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A consortium of seven King County school districts submitted a 320-page application this week, hoping to win $40 million in the latest federal Race to the Top competition.

The seven districts include Seattle, Auburn, Federal Way, Highline, Kent, Renton and Tukwila.  The application was signed by the superintendents and school-board presidents of the seven districts, and the presidents of all the local unions.

The consortium’s members hope that they’ll have an advantage in the competition because together they can reach a greater number of students than any individual district.  They are proposing a number of new efforts, such as providing summer reading plans for students in low-income neighborhoods, working to double the number of students who take algebra by the end of eighth grade, and providing computer-based math-tutoring program that many students can use at home or at school.

Nearly 900 school districts, or groups of districts, indicated earlier this year that they intended to apply.  It’s not yet clear how many will submit full applications.  Only 15-25 applicants will receive grants.

This is the first time that school districts can apply for Race to the Top grants.  In the past, the competition has been for states.  The winners, which will be announced in December, will receive anywhere from $5 million to $40 million over four years, depending on the number of students they serve.