Political Quotes

“There is a great potential for cooperation between Democrats and Republicans, as has historically been, with regard to education; and that lies in, of course, enhancing flexibility in freeing teachers and principals and districts from some of the bureaucratic constraints that they have that distract from their ability to maximize education. But along with that increased flexibility needs to come accountability; otherwise, we wind up with the worst of both worlds. And just like No Child Left Behind erred too far in the direction of not enough flexibility with too much in the wrong kind of accountability, so, too, must we be careful not to err in the direction of too much flexibility without accountability. It is important to make sure that as we increase the ways and the manner that States and districts have to free up local innovation at the classroom level, at the school level, at the district level, we need to make sure and reiterate what our goals are here. How do we make sure that all students are learning? How do we make sure that schools are serving students with disabilities under IDEA? How do we make sure that districts and States are committed to closing the achievement gap between students of color and White students, even in local jurisdictions that might not have that political will intrinsically? That is the Federal promise. That is the promise and the reason behind ESEA and our efforts to improve education across these United States.…”