Moderate Democrats Push Back on Cuts to Race to the Top, TIF

[proud2BlibKansan]

Democrats who have supported education reform efforts are pushing back against a plan to divert funding already appropriated for the Race to the Top, the Teacher Incentive Fund, and charter schools to the education jobs bill.

This afternoon, Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., a longtime charter school supporter, sent an e-mail out urging his colleagues to sign onto a letter to Rep. David Obey, D-Wis., the sponsor of the legislation and chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, urging him to reconsider the cuts.

Here's a snippet from Polis' letter:

"Race to the Top has already led to major progress that will improve student achievement. The discussions and changes that have taken place across the nation in the past year have accelerated long overdue and necessary reforms.

"But now, this progress is now threatened by the proposed $800 million cuts to three critical education reform programs: $500 million from Race to the Top, $200 million from the Teacher Incentive Fund and $100 million from the Charter Schools Program. While Chairman Obey's efforts to provide critical funding for cash-strapped public schools across the nation through a $10 billion Education Jobs Fund are commendable, it is very troubling that these three innovative programs were chosen to bear the brunt as offsets. This proposal undermines the President's effort to reshape and reinvent our nation's schools, by incentivizing educational innovation, building on what works, and rewarding results...

"If we are to meet the President's goal of becoming global leaders in college graduates by 2020, we must rethink and reinvent our approach to education by moving forward with bold reforms. Unfortunately, the proposed cuts represent a major step backward."


more . . . http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2010/06/moderate_democrats_pushback_on.html

[msongs]

1. cut the effing wars and ther will be plenty for all nt

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. Duh

So obvious it's sad.

[Dinger]

5. Exactly,

Cut wars, and you get;

Free education for all (K-college)

Free health care for all

Sounds good to me. Can you imagine? This would clear up a few things wouldn't it?

[rpannier]

3. Since I'm not a supporter of charter schools

I guess I support these cuts

[Angry Dragon]

4. My understanding of Charter Schools was

that they would be schools set up to teach kids that were having trouble in standard public schools. Especially the disabled.

It has now turned into a for profit venture to get rid of good teachers, unions, and dumb down the youth of America. They exist in a lot of places for the sole purpose to line the pockets of the admins.

I am against the way that Obama and Duncan are destroying public education.

[saracat]

+1 million. You speak for me!

[saracat]

Dupe Delete

[saracat]

6. Dupe Delete

[Starry Messenger]

9. This.

:thumbsup:

[w4rma]

7. Charter schools need to go away. All of them. They are nothing but money laundering schemes. (nt)

[adnelson60087]

8. Charters seem to have been a good idea that was co-opted

by the anti-public school forces that favor vouchers and hate public teacher unions. It has morphed into something the original founder of charters now despises, according to Diane Ravitch's new book.

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. The original founder of charters is now dead

But yes, he would disapprove of what they have morphed into.