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Maryland is one of 10 states that will receive a portion of $3.4 billion in federal education money through the Race to the Top program, the U.S. Department of Education announced early this afternoon.

According to Governor Martin O'Malley (D) in a statement released shortly after noon, Maryland will be eligible for up to $250 million in federal education funds through the second funding phase of the Race to the Top program.

The other winning jurisdictions include Washington, D.C., Ohio, Florida, Georgia, New York, Massachusetts, Hawaii, North Carolina and Rhode Island, an education department spokeswoman said.

O'Malley and Superintendent of Schools Nancy Grasmick met with federal officials to promote Maryland's application on Aug. 11. Maryland did not apply for the first phase of funding.

Federal education officials announced the 19 finalists for the second phase on July 27.

"I want to congratulate the students, teachers, and administrators of Maryland's public schools for demonstrating that among the 50 states, Maryland does indeed stand at the top," O'Malley said in a statement.

Maryland Department of Education spokesman William Reinhard said although he doesn't know yet how much the state will receive, he anticipates it will be close to the $250 million the state is eligible for under the Race to the Top guidelines, if not all.

Of the funds Maryland receives, half will be split among 22 of the state's 24 school systems that signed on to the state's proposal. Prince George's County and Baltimore, which did sign on, will receive "a significant amount" of those funds, Reinhard said.

Montgomery County and Frederick County did not sign on to the proposal. However, all the school systems will benefit from the other half of the funds, which Reinhard said will go towards updating databases of student performance data, professional development, and other programs to aid struggling schools throughout the state.

"We're very pleased with this, we think it's an indication that we continue to be on the right track with Maryland schools," Reinhard said, adding that he did not know when the state would begin receiving funds.

ztillman@gazette.net.