Education Issues Loom During Second Obama Term

Coverage of the presidential election and its implications for education policy continues today. Michele McNeil writes about Education Secretary Arne Duncan's stated plans to "stick around" during a second Obama term at the Education Week (11/8) "Politics K-12" blog, and explores the "significant issues" that Duncan or a potential successor will face in the coming years. She discusses the "incredibly complicated, evolving plans" tied to NCLB waivers, future iterations of Race to the Top, and ESEA reauthorization. Moreover, "Duncan will have to fight hard to spare education programs, such as Title I and special education, from cuts as Congress and the White House figure out how to get out of a big fiscal mess." He will also "have to walk a fine line between supporting states as they implement common standards and tests, and, in the words of Checker Finn, not loving them to death."

 

Education Week (11/8, Klein) reports on President Obama's having been reelected, noting that he "pushed through an unprecedented windfall of education funding in his first term and spurred states to make widespread changes to K-12 policy through competitive grants. ... Although school issues were a major focus of the president's first four years in office, he did not outline a particularly robust second-term agenda for education during a campaign dominated largely by the economy. As the Democratic standard-bearer, he reiterated a pledge, made earlier this year, to recruit and train 100,000 new math and science teachers, but otherwise steered clear of trumpeting new initiatives." The article touches on ESEA reauthorization, higher education funding, and the future of ED's competitive grant programs. The piece also notes that Education Secretary Arne Duncan, who has received both bipartisan praise and criticism from teachers, plans to stay on. Meanwhile, Education Week reports that teachers unions have released statements taking partial credit for Obama's victory, quoting NEA President Dennis Van Roekel saying in a statement, "From day one, NEA members have supported President Obama and his vision for America and public education. And over the past two years, they worked tirelessly on behalf of America's public school children."

 

The Hechinger Report (11/8, Butrymowicz) reports that Obama's win "gives him a chance to build on the education policies he has pushed since 2009 and ensures that the federal government's role in education will not diminish over the next four years. In his victory speech, he promised to expand 'access to the best schools and best teachers' and spoke broadly about hope for America's future, particularly for children, but did not offer specific policy ideas." This piece notes that NEA Political Director Karen White "said she expects to see Obama focus on early education and college affordability during his second term."