaluate state applications with a scoring chart, and they can earn points in 19 categories, including success factors, standards and assessments, teachers and leadership and turning around low-achieving schools.

Wisconsin Center for Education Research Associate Research Scientist Chris Thorn said he believes the Race to the Top program is ambitious, but also has the potential to help a lot of states.

“In the era of tight state and local budgets, it’s difficult for people to step out and try new things,” Thorn said. “I think this is something that will reduce that worry.”

Thorn said he is unsure of Wisconsin’s success in securing the funding because it started out far behind many other states that are applying. However, he thinks Wisconsin may get points for being a state that has moved the furthest ahead in a short amount of time.