Obama stands strong

Thank GOODNESS Obama is standing strong for kids!  Here's a link to a transcript of his remarks to the Urban League yesterday: www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-education-reform-national-urban-league-centennial-conference, and here are excerpts from the White House web site (http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/07/29/president-obama-education-status-quo-morally-inexcusable):

The President also highlighted the Race to the Top program – an initiative to encourages states to reform their education laws and policies to compete for additional federal grand dollars:

And so far, the results have been promising and they have been powerful.  In an effort to compete for this extra money, 32 states reformed their education laws before we even spent a dime. The competition leveraged change at the state level.  And because the standards we set were high, only a couple of states actually won the grant in the first round, which meant that the states that didn't get the money, they've now strengthened their applications, made additional reforms.  Now 36 have applied in the second round, and 18 states plus the District of Columbia are in the running to get a second grant.  

Some critics of Race to the Top have voiced concerns that the program doesn't do enough to help minority children, a charge the President address head-on in his remarks: 

Let me tell you, what's not working for black kids and Hispanic kids and Native American kids across this country is the status quo.  That's what's not working. What's not working is what we've been doing for decades now.

So the charge that Race to the Top isn't targeted at those young people most in need is absolutely false because lifting up quality for all our children -- black, white, Hispanic -- that is the central premise of Race to the Top.  And you can't win one of these grants unless you've got a plan to deal with those schools that are failing and those young people who aren't doing well.  Every state and every school district is directly incentivized to deal with schools that have been forgotten, been given up on. 

The President also addressed how the Race to the Top program helps teachers and students by providing the support teachers need to be successful while still holding them accountable for results in the classroom:

The whole premise of Race to the Top is that teachers are the single most important factor in a child's education from the moment they step into the classroom.  And I know firsthand that the vast majority of teachers are working tirelessly, are passionate about their students, are often digging into their own pockets for basic supplies, are going above and beyond the call of duty. 

So I want teachers to have higher salaries.  I want them to have more support.  I want them to be trained like the professionals they are –- with rigorous residencies like the ones that doctors go through.   I want to give them a career ladder so they've opportunities to advance, and earn real financial security.  I don't want talented young people to say I'd love to teach but I can't afford it. 

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So I am 110 percent behind our teachers.  But all I'm asking in return -- as a President, as a parent, and as a citizen -- is some measure of accountability.  So even as we applaud teachers for their hard work, we've got to make sure we're seeing results in the classroom.  If we're not seeing results in the classroom, then let's work with teachers to help them become more effective.  If that doesn't work, let's find the right teacher for that classroom. 

Finally, the President addressed the issue of raising standards for students, teachers and schools to help achieve better outcomes:

So here's what Race to the Top says:  Instead of Washington imposing standards from the top down, let's challenge states to adopt common standards voluntarily, from the bottom up.  That doesn't mean more standards; it means higher standards, better standards, standards that clarify what our teachers are expected to teach and what our children are expected to learn -– so high school graduates are actually prepared for college and a career. I do not want to see young people get a diploma but they can't read that diploma. 

Now, so far, about 30 states have come together to embrace and develop common standards, high standards.  More states are expected to do so in the coming weeks.  And by the way, this is different from No Child Left Behind, because what that did was it gave the states the wrong incentives.  A bunch of states watered down their standards so that school districts wouldn't be penalized when their students fell short.  And what's happened now is, at least two states -– Illinois and Oklahoma –- that lowered standards in response to No Child Behind -- No Child Left Behind -- are now raising those standards back up, partly in response to Race to the Top.