President Obama on Tuesday called on Congress to act on an ambitious education policy agenda as he made a case for why education should be a top national priority despite the economic crisis.
Obama called on states to lift caps on the number of charter schools allowed in some states and said he wants to provide more federal support for charter schools which are publicly funded but are freed from some of the regulations and restrictions imposed on regular public schools. That may run into resistance from some Democrats in Congress.
Speaking before a gathering of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce that included Education Secretary Arne Duncan Obama asked Congress to advance a range of policy proposals from providing early education grants to states to supporting performance pay for teachers.
Obama said his education plans will focus on what has worked in schools across the country not on what is politically expedient and he urged Congress to follow the same standard.
Too many supporters of my party have resisted the idea of rewarding excellence in teaching with extra pay even though we know it can make a difference in the classroom" Obama said. Too many in the Republican Party have opposed new investments in early education despite compelling evidence of its importance."
Republicans in Congress praised Duncan for promoting performance pay for teachers and charter schools in his speech.
The president deserves credit for his willingness to take on the education establishment something too few in his party have been willing to do" said Rep. Howard P. Buck" McKeon of California ranking Republican on the House Education and Labor Committee.
Obama said he wants to expand federal support for performance-pay models to 150 more school districts than the government currently supports under the Teacher Incentive Fund.
Nothing is more important or more difficult than finding fair ways to pay the best teachers more for teaching well" said Sen. Lamar Alexander R-Tenn. a former secretary of Education.
Some Republicans may object to Obamas ambitious plans for early childhood education but coupling increased funding for the programs with demands for quality assessments may win over more GOP support.
President Obama on Tuesday called on Congress to act on an ambitious education policy agenda as he made a case for why education should be a top national priority despite the economic crisis.
Obama called on states to lift caps on the number of charter schools allowed in some states and said he wants to provide more federal support for charter schools which are publicly funded but are freed from some of the regulations and restrictions imposed on regular public schools. That may run into resistance from some Democrats in Congress.
Speaking before a gathering of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce that included Education Secretary Arne Duncan Obama asked Congress to advance a range of policy proposals from providing early education grants to states to supporting performance pay for teachers.
Obama said his education plans will focus on what has worked in schools across the country not on what is politically expedient and he urged Congress to follow the same standard.
Too many supporters of my party have resisted the idea of rewarding excellence in teaching with extra pay even though we know it can make a difference in the classroom" Obama said. Too many in the Republican Party have opposed new investments in early education despite compelling evidence of its importance."
Republicans in Congress praised Duncan for promoting performance pay for teachers and charter schools in his speech.
The president deserves credit for his willingness to take on the education establishment something too few in his party have been willing to do" said Rep. Howard P. Buck" McKeon of California ranking Republican on the House Education and Labor Committee.
Obama said he wants to expand federal support for performance-pay models to 150 more school districts than the government currently supports under the Teacher Incentive Fund.
Nothing is more important or more difficult than finding fair ways to pay the best teachers more for teaching well" said Sen. Lamar Alexander R-Tenn. a former secretary of Education.
Some Republicans may object to Obamas ambitious plans for early childhood education but coupling increased funding for the programs with demands for quality assessments may win over more GOP support.
