Updated: New Jersey expects to hear today whether it will receive up to $400 million from the competitive federal education grant program known as Race to the Top. “I haven’t gotten a wink and a nod, or a shake of the head, either way from Washington,” Gov. Chris Christie said. “So we’ll wait ’til (today at) noon to find out whether we’re one of the winners. I think New Jersey deserves to be one, but we’ll see how it goes.”

The state did not make the finals in the first round earlier this year. This time, it is one of 19 applicants battling for money through the program designed to spur nation-wide reforms outlined by the Obama administration.

Last month U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said he expects 10 to 15 states to be awarded grants.

“I’m anxious to see what’s going to happen,” Christie said. “Remember, it’s not just about the money, because if we’re able to get that money [today], if we’re one of the winners, we have to also do the reforms that we’ve promised to do of our K-12 education system. So the prospect of both of those excite me.”

New Jersey is also in line to receive a separate injection of $268 million for education from a stimulus bill President Obama signed earlier this month. The funding could go to school districts to help pay salaries and benefits of staff, from principals to teachers to janitors and cafeteria workers. The state must choose by Sept. 9 whether to use a state or federal funding formula. Education Commissioner Bret Schundler said last week the administration was leaning toward sticking with the state formula. Read more in Star Ledger.

Updated 12:22 p.m. New Jersey has been shut out of a federal education grant that could have been worth as much as $400 million to transform parts of the state’s public school system.

The U.S. Education Department says nine other states and the District of Columbia will receive money through the second round of the Race to the Top Program.

New Jersey was one of 18 finalists.

New Jersey’s Education Department had high hopes that the state could win the grant as a way to jump-start programs favored by Gov. Chris Christie. The state said it would have used the money to start paying teachers partly according to how well students perform on tests and to reward top teachers willing to work in tough school districts. Read more in Star Ledger.