Open Letter to Secretary Duncan
Last month, I wrote a letter to Secretary Arne Duncan expressing support for the U.S. Department of Education's ambitious education reform agenda. With respect to the $4.35 billion Race to the Top grant fund, I encouraged Secretary Duncan to award funds to only the most aggressive states, as has been the intention since the competition was...
An Opportunity Too Big To Miss
In a recent letter, the National Education Association (NEA) expressed concerns about major components of President Obama’s $4.35 billion Race to the Top (RTTT) grant competition. The union thinks the size of the program will inhibit effectiveness, opposes basing teacher evaluations in part on student performance, opposes expanding...
Seventy Percent of Delaware High Schools Under Improvement
Amidst all the test scores and data indicators, there is a startling truth: if you’re a Delaware high school student, your school is probably underperforming—and not just for a few students.
Many will blame NCLB and the state system for classifying schools as “under improvement” because one student did not perform on a...
Race to the Top Funds Far From Secure
When the Delaware General Assemble passed a resolution in support of “Race to the Top” funding from the federal government, it recognized the historic funding opportunity available to states and encouraged our Governor and Secretary of Education to create a competitive application for a share of the $4.35 billion federal fund. US DOE...