Since we seem by state and financial initiative to be increasingly linked to the action and direction of those in Washington D.C. it would seem appropriate to consider what is in our future with them.
In the middle of November, U.S. Secretary of Education Duncan contended that we have a "new normal" and should "do more with less". At a time when the Department of Education has far more resources than ever before -- Secretary Duncan lays out to the American Enterprise Institute that we need to reduce waste and seize new opportunities in our "new normal." Secretary Duncan opened with a bold statement. “I am here to talk today about what has been called the New Normal,” he said. His basis for his statements would seem to be his 7 years as the CEO of Chicago Public Schools [which BTW in 07-08 when he left, was funded at $11,536 per student -- or twice RUSD levels]. The Secretary's suggestions for the transformational reforms that can also boost student outcomes would include such actions as: rethinking policies around seat time requirements, class size, compensating teachers based on their educational credentials, the use of technology within the classroom, inequitable school financing, and the over-placement of students in special education.
Duncan goes on to argue that "In some cases, government may have to spend more now, to get better returns on our current investment. Race to the Top and i3 are good examples." For me, I am a little unsure of what "return on investment" he might be referring to at this time.
Finally, Secretary Duncan lays out what we can anticipate with the coming reauthorization of federal educational programs and their related categorical funding. "Our ESEA reauthorization proposal consolidates 38 programs into 11 new funding streams -- so we can focus on achieving fewer, larger goals, better -- and it reduces red tape for people at the state and local level. Congress accepted the administration's proposal to eliminate four programs in fiscal 2010. And in fiscal 2011 we proposed eliminating six more programs.
I would agree with Secretary Duncan it looks like we will be "in" for a "new normal" from the Department of Education in Washington D.C. What seems to be missing from the discussion is some idea of what we "get" in terms of outcomes, with our "new normal."
Some attention should be paid by state and local educational leaders to the percentage of these new monies (i3, in particular) that is being funneled to for profit charters and businesses that are entering the educational space. The Obama Administration's active promotion of charter-based reform models indicates that there is more to Duncan's "new normal" than our simply needing to "do more with less".
ReplyDeleteI wonder sometimes if Vice President Chaney would have made a better vice president. At least he has it in his gene make-up to be honest about what he wanted to do "to" education in riverside.
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