The other hearings

Judy in AZ — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:49:54 GMT

Regarding NCLB: Paying teachers according to how well their children do on tests doesn't sound ethical to me. Isn't that what they mean when they say there should be "accountablilty in education?"

The other hearings

Chloe Brant, Chicago — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:51:53 GMT

Duncan told the Senate this morning, “Never before has being smart been so cool," he said, referring to the model he hopes the president-elect has set with his level of education.

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Duncan thinks his tenure at the Chicago schools was "smart". We are in big trouble.

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Ike Ledger, Dallas Tx — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:56:01 GMT

Union baby - Tenn - Jerry CC - you are aware that the republicans in congress get a lower approval rating than the democrats, right?

Not Jerry, but, what, the Republicans get a 7% approval rating while the Democrats get a 7.2% approval rating?

Yeah, things are all rosey for the Democrats!

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Beverly in Chicago — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:09:05 GMT

Finally, Republicans got the meaning of the word "No". Bringing up Bill Clinton's love affairs is not what America wants to talk about. Senator Clinton's confirmation depicted her as very sharp, as usual, but not a divisive figure.

During the campaign I was not a Hillary supporter, yet I am able to see her strength a plus for SoS. But, I did prefer Kerry.

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The Herc — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:15:37 GMT

Chu "said in testimony prepared for his Senate confirmation hearing Tuesday that high oil prices were a threat to the economy, backing away slightly from statements made in his last job, as director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, that gasoline prices should be higher,"

+++++++++++++++++

Backing away indeed. Not good politics sitting their in the Senate being questioned about Energy, and you say "Energy should cost more". Best let that dog sleep until you're confirmed

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MSierra, SF — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:22:47 GMT

Judy in AZ: '...Regarding NCLB: Paying teachers according to how well their children do on tests doesn't sound ethical to me. Isn't that what they mean when they say there should be "accountablilty in education?"...'

The problem is:
How can you get good teachers to go into low-achieving schools ?
If teachers stick to the good (rich) districts, thier students will be high achievers and they'll be compensated.

How to you 'bring up' low achieving schools ?
Why would good teachers go there ?

Even in a small city like SF, there are really good and really bad schools
They roughly correcpond to the income levels of the neighborhoods

Middle class parents tried to get their kids into the 'best' schools
The working class parents typically didn't, so you got real disparaties in schools

It's a trickier question than you'd think

What seems clear is that we've devoted too few resources to schools and education
It speaks volumns about our society

We've got to 'Put our money where our mouths are'

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Kelly Moore, Chicago Illinois — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:25:30 GMT

As an Illinois resident and hard-core Democratic voter, I have been sickened by the whole Blago/Burris circus. Go ahead and seat Roland Burris, but I hope that he is only a caretaker until the 2010 elections. Because of the way he was chosen (and the fact that he is just another political hack - Illinois deserves better, I WILL NOT vote for him if he is the Democratic nominee in 2010! I don't care if the Repugnant is the most extreme right-wing-nut. I will hold my nose and vote for whomever that person is rather than Burris. Maybe my one small act might send a small message. As practically a straight ticket Democrat for over 30 years, I do not like the way this whole thing has been handled, and I didn't like having this candidate (regardless of his strengths and weaknesses) shoved down my throat. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of Illinois Democrats feel this way, also.

TB Chicago, IL

You're sickened by the Burris mess, but up until now everything else has been okay in Illinois? Brother (sister), being a hard-core Democrat in Chicago means you voted for Daley, Stroger, Obama, Durbin, and Blagojevich. You'd think that would be enough embarrassment without the Burris mess. What exactly did you think was going to happen?

The other hearings

Beverly in Chicago — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:32:00 GMT

Chloe Brant, Chicago (Sent Tuesday, January 13, 2009 12:51 PM)
Duncan thinks his tenure at the Chicago schools was "smart". We are in big trouble.
==============================================
Chloe Brant in Chicago
Here is a look at Chicago public schools under Duncan.
Source:StarTribune.com
Reading: The share of students meeting state standards on reading tests was 38.8 percent in 2001; it was 63.5 percent in 2008.

Math: The share of students meeting state standards on math tests was 34.8 percent in 2001; it was 69.1 percent in 2008.

Closings: Duncan has closed 61 low-performing schools.

Openings: Duncan has opened 75 schools. Some were "turnaround" schools, which were closed and then reopened with new staff. Many were charter schools or contract schools, which operate much like charter schools.

Dropouts: About 47 percent of high school students graduated in 2001; 55 percent graduated in 2007, the most recent year for which data are available.
Test scores, though sluggish, are improving. There's greater student and teacher accountability.
Duncan, 44, has also narrowed the achievement gap between minority and white students.
Dincan created "an environment that fostered innovative approaches to learning; and that his efforts to recruit business and university leaders as partners meant that more stakeholders were making sure schools succeed". Source: Chicago tribune

Enrollment: Chicago schools had 426,273 students in 2001 and 408,601 in 2008, a decline driven by the city's shrinking population.

No Child Left Behind: There were 383 schools that missed targets for student improvement in 2008, and 244 schools were in some stage of restructuring because of missed targets. There are 627 schools in all, but only 588 were assessed under the federal law.

The other hearings

Mike T., Iowa — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:35:09 GMT

mary dale, iowa wrote: Anyone who has taken a basic econ class knows you have to spend money in order to keep the economy going.

You're kidding right? Spending money you have is one thing. Spending money you don't have is another. Doing the latter, which is what deficit spending is, causes all kinds of havoc if you do too much of it for too long. First, it devalues the dollar against other world currencies. Printing more dollars, without anything to back them up makes the current dollars on the world market worth less (soon to be worthless) Next, it's inflationary. Your pumping money into a system without the production of goods and services to back them up. From supply and demand point of view, we know that if demand goes up with supply staying the same, the cost of the goods being supplied will increase. That's inflation.

Maybe it's time to head back to school and retake that econ 101 course.

The other hearings

jesse St.Paul Minnesota — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:37:42 GMT

Mr Duncan,,Please read,Ya, being smart is cool,unless your not to smart,then it's not cool.You see at the school of today, there is a larger amount of the not so smart.We have watered down the subject to the point that everyone can pass.So while the smart kids that get it sit around waiting for the rest to get it.They waste time and become un-interested,almost like they have something wrong with them since they get it.And then we have peer pressure,smart kids are picked on just because they are braineacts.Hopefully Obama will have shown todays young that being smart is a plus not a minus.Teaching to the test is another huge problem,teachers have little or no room to use there talents,they just stick to the program.Hellacopter parents can be part of the problem,they seem to be no-it alls that don't trust the staff or the district.So they come to school everyday and hover over there child making sure that they are there to defend there kid.Parents have a place, in there supporting the schools but it has to be rained in so that teachers can do there job and not have to worry about who is looking over there backs.Adminastraitors need to be able to do there jobs also,without fear of the demands made by parents,or them running to there school board .Also the way teachers are paid needs to be addressed,so that bad teachers can be let go.Also please consider having kids go to school in there own area,instead of bussing kids across town.

The other hearings

Joe (NJ) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:40:23 GMT

RE: Chu -

"backing away slightly"?

Sounds more like a reversal of position.

The other hearings

Chloe Brant, Chicago — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:57:53 GMT

Beverly in Chicago - list of Duncan's "accomplishments" deleted.

And yet, Barack Obama sent his children to private school. That tells everyone a lot more then all of Duncans "accomplishments".

The other hearings

Ralphie — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:02:12 GMT

What seems clear is that we've devoted too few resources to schools and education
It speaks volumns about our society

We've got to 'Put our money where our mouths are'

MSierra, SF

We spend tens of billions a year on education and we are getting a crappy deal...spending 100's of billions more won't make a broken system better...sheesh

The other hearings

eagle1776 — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:09:52 GMT

RE: Chu -

"backing away slightly"?

Sounds more like a reversal of position.
Joe (NJ)
--------------------------------------------------
Perhaps Mr. Chu is better informed than he was when he made earlier statements. Opinions changes as facts come to light that weren't previously known.

His changing is far better than sticking to a stand even after new evidence, ideas, data etc. is presented. Stubborn ass deciders we've had plenty of lately. We need people who are wise enough to change their opinions as new facts immerge.

The other hearings

JOHN CHICAGO — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:10:42 GMT

MIKE T IN IOWA. AND YOUR POINT IS? BUSH & THE REPUBLICAN CONGRESS ADDED $7 TRILLION TO OUR DEFICIT, BY JUST WHAT YOU POINTED OUT. ALSO, TO ALL THE REPUKES OUT THERE CRYING ABOUT TAX INCREASES, YOU CAN THANK "GREAT JOB BUSHIE" & HIS REPUKE FREINDS IN CONGRESS FOR ALL HIS SPEND & NOT TAX (PAY FOR) GIVE A AWAY TO THE RICH, WHO ARE NOT INVESTING. SOMEONE'S GOTTA PAY FOR THIS MESS SOONER OR LATER. MUST BE YOU PEOPLE AREN'T REPRODUCING (THANKS), BECAUSE YOUR KIDS, GRANDKIDS & GREAT-GRAND KIDS WOULD BE PAYING FOR THIS MESS FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES.

The other hearings

JJJJ, CA — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:50:45 GMT

Sure, Domenico Montanaro and Carrie Dann will find a way somehow to pay due for a looser like Chris Dodd.

The other hearings

Joe Sepeda,Early,Texas — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:55:40 GMT

Arne Duncan needs to take a hard look at the real failures of our American schools. Teaching right from wrong. It's not just a parent thing or religious thing anymore. Kids spend more time at school with their friends than at home or church. What good is all that teaching if a kid grows up to be a smart crook? Or a clever financial swindler? Or a brilliant Doctor who cheats MediCare? All our current national problems are rooted in educated people. When we did wrong in school we were punished or sent home to be punished by our parents. Now a teacher catches a student cheating and the teacher gets in trouble. KIDS NEED TO LEARN THAT IT'S COOL TO BE SMART AND GOOD.

The other hearings

MSierra, SF — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:07:01 GMT

In the SF CHronicle, today:

Increase in the size of the national debt

Clinton 40%
Carter 40%
Nixon 49%
Bush 88%
Reagan 179%
Roosevelt 929%

Please note that Roosevelt fought World War II and the Depression.

Pretty amazing how much Bush increased the national debt
And for what ? Tax cuts to the rich ? Perpetual War?

It's a little late to start complaining about the deficit

Reagan said: 'defiticts don't matter if the Economy is growing'

Also: 'the Deficit is big enough to take care of tiself'

It's called 'VooDoo Economics'

The other hearings

Richard, Washington State — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:09:28 GMT

MSierra:

This country spends far more on education than we do on the military. But you do have to look beyond the federal budget to see this.

Just go find a website that will give you state-by-state expenditures on K-12 education and add up all 50. Then check out the billions and billions and billions that are spent on secondary education and the operation of the finest college system in the world.

We also spend more per capita on education than other countries and we are the mecca, if you will, for foreign students who come here.

I'm wondering when the low achieving students and their low achieving parents are going to be held accountable for their waste of the resources.

The other hearings

ace-independent — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:20:27 GMT

incentive pay is not based solely on how a child does on a test. it is an incentive based scale that rewards a teacher based upon certifications, continued education, skills enhancements during a career, student achievement annually in individulal scholastic areas, and a teachers ability to help increase annually the success of those she/he teaches beyond just a test.

the success of the student in art and english will be as important as a students success in math/algebra/trig, literature and trade skills. it is a comprehensive attempt to get teachers motivated to do a job as a chance to help students rather than just collect a paycheck and go home.

creative teaching and the desire to teach as a gift to others was lost under no child left behind. obama's idea is to take the best of nclb and delete what is not effective, while enhancing and adding those things that will better serve our students, teachers and falculty across the nation. if nclb can't be made better, arne will probaly recommend it's disposal as ineffective on a broad spectrum of enhancing education for our youth nationally.

this way we can again become a part of the top 5 countries in the world in education. right now we are in the low 20's. that is sad and not acceptable among industrialized countries. we can do better. at least it is a place to begin.

The other hearings

C A, Tuscaloosa, AL — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:20:47 GMT

Ralphie (Sent Tuesday, January 13, 2009 2:02 PM) -
We spend tens of billions a year on education and we are getting a crappy deal...spending 100's of billions more won't make a broken system better...sheesh

True Ralphie:

All the money in the world will do no good unless we also fix the school system. We need to spend as much as we do now if not more on our kids education. But we need to spend that money wisely. Most children at some point in their education need some help or individual attention. Most kids cannot get that individual attention. We have to lower the size of the classroom and that will require hiring more teachers. Teachers who are allowed to spend their time teaching the kids and not being asked to spend 30% or more of their time doing administrative paperwork. More teachers, smaller class sizes, and less required administrative paperwork by teachers. That's where the fix needs to begin. While fixing the school system we also need to work on the home front where student discipline and enticement, parent participation and putting away the TVs and video games until homework is done is fixed.

The other hearings

ace-independent — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:30:59 GMT

i understand the thread about how hard it is being a democrat in illinois, but the names listed are confusing. how was it hard to support obama and durbin?
except for durbin not so bright non-strategical support of harry reid's opposal to burris appointment, i don't see where either one of these gentleman were a blight to their respected offices.

can you explain the reasoning posted in your thread so i may understand your rational please? by the way, i don't think burris should have gotten that senate seat. i do believe he purposely used blago to use him so he could satisfy his egotistical need add another accoplishment to his self created memorial. i don't think he stands a chance of re-election in 2010. if the democrats lose that seat in 2010, burris will have a lot to do with making it possible. burris couldn't win a raffle.

The other hearings

matter of record — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:34:15 GMT

we(the bush administration) don't spend more on education than the military. not even close. check the facts of expenditures since the beginning of the iraq war. the budget on education has decreased under the bush administration. don't think you know. make sure you know richard, washington state.

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matter of record — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:41:15 GMT

so joe sepeda, should we give up on the kids? did someone give up on you?

obama has been addressing the need to have parents and families become more involved. familia is important. no one, especially arne duncan or the obama incoming administration is suggesting the same old philosophy or strategy. there is a number of ideas that have been forming into a strategic plan to improve our education system.

do you have a idea or are you just bitching like most?

The other hearings

luke, iowa — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:52:31 GMT

Mike T,

Have you noticed that despite the fact that we are doing everything we can to create inflation, we aren't creating any? That means there is a hell of a lot of deflationary pressure. Try taking that Econ 101 class where they teach you that 1% deflation is a lot worse than 10% inflation.

The other hearings

luke, iowa — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:57:08 GMT

Richard, from Washington

Military Spending takes up over 700 billion dollars. Total education spending, local, state, federal and other funding, in the US takes up around 536 billion dollars for K-12 according to the Department of Education.

Check your facts.

The other hearings

C A, Tuscaloosa, AL — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 21:32:54 GMT

Richard, Washington State:

Actually the U.S. is rated #38 in the world (per capita) on the %GDP spent on students, and rated #21 in the world (per capita) on money spent on students in secondary education. Your claim that the U.S. versus other countries (per capita) spends more money on a students is just flat out wrong, by a long shot.

By the way. Do you know the country (per capita) that spends the greatest part of its GDP on education for its students? Try Cuba.

The other hearings

Kim George,cuba new york — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 15:49:04 GMT

In order to help american with health care, schools,and debt, They need to start at the bottom not at the top help all the people who are under $30,000 a year we bottom feeders are the one who go out and spend we keep it going we take the bottom and jobs.Its the poor family that need help with educatin with the drop out too. It take two income to make it in this world and their no tax break for the single people whom all their income goes just to stay above water with out kids. If they gave a voucher of 40,000 to ever one who is low income and told they have to pay off debt with it frist then use rest for what ever they wanted it would get the encomny going.Money be back in banks,people buy are car,and get back on their feet.If you keep giving everyone on top the breaks we will really go under and never get back on are feet we have not move since 9/11 what wrong with america? Don't they get it its us little people who keep it going and we all stop buying we have no more to give we even don't know where the next meal will come from.

The other hearings

chandler w. — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:18:17 GMT

As a teacher I can tell you the NCLB is driving excellent teachers out of the profession.

How do you get good teachers in failing schools? Pay off their student loans!