Gov. Rick Perry, a frequent critic of federal entanglements for Texas, is expected to reject an offer to apply for a American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant of up to $700 million for state education.

The Austin American-Statesman and the Burnt Orange Report are reporting that Perry is expected to make his announcement this afternoon in Houston, where school officials have been split on the need for additional funding and concerns over mandated national testing and other requirements for Texas schools.

Last week, Robert Scott, Perry's education commissioner, said Texas would continue to resist national education standards, which he believed Texas would have to accept to have a chance at competing for stimulus grant money for education.