WASHINGTON – Even before the Obama administration announces which states made the first cut in a competition for billions of dollars to improve education, school districts are scrambling to make themselves look good in Washington’s eyes, Rep. Mark Souder, R-3rd, said Wednesday.

"In Indiana, we don’t even know if we’re going to get the funds," Souder told Education Secretary Arne Duncan, "and the bulk of the schools are racing to implement and hoping they can get a few dollars."

Duncan will announce the first-round winners in the competition for $4.35 billion in Race to the Top grants on Thursday. Forty states and the District of Columbia applied; Indiana asked for $500 million and said it would use the money to improve math and reading scores, pay good teachers to work in schools where test scores are low, use test scores to rate teachers and administrators and change the teacher licensing system.

Schools need more money, Souder said, especially because some governors, including Gov. Mitch Daniels, have reduced education spending.

Daniels announced a $300 million cut in K-12 funding; school systems throughout the state have begun to announce teacher layoffs and school closures. The Fort Wayne Community Schools superintendent has recommended closing a high school and an elementary school; this week Northwest Allen Community Schools offices said layoffs are inevitable; and the East Allen County Schools superintendent said staff and program changes must be considered.

But the downside to the federal government sending money to shore up schools, Souder said, is the corresponding move away from local control of education.

"You paid tremendous lip service – I believe it is sincere -- to local leadership and that education should come from the local," Souder told Duncan at a congressional hearing.

But he said the competition for the Race to the Top grants is steering school districts to try to make the choices they think Washington wants.

Souder said that’s a bad trend, even if the choices "are the right thing to do."

He said he agrees with many of the programs Duncan advocates.

"On the other hand, as a conservative, I’m not part of a federal school board," Souder said, adding that the "danger" isn’t in the specific programs Duncan advocates but in what happens if school districts make decisions only to please Washington.

"The danger is many of us don’t believe that you can not have manipulation of curriculum" and other "fads" advocated by the federal government, Souder said.

sylviasmith@jg.net