Duncan Agrees with Kline on ESEA Issues

On January 24, Education Secretary Arne Duncan spoke to education advocates during the Department of Education's Educational Stakeholders Forum. The secretary took the opportunity to highlight his support for Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization and noted his meeting in Minnesota with Rep. John Kline (R-MN), chair of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, which oversees ESEA.

Secretary Duncan expects a bipartisan effort on the reauthorization of the bill and commented that there are several areas where he and Rep. Kline agree, including interest in a smaller Washington footprint and more flexibility at the local level. The secretary said that the new ESEA should keep competitiveness and international benchmarks at its core, and mentioned that both he and Rep. Kline support a well-rounded education, something he noted the current ESEA does not do well. The secretary also announced that the department will provide double funding for parental engagement, one of the first specifics we have heard about what might be included in the president's budget. Recent remarks from the president indicate the Obama Administration supports an investment in education, but the current budget environment will be challenging.

In response to a specific question about school turnaround issues, the secretary said there is a need for better ESEA targeting on the issue. He blamed the media for being "dead quiet" on reporting the 700 schools that have focused on school improvement strategies, especially in rural areas, and announced that the department is launching a new Web site on School Improvement Grants. Officials also unveiled during the meeting a new Education Dashboard, which Secretary Duncan said will use "relevant, reliable and consistent national and state level data to help reach national goals."