It’s Arne!
Sometimes the conventional wisdom is right; President-Elect Barack Obama has selected Chicago schools CEO Arne Duncan as his secretary of education. Here’s what our president, Chester E. Finn, Jr., has to say about it:
“Arne Duncan is a terrific pick, and not just because he’s close to the President-elect and speaks Chicago-ese. He’s a proven and committed and inventive education reformer, not tethered to the public-school establishment and its infinite interest groups, nor bedazzled by blandishments and commands from Washington. He’s earned his spurs in a huge and challenging school district, is a force for positive change nationally, has navigated Chicago politics, has stood up to Margaret Spellings, and manages, with all that, to be a thoughtful, affable and likeable guy. If he’s also allowed to pick his own team, education (and the Education Department) will be in good hands during a very challenging time. (If he’s undercut by goofuses, ed school ideologues and union goons forced upon him by the Office of Presidential Personnel, however, he’ll have to waste far too much time on internal battles as the fledgling Obama administration figures out which side of the Great Democratic Education Schism it is really on.)”
We’ll have more (much more!) tomorrow.
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December 15th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
Goofuses, ideologues and goons are what we have lived with for the last eight years.
We will have no name calling in this administration, either.
December 15th, 2008 at 11:47 pm
Want to see more specifics and details viewing policy,transparancy of budget and driven where ? Public Education under NCLB has been underfunded to the point of causing total disruption and funding formula’s viewing inequality to the point of absurd and disappointing. Respecting funding flexibility but think tax payers deserve to see a more consolidated version on operational budget and where it’s being driven. NCLB and less than 10% with AYP penalities ? The same applies for all the testing corporations and there is very little over sight and under NCLB a goldmine. GS 115C-321 and the evaluation system ? Resources and support driven toward the school buildings and bottom up with fair balance of interests. What is Arnie Ducan’s position on NCLB ? What will he save before it sinks to the bottom of the sea ? Will he move to end the mandates ? Funding centrally and equally ? See results globally on PISA and TIMSS results and the US is way behind in the educational ballgame and NCLB wasn’t the answer. What’s his vision in education ? What is his position on Charter and Public Education ? Will Arnie Ducan try to merge the teams in radical reform efforts ? What is his position on vouchers and will we see fair balance with special interests and transparancy ? Arnie Ducan has a degree in sociology and who will he hire to support his direction educationally and sure his administrative skills are qualified.Not clear on his position viewing collective bargaining and teacher contracts,curriculum and text books being updated. What is his position linking teacher bonuses to student test scores and other incentive pay provisions ? NCLB has left us somewhat misguided and narrowed in curriculum. Most certainly a law, “not funded” with increased accountability and AYP penalities ! States have gone to standardized tests that are less expensive to score and Connecticut sued the federal government for funds needed to maintain their sophisticated performance. The Dept. told them to drop the testing ! We’re losing 50% of our teachers within five years and that’s uncalled for resulting from a lack of funding in support and training.Do more with less to run a business and operationally make it happen and our inner city schools have really been hit hard. You have several teams to select and choice is a federal right. Public Education,Charter,Private and Autonomus ! Read Manufactured Crisis and it’s a great book for facts and political perspective educationally. What is Arnie Ducan’s vision for education and where is his map to understand where he’s headed with reform ? Will we see a budget driven from the bottom up and policy that makes good common sense ? What’s he saying about highly qualified ? His teachers had four years under a program called PAT and were dismissed with no due process and opposed to that under NCLB and a law unfunded.GS 115C-321 ! Peer support and mentors ? As many proceedual violations as NCLB has created with being under funded thank God there is a Union to support and fight for teachers.What happened to the US flag in every classroom and the pledge ? American citizens have to get petitions signed for their teacher to say the pledge ? Unreal ! We have private and autonomus schools but do recieve federal funding and this is the US ! The republicans went for private and vouchers and the democrats headed for school choice. The uniformity of Public Education has been disrupted and underfunded and end the mandates on NCLB ! It’s not working ! At least agree to disagree saving what’s working viewing PL107-110 off the ship before it sinks.One size does not fit all and bubble that ! How will Arnie Ducan handle the special interests and educational tax credits ? Also the philanthropy ed. tax credits ? When will we finally see reauthorization come to terms with direction and clarification for states to eliminate confusion viewing policy and proceedures ? NCLB has turned into a game between state and federal levels ! Wish Arnie Ducan the best but have a lot of questions about his direction !
December 17th, 2008 at 6:25 am
Please bring us “up to speed” on what has been happening with school site management in Chicago and any other reforms Duncan has attempted besides closing schools, e.g.:
1. funding following the child
December 17th, 2008 at 6:30 am
Please bring us “up to speed” on what has been happening with school site management in Chicago and any other reforms Duncan has attempted besides closing schools, e.g.:
1. funding following the child
2. the dristrict taking international assessments (PISA)
3. curriculum reform
4. where Chicago’s cut off scores are on the state proficiency exams
5. any effort to reallocate dollars (get more “bang for the buck,” improve
productivity).
Thanks.
December 17th, 2008 at 10:03 am
P.S.
Also, where he stands on Reading First.
April 15th, 2009 at 11:38 am
If you want to hear a reader’s feedback
, I rate this post for four from five. Detailed info, but I have to go to that damn msn to find the missed parts. Thanks, anyway!