President Barack Obama has packed a number of his campaign promises related to education into his "Race to the Top" program, which seeks to encourage innovative approaches to teaching and learning by having states compete for $4.35 billion worth of grants from the Department of Education. The program was funded through the Obama-backed economic stimulus package approved by Congress in February.

According to an executive summary of the Race to the Top Program, the secretary of education is particularly interested in applications that expand "statewide longitudinal data systems" to capture, analyze and use student data related to a number of programs including ... dropout prevention programs.

Competition for the "Race to the Top" grants will be conducted in two rounds -- the first starting this month and the second in June of next year -- with winners announced in April and September 2010.

There's more to this promise than just encouraging data systems that incorporate dropout prevention programs. But it's a step in the right direction. And so we move this one to In the Works.