Quotables

Spellings tells Merrow, NCLB still "99.44% pure"

Former Ed Secretary Margaret Spellings is now running something called the Campaign for Free Enterprise and is a senior advisor to the Boston Consulting Group:

I am not seeing any headlong rush to abandon NCLB…quite the contrary. While you are right in that the name (NCLB) is often attacked, I am thrilled that the major policies are very much in place and supported by the current administration, which supports standards, data, pay for performance and charters. (Taking Note)

Deborah Meier on Race-to-the-Top

Turning around 5,000 schools—with stimulus money as the bribe? It's a question that is bound to lead us into a deadend. If the only goal is creating “employees” (vs citizens) of the future it may also be both short-sighted--just plain wrongheaded. (National Journal Online)

Jon Corzine's charter dilemma

Education reform in N.J. is producing strange bedfellows. For example, Newark Mayor Cory Booker, a rising star of the Democratic Party, has an education agenda that strongly resembles [Republican]Chris Christie’s emphasis on school choice in poor urban neighborhoods and the expansion of charter schools. In contrast, Corzine tiptoes near charter expansion with a mask and gloves like he’s scared of catching swine flu, so wary is he of alienating the NJEA leadership. (NJ Left Behind)