Ogden, SLC finalists for federal Race to the Top

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Salt Lake City and Ogden school districts are finalists for millions of dollars in Race to Top federal education grants.

The U.S. Department of Education on Monday announced the districts among 61 applications chosen as finalists for a program that will provide four-year grants ranging from $5 million to $40 million.

Granite School District also applied for grant funding but was not listed as a finalist.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan says the competition is designed to support local efforts to drive education reform and improve student achievement.

Districts are eligible to apply even if their state is not a Race to the Top state-level grant winner.

The education department says it expects to name 15 to 25 district winners before the end of the year.

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