It gives a insentive for the schools to perform well, if they do not perform well they will need to learn how to fix it or risk losing more money. Giving schools a free ride for underperforming doesn't seem right.
Then find ways to work on improving performance.
Actually it seems very logical, it gives the schools something to push for, and punishes them when they don't. American Schools were on a down ward path in the 90s, something, anything had to be done.
Bridge to no where?
Well that kind of happens during a time of war, and when we were coming off a period in which bloated government projects filled the Government. But you fail to realize the massive amount of ear marks that were put in bills by Republicans which drove the deficit up.
Why shouldn't we push teachers and push students to excel? If there is a threat of punishment behind it, they will only work faster. Students in the United States are falling behind the rest in the world. We need to push them harder becuase no one will hold their hand and go "Oh Poor Baby" when they reach the real world. If we cannot make our students competative in the real world, then we as a nation are screwed.