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POTUS tells Wisconsin: "It’s Time to Make Education America’s National Mission”

November 04, 2009 4:42 PM

ABC News’ Eric Horng reports:

MADISON, WI -- Speaking to about 500 students, teachers, and officials in a small gymnasium at James C. Wright Middle School, President Obama promoted the administration’s efforts to “make education America’s national mission.” 

Mr. Obama made no mention of last night’s GOP gubernatorial victories in Virginia and New Jersey.  After marking the one-year anniversary of his election and touting his administration’s efforts to stimulate the economy, Mr. Obama dove into education and the administration's “Race To The Top” initiative, which seeks to spur reforms and innovation by having states compete for a share of $4.35 billion in stimulus grants.

“If you’re committed to real change in the way you educate your children, if you’re willing to hold yourselves more accountable … we’ll offer you a grant to help make that plan a reality,” said the president.

Among the various reforms the administration is calling for: allowing student test results to be used to evaluate teachers, developing internationally-competitive education standards, and creating data systems to track students from pre-school through high school.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan was also on hand for the invitation-only event.

“The president is really drawing a line in the sand,” said Duncan while en route to Madison aboard Air Force One. “By the year 2020, we have to again lead the world in the percent of college graduates.”  Duncan said the high school dropout rate in America is 30%.

Straying from his prepared remarks, the president offered a story about his daughter Malia.  She recently brought home a 73% on a science exam, and after the president insisted that simply wasn’t good enough, she worked harder and yesterday brought home a 95% on a test.

Mr. Obama’s visit to Madison, which is the first by a sitting president to this city in 59 years, comes as the Republican National Committee is running a radio ad in Madison criticizing the $787 billion stimulus package.  The ad says Wisconsin is still mired in 8.3% unemployment and that 70,000 jobs have been lost statewide since the bill was passed in February.  You can listen to the radio ad HERE.

Before his speech, Mr. Obama met with about 40 students in the school’s library.  The president fielded questions from the hand-picked group of 6th, 7th, and 8th graders.

The White House chose Wright School, which is one of two public charter schools in Madison, because of its diverse student body and innovative education practices, aides said.  Eighty-six percent of the school's 249 students are considered low-income (the highest school poverty rate in Madison), 22% have disabilities, and 39% are English language learners, according to the White House.  The school emphasizes small classrooms (capped at 20 students per class), bilingual instruction, co-teaching, mentorship and after-school programs, and community service. Last year, the state recognized Wright School as one of Wisconsin's exemplary middle schools.

“When innovative public schools are succeeding, they shouldn’t be stifled,” said the president. “They should be supported.”

The White House says the Recovery Act has helped create or save 250,000 education jobs nationwide, including nearly 4,000 in Wisconsin.

-Eric Horng

November 4, 2009 in Current Affairs, Education, Obama, Barack, White House | Permalink | Share | User Comments (3)

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I want to meat the teacher who had the guts to give the President's daughter a 73%!

Posted by: Tony Hollowell | Nov 5, 2009 11:29:46 AM

“When innovative public schools are succeeding, they shouldn’t be stifled,” said the president. “They should be supported.”

***
I agree, Mr. President.

A week or so ago, David Brooks wrote an op-ed on the Race to the Top program. He wrote: "Over the past few days I’ve spoken to people ranging from Bill Gates to Jeb Bush and various education reformers. They are all impressed by how gritty and effective the Obama administration has been in holding the line and inciting real education reform....Duncan even seems to have made some progress in persuading the unions that they can’t just stonewall, they have to get involved in the reform process. The American Federation of Teachers recently announced innovation grants for performance pay ideas. The New Haven school district has just completed a new teacher contract, with union support, that includes many of the best reform ideas...."

And there's this quote from Jeb Bush:'I’ve been deeply disturbed by a lot that’s going on in Washington,” Jeb Bush said on Thursday, “but this is not one of them. President Obama has been supporting a reform secretary, and this is deserving of Republican support.” Bush’s sentiment is echoed across the spectrum, from Newt Gingrich to Al Sharpton."

The President is a reform-oriented President. He may not be perfect but on several key issues he's opening up space for progress.

Posted by: Alyson | Nov 5, 2009 10:21:35 AM

There is just one thing the Federal Government can do to improve the education of our children and that is butt out. Dissolve the department of Education with its $68.6 billion budget and 4200 employees. This is just over $1 billion per State. This Department takes our money and then only returns it if we spend it the way they tell us to do so. We the people, at the most local levels know best how our income should be spent on education. Since 1980 this Department has done everything in its power to take away our ability to do the things we feel would best prepare our children for their futures.
I live in Upstate NY and we have our own problems with the State Board of Regents telling us what is best for our children without having the Federal Government having their say as well. The farther away our Governments are from the students the worse it gets.
I will not even go into the special interest groups that influence the decisions made by the Dept. of ED which often have no bearing on localities which must abide or be denied funding.
There is no doubt that the system is broken, however tossing more money at the problem has not fixed it in 30 years. For the next 30 years just butt out and allow us to fix this local problem locally without Federal input or encumbrances.

Posted by: pbaz | Nov 5, 2009 9:37:35 AM

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