"The Problem(s) with Obama's 2012 Education Budget" by Valerie Strauss
The Washington Post
Posted online on February 14, 2011
Complete URL: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/education-secretary-duncan/the-problems-with-obamas-2012.html
Ms. Strauss butchers President Obama's 2012 Education Budget Proposal by saying his budget will not improve public schools. And she states the $77.4 billion proposal will probably be reduced even more as it will have to go through the Republican controlled House of Representatives where more cuts will be made (as was the case in 2011 Education Budget which has not yet passed Congress). She goes on to say that Obama's budget, "is really a restatement of the administration’s ineffective educational values: increased competition for funding rather than equitable distribution of resources, more dependence on standardized tests for evaluation, more punishment for lowest-performing schools and an expansion of charter schools."
Strauss also maintains that Obama's "Race to the Top" initiative did not improve the educational system as his administration contends. In her opinion, "Race to the Top" takes money away from effective programs such as ones like the Harlem Children's Zone that deals holistically with education in poverty stricken areas or Career and Technical Programs which will receive $264 million less than last year. Strauss even argues Education Secretary, Arne Duncan (who worked on the 2012 budget with Obama) is being hypocritical because he, "criticized No Child Left Behind’s (also a part of "Race to the Top") emphasis on standardized testing as resulting in narrowed curriculum and other problems, yet he still, inexplicably, wants more."
In the little reading I did on Obama's 2012 Education Budget, it appears he is playing to the centrist position of America knowing it will not make the left or the right sides happy, but hoping this will help him pass something through the divided Congressional chambers. There will be many more articles written about the new budget, but this is a good primer for all to read so they know where our 2012 dollars will go towards education. There is also a link in the column to the actual budget document for those who would like further detail. It looks like the debate on the budget will be an interesting one!
"...is really a restatement of the administration’s ineffective educational values: increased competition for funding rather than equitable distribution of resources, more dependence on standardized tests for evaluation, more punishment for lowest-performing schools and an expansion of charter schools." I do feel the current trend is punitive - and we see how well our penal system is working. Scaring or threatening people does not seem to be the most productive way to get things accomplished. I bet there are studies that support the idea that people don't work well under duress. Again I feel like a broken record but what about the achievement gap - if money goes to better performing schools - what happens to the schools who "need" the money but can't perform high enough to get it?
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