Save Teachers Or Education Reform Programs?
Rep. David Obey, D-Wis., defied the White House and shook the education community with his decision last week to cut from the administration's education reforms to pay for $10 billion in federal aid to avert teacher layoffs (see related story here). The jobs money is part of a military supplemental package passed by the House last Thursday. Now it is up to the Senate, which returns from recess on July 12, to pass the bill out of Congress.
The White House has threatened to veto the measure if the $800 million cut from the education reform programs -- Race to the Top, the federal Charter Schools Program and the Teacher Incentive Fund -- is not restored.
Are the education reform programs appropriate places to cut? If not, what are better alternatives and why?
-- Eliza Krigman, NationalJournal.com
RESPONDED ON JULY 6, 2010 5:05 PM
A Disappointing Choice
Vice President for Education, National Council of La Raza
RESPONDED ON JULY 6, 2010 3:24 PM
'Could Have Predicted It
Former Senior Advisor on Education to President George W. Bush, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP
RESPONDED ON JULY 6, 2010 1:37 PM
Yes to Obey rejection of bad 'reforms'
Deputy Director, FairTest
RESPONDED ON JULY 6, 2010 1:33 PM
Let's Keep the Reform Efforts Rolling
Senior Vice President, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
RESPONDED ON JULY 6, 2010 1:07 PM
Invest in Reform
Professor, Public Policy & History and Director, Operation Public Education, University of Pennsylvania
RESPONDED ON JULY 6, 2010 10:41 AM
Kudos to Obama on This One
President, Thomas B. Fordham Institute
RESPONDED ON JULY 6, 2010 9:47 AM
Yes Congressman Obey!
Fifth-Grade Teacher, Milwaukee Public Schools, and Editor, Rethinking Schools
RESPONDED ON JULY 6, 2010 7:24 AM
Obey Making The Right Move
Research Professor Of Education, New York University
I applaud Congressman Obey's effort to save teachers' jobs and to protect the Pell Grant program by diverting funds from the Race to the Top, the Teacher Incentive Fund, and the charter school funding.
It was a wise move, and I hope the Senate will see fit to support this thoughtful decision.
There are several reasons for my agreement with Mr. Obey.
First, it makes no sense to pursue a sweeping overhaul of education while tens of thousands of teachers are losing their jobs. The first priority nationally should be to make sure that federal funding goes to the districts with the greatest needs. Let us remember that the purpose of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act was to level the playing field, to support the education of the most disadvantaged children. If we go back to the origins of federal aid to education, it is clear that Congress never contemplated giving the U.S. Department of Education the power to tell the nation's states and districts what to do and what constitutes "reform." The Obama adminis...