How to help Arne Duncan spend his new $5 billion innovation fund
District superintendents around the country – who will be the first port of call for the education stimulus funds – seem to want more than what is already a pretty substantial influx of money.
They have their eyes set on the Education Secretary’s discretionary fund (his “Race to the Top Fund”), money that is supposed to be about innovation.
A D.C.-area superintendent is quoted in the Washington Post today as saying he might ask for money to boost AP placement among Latino kids. That of course, is a good idea, but one that doesn’t need money – it needs great educators pushing kids to succeed.
We’ll be watching for what qualifies as innovation, but for now, we’d humbly suggest a quick read of at least five big ideas that could transform education – ones that might be worthy of some of Duncan’s prize funds…
Mandate for Change – a bold agenda for the incoming government
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Hello.
The economic stimulus money should help save content areas units in the Los Angeles unified school district, but all istructioonal curricular ares has been demolished. We, the district was just beginning to increase scores, so now we are left without jobs and the work started has been scraped. I am suggesting that MR Duncan visit this district and I would gladly sit with him and the superintendent and discuss these issues. I believe in Mr Duncan program and know that he will do the right thing for our kids
Sincerely
Peggy Rose, mathematics specialist (gone after 6/30/09)