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Duncan to Schools: Uncle Sam Is Watching

Education sec says they'd better spend bailout money wisely

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Apr 22, 2009 12:11 PM CDT

(Newser) – States should be careful when spending their stimulus education windfall, because Uncle Sam will be watching, the US education secretary writes in the Wall Street Journal. “We will require an honest assessment of key issues like teacher quality, student performance, college readiness, and the number of charter schools,” Arne Duncan says, warning that future grants will be awarded based on how wisely states spend stimulus cash.

“We need a culture of accountability in America’s education system,” says Duncan. When parents, educators, and community leaders know how their schools and teachers stack up, they’ll be driven to improve them and demand change. “No more false choices about money versus reform, or traditional public schools versus charters. No more blaming parents or teachers,” he writes. “We need solid, unimpeachable information… Our children deserve no less.”

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, left, and US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, speak together during a news conference about education stimulus funding.
Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, left, and US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, speak together during a news conference about education stimulus funding.   (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
In this Jan 13, 2009 file photo, then Education Secretary-designate Arne Duncan testifies on Capitol Hill before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
In this Jan 13, 2009 file photo, then Education Secretary-designate Arne Duncan testifies on Capitol Hill before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.   (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf, File)
US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, speaks about education stimulus funding during a news conference at Doswell Brooks Elementary School in Capitol Heights, Md. on Wednesday, April 1, 2009.
US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, speaks about education stimulus funding during a news conference at Doswell Brooks Elementary School in Capitol Heights, Md. on Wednesday, April 1, 2009.   (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
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COMMENTS
Showing 2 of 2 comments
Derni
Apr 23, 2009 2:59 AM CDT
ANd who is he kidding? The stimulus money isn't vreating jobs-its merely helping busnesses that fired workers -and maybe he should start to worry about serious things and get change onthe agenda-when will they award money to districts that try innovative ways to educate-such as engaged learning and performance based assessments instead of this ancient methjod of ACT and tarditional learning? Still the same old crap in Illinois where he came from-teach to the test-PSAE is the "good" of tyests and that's why we go to school-and then we wonder why school is boring and students are dropping out in greater numbers-why? we have an industrail model adn unions that prevent change-same old-sameol-nothing new under the sun
northeast
Apr 22, 2009 6:25 AM CDT
In other words, NCLB II. The only difference is that the guy who's bringing it to the table can actually pronounce the acronym.

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