Political Quotes

“I have concerns about a provision included in H.R. 6 which eliminates all federal funding for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. I've been aware of the Board's efforts for many years. I was Governor of Delaware when the National Governors Association called for the Board's creation in the late 1980s. I've worked with representatives of major Delaware corporations such as DuPont, who strongly support the Board's mission. And the State of Delaware, like many other states, is actively supporting the Board's objectives by providing funds to help teachers sit for Board certification, and by providing merit pay to teachers who achieve certification. There is broad and bipartisan support for the mission and the work of NBPTS from major stakeholders in education policy: the governors, business, the school boards, principals, and teachers. While questions have been raised about federal funding for the National Board, I believe it is possible to achieve a compromise that sets a time limit on federal funding, but allows the important work on teacher certification to be completed.”