After months of anticipation, in a little mid-summer “Happy Friday” to states, the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) released draft requirements for the federal education stimulus’ competitive Race to the Top grant today. There’s a whole slew of media coverage on the release out there (here, here, here and here), but you can read a special message from Ed Sec Arne Duncan in the Washington Post and, for the stout of heart, you can read the full requirements at USDE’s website.

Looks like states will have to address all four stimulus assurances (common standards, human capital, data systems, school improvement) with in their Race to the Top applications. Let the games begin…