(WASHINGTON, D.C.) -- As lawmakers in Washington look to make changes in the education initiative No Child Left Behind, North Carolina Sen. Kay Hagan is promoting educational reform with a series of goals. Hagan, along with Senators from Colorado, West Virginia and Connecticut, announced a series of educational goals on Wednesday.

"The principles include accountability, creating an accountability structure that's based on student progress instead of the current one size fits all model," said Hagan. Schools would be rewarded for marked growth not just achievement. One idea would have states compete every year for Race To The Top funding.  North Carolina won a $400 million Race To The Top grant last year.

"I'm going to be working with colleagues on both sides of the isle to make these improvements to our national educational system so that students in North Carolina and every state can be competitive in the 21st Century," added Hagan.