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Obama Education Allies Update
Arne gave a speech in New York City earlier this week, during which he spoke
about school reform in the Obama era. The prepared -- and, I'm
assuming, approved -- text is below. In it, Duncan says that he thinks
education is going to be a higher priority for Obama than many expect.
There's also shout-outs to KIPP, Schnur, Kopp, and Rhee -- and a
hopeful line about how unions and management have "worked together to
bring new approaches and ideas into our classrooms." Click here for the full text. Meanwhile, the Obama team named LDH as education policy team leader earlier today.
In this pic, Obama looks like he doesn't like either of his choices. In fact, he looks like he's gonna pull the car over if we don't cut it out soon.
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Wed Nov 19, 2008 at 5:24 PM
Obama Education Allies Update
The presentation Mr. Duncan gave in NYC was the longest from him that I have seen. However, I could not grasp a coherant educational persepective from it. The other interesting aspect of the presentation was that Mr. Duncan appeared to believe once a school was turned around, or an effective charter was created and opened that it would stay that way.
What makes Mr. Duncan believe that? Chicago is filled with formerly excellent schools that academically fell apart. He talks alot about improving schools, but very little about sustaining either schools or a school system. He has no theory as to how charters or contract schools have a positive impact on existing traditional schools, except the words "choice" and "competition." He speaks as if every urban school is broken, and his only job is to fix broken schools.
As a former principal of a CPS elementary school that consistently made AYP under my leadership and has now slipped I honestly do not see what effort Mr Duncan or his regional officer made to sustain the school. Yes he paraded me and many of my fellow principals up to the Board meeting when we retired, but as far as I can see he has not intervened when the school slipped. Watching some of my life's work begin to fall apart does not make my retirement any happier I can tell you that.
What makes Mr. Duncan believe that? Chicago is filled with formerly excellent schools that academically fell apart. He talks alot about improving schools, but very little about sustaining either schools or a school system. He has no theory as to how charters or contract schools have a positive impact on existing traditional schools, except the words "choice" and "competition." He speaks as if every urban school is broken, and his only job is to fix broken schools.
As a former principal of a CPS elementary school that consistently made AYP under my leadership and has now slipped I honestly do not see what effort Mr Duncan or his regional officer made to sustain the school. Yes he paraded me and many of my fellow principals up to the Board meeting when we retired, but as far as I can see he has not intervened when the school slipped. Watching some of my life's work begin to fall apart does not make my retirement any happier I can tell you that.
Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 11:39 AM
Obama Education Allies Update
Bravo "interesting presentation"! Wouldn't it be great if you carried your message to Arne Duncan or the CTU and they actually considered it?
Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 8:34 PM
Obama Education Allies Update
I found this part of the speech interesting:
"In Chicago, for example, we had nine teacher strikes between 1970 and 1987. Since then we have had 21 years of labor peace during which we opened:
75 charter schools
Started performance pay
Closed down 19 failing schools and dismissed the entire staff
And gave our principals more authority than ever before to choose their teaching staff.
And all because the Mayor bought off the Union president."
Oops! Made that last sentence up.
Regardless of what Mr. Duncan says here (and, with Alexander, I'm certain the Obama people approved/crafted the speech), it seems unlikely that Congress will pour much new money into education.
Federal outlays to ED more than doubled during the Bush administration. Education was one of the few areas where Bush increased spending (Clinton's last budget provided $33.4 billion to ED, and Bush's last budget $68.0 billion.)
Given the economy (and the mess I suspect Democrats will make of it), it is unlikely that ED spending would double again, even after (God forbid) 8 years of an Obama presidency.
Then again, there's very little the federal government can do in this area. Only about 7-8% of schools' revenues are provided by Uncle Sam. Should Obama prove me wrong and double (or even triple) federal education expenditures, it's still only a drop in the bucket.
"In Chicago, for example, we had nine teacher strikes between 1970 and 1987. Since then we have had 21 years of labor peace during which we opened:
75 charter schools
Started performance pay
Closed down 19 failing schools and dismissed the entire staff
And gave our principals more authority than ever before to choose their teaching staff.
And all because the Mayor bought off the Union president."
Oops! Made that last sentence up.
Regardless of what Mr. Duncan says here (and, with Alexander, I'm certain the Obama people approved/crafted the speech), it seems unlikely that Congress will pour much new money into education.
Federal outlays to ED more than doubled during the Bush administration. Education was one of the few areas where Bush increased spending (Clinton's last budget provided $33.4 billion to ED, and Bush's last budget $68.0 billion.)
Given the economy (and the mess I suspect Democrats will make of it), it is unlikely that ED spending would double again, even after (God forbid) 8 years of an Obama presidency.
Then again, there's very little the federal government can do in this area. Only about 7-8% of schools' revenues are provided by Uncle Sam. Should Obama prove me wrong and double (or even triple) federal education expenditures, it's still only a drop in the bucket.
Fri Nov 21, 2008 at 9:23 AM
Obama Education Allies Update
I don't trust Obama to do much for the public education system. He's too committed to charters but hopefully, he will honor his commitment to think about the needs of everyone not just a few. If he does, he will triple funding to education all over the country especially in the area of special education.
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