Republican Governors Largely Agree With Obama Education Policies

The AP (3/9, Hefling) reports that contrary to conventional wisdom, President Obama and many of the nation's GOP governors are "mostly getting along" vis-à-vis education policy. "After Obama spoke recently to the nation's governors, Louisiana GOP Gov. Bobby Jindal publicly praised the administration's efforts on education, and Virginia Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell said there was a lot of room for 'common agreement' on fixing schools." The piece notes that Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam (R) took part in the president's announcement of the NCLB waiver program, while "GOP Gov. Mitch Daniels freely credits Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan for helping to pave the way for a 'tectonic' shift in education, including comprehensive law changes passed in his home state of Indiana last year that include the rigorous use of teacher evaluations and one of the nation's most expansive uses of vouchers to help parents send children to private schools."