Questioning Current Reform Initiatives

• States compete for money
• Schools prepare students to compete in the global economy.

Race to the Top 
Education Secretary Arne Duncan describes Race to the Top as a competition among states to promote innovation. Currently, eleven states and the District of Columbia have received a total of $4.35 billion. How will this promote innovation in the other thirty-nine states? Race to the Top proponents claim that its primary focus is not on testing. However, test results remain the standard of success for students. In fact, Secretary Duncan is encouraging the development of data systems that link test scores to teacher performance. States are also coming under pressure to base merit pay for teachers on how well their students perform on standardized tests. How will competition to achieve these aims encourage innovation?

For more on Race to the Top, see Inside Arne Duncan’s Box.

Common Core State Standards Initiative
The Common Core State Standards is a college- and career-based curriculum. The core standards would provide continuity and integration throughout the nation. However, the curriculum is devoid of education in art, drama, music, dance, and civic participation; and literature and history have been reduced to a series of definitions and analytic exercises. The initiative’s mission statement says “with American students fully prepared for the future, our communities will be best positioned to compete successfully in the global economy.” Preparing students to earn a living is important. But is this bottom-line vision for our schools in harmony with our country’s professed role as global exemplar and defender of democracy and human rights?

Read what one teacher has to say about linking merit pay to test scores. View Story....