Gov. Chris Gregoire met with the editorial board of the News Tribune this morning to express her concerns that more school districts aren’t signing on to the state’s Race To The Top application.

At stake is $250 million in federal money – the amount Washington state would receive if it wins the competition for about $3 billion in school reform grants. But with a Monday deadline, only 111 of the state’s 295 school districts have signed on. Those districts represent about 34 percent of the state’s school children.

The Democratic governor said that without more districts in, she won’t approve an application to the federal Department of Education.

“In the worst recession in 80 years, I can’t imagine people wouldn’t want to sign up,” Gregoire said. She said the districts who choose not to take part will not only cost their students money but could put the state’s application at risk. That’s because the complex grading process gives more points to states with buy-in from its local districts.

If the state applies and wins, only districts that signed up will get money. Gregoire said she wondered how districts that passed up a chance at RTTT could then go out and ask their voters for excess levy capacity.

But Gregoire said she won’t add her signature to an application that doesn’t have more than 34 percent of students covered.

“I won’t embarrass the state by signing up,” Gregoire said. How many is enough? Double that and more, she said.

Among the districts signed up so far are Tacoma, Federal Way, Franklin Pierce, White River, Clover Park and Bethel. Those who have not signed up are Peninsula, Puyallup, Eatonville, Orting, Tahoma, Sumner, Carbonado, Derringer, Fife, Steilacoom and University Place.

Race To The Top seeks to reward districts that take on school reform, especially in fixing the worst schools, setting high standards, improving teacher and principal evaluations and using data to assess which reforms are working and which are not.

Gregoire said the state’s application will emphasize expanding early childhood education, closing the achievement gap and increasing performance in science and math.