Obama Administration Must Embrace Real Education Reform, Not Just Rhetoric
|
| Posted
:
Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:25:24 GMT |
| Author
:
Center for Education Reform |
| Category
:
Press Release |
| News Alerts by
Email ( click
here ) |
|
|
|
|
WASHINGTON, Nov. 4 ed-reform-bill
WASHINGTON, Nov. 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In response to President Barack Obama's remarks today on his Administration's education reform initiatives and Race to the Top competition, Center for Education Reform president Jeanne Allen released the following statement:
Today, President Obama championed his administration's education reform initiatives in a Wisconsin speech, focusing on states that he claims are leading the charge for education reform.
The Obama Administration has jumped on board the charter school bandwagon and, in doing so, is telling states they must do better and create or fix laws in order to compete for their share of $4.3 billion in federal "Race to the Top" funds.
As admirable as the Obama administration's policy on charters may appear to be, the President and his Education Secretary are, too often, giving states credit for talking about charter schools rather than actually changing laws to improve the likelihood that children will have real school choice.
For example, Education Secretary Arne Duncan's description of reforms in Tennessee, Rhode Island, Indiana, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Illinois has been misleading. While the Secretary has said that 'numerous states have adopted reforms that would have been almost unthinkable a year ago,' this is simply not the case.
No state cited in this popular mythology has revoked limits on the number of charters allowed to open this year. Several, in fact, merely fulfilled budgetary promises of charter funding after having first wiped them off the books.
In reality, most of the nation's 40 charter laws will need dramatic legislative changes to develop robust charter laws that actually allow for the growth of the types of schools both President Obama and Secretary Duncan routinely credit with raising academic achievement and turning around students' lives.
We want to see states get bold and adopt strong charter laws - which everyone knows how to do, but often aren't courageous enough to buck the status quo, the unions, and even continued ignorance of what precisely a charter school is. But that isn't happening.
For President Obama and his Education Secretary to claim victory before "Race" participants have even reached the starting gate is disappointing.
It is time that President Obama and Secretary Duncan stop championing half measures and start demanding real results and bold changes in state laws.
The Center for Education Reform drives the creation of better educational opportunities for all children. CER changes laws, minds and cultures to allow good schools to flourish.
SOURCE Center for Education Reform
|
Copyright © 2008
PR Newswire. All rights reserved.
|
|
|
|
|
Related
News
Timco Worldwide Inc. Issues a Voluntary Recall of Large Seedless Watermelons Because of Possible Health Risk DAVIS, Calif. -
Timco Worldwide Inc. is recalling a limited number of its Large Seedless
Watermelons because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.
No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this
occurrence.
Salmonella is an
ClearOne Granted Amended Permanent Injunction Order in Federal Trade Secret Misappropriation Case; Contempt Order Issued Against DialHD, Inc., Wideband Solutions, Inc., and Others
SALT LAKE CITY, Nov. 22 -- (Nasdaq: CLRO) An Amended Permanent Injunction was issued by the federal court on November 19, 2009, in favor of ClearOne, expanding the scope of an earlier entered permanent injunction to apply to, among others, the products of Dial...
Jimmie Johnson Makes History By Capturing Fourth Consecutive Sprint Cup Title
HOUSTON, Nov. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Hendrick Motorsports driver Jimmie Johnson made history on Sunday by capturing his fourth consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. For the fourth year in a row, he powered his No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet to the highest level in NASCAR comp...
Flood victim pensioners and uninsured to get free expert assistance from Claimtech
The latest UK flooding will no doubt reflect the terrible treatment the flood victims received in the Carlisle 2004 and 2007 NE floods. Today as then, the UK still has no recognised training or standards for the flood restoration industry and properties can be left with health hazards and ...
Endsleigh Reveals the Main Causes of Car Accidents in Winter
The weather has turned for the worse in the UK as winter tightens its grip and during the colder months driving does become more hazardous, but by adhering to some of these tips from Endsleigh Car Insurance it doesn’t have to be./I/P
P(PRWeb UK) November 22, 2009 -- Here are some ...
Terra Industries Board of Directors Comments on CF Industries’ Latest Approach SIOUX CITY, Iowa -
Terra Industries Inc. (NYSE:TRA) today announced that, over the weekend,
CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CF) submitted a proposed merger
agreement to Terra, containing the same economic terms as its most
recent proposal from November 1, together with a 30-day “go
REMINDER: Media Advisory: LAX FlyAway(R) Service Formally Inaugurates Daily Nonstop Bus Service to Irvine, Six Times Daily
LOS ANGELES, CA -- 11/22/09 --
WHAT: Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa will be joined by
officials from the City of Irvine and Orange County transportation
agencies to formally inaugurate the ne..
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|