Texas Education Commissioner: Frustrated with the Feds’ and His Own Overreaching Influence in Local School Districts | Truth in American Education

Texas Education Commissioner: Frustrated with the Feds’ and His Own Overreaching Influence in Local School Districts | Truth in American Education:

Texas Education Commissioner: Frustrated with the Feds’ and His Own Overreaching Influence in Local School Districts

by Shane Vander Hart

Jenny LaCoste-Caputo, who is the director of communications and media relations with the Texas Association of School Administrators, reported on Texas Education Commissioner Robert Scott’s speech at their Midwinter session. She called the speech “surprising” and from what I’ve seen out of most chief state school officers I’d have to agree with her.

Usually, Scott delivers a Power Point presentation full of AP participation rates, NAEP scores and graduation results to the crowd of district administrators. He started off by telling them he was dispensing with that today and instead told them about the book he’s reading: Carrots, Sticks, and the Bully Pulpit, a book critical of the role of federal involvement in K-12 education.

He said his frustration isn’t limited to the federal government, but also with himself for being complicit in the state’s overreaching influence in local school