Re: “In Race for U.S. School Grants Is a Fear of Winning,” (Chicago section, Jan. 16), the concern was raised that federal stimulus dollars awarded in the U.S. Department of Education’s “Race to the Top” competition would only last three years, which would cause a funding cliff for districts that sign on to aggressive reforms on behalf of our state’s school children.
Given the serious situation facing Illinois school districts, we understand the tenor and tone of your article. That said, a critical point of view was missing – namely, the notion that the state might learn something about its policies over the three-year period, as if every other aspect of the education system would remain constant while these reforms were implemented in a vacuum. What’s more likely is that the reforms, if successful, would lead educators, administrators and political leaders to rethink how other funds are being spent and, if those are not having comparable impact on student achievement, they could be redirected to support the new initiatives. This process is – or should be — common in education. What sets the “Race to the Top” fund apart is a sound push for districts to use data and research on student performance to drive decisions around instruction and spending.
Of course, another way to address this issue is for the state to find ways to create efficiencies within the education system while still maintaining its proper focus on growing student achievement. Data is just one way to do that; there are others. As we have said before, $400 million every year—more than $200 per student—goes to reward teachers across Illinois for completing graduate coursework and degrees, the vast majority of which are unrelated to teachers’ assignments or school needs. This large investment occurs despite the fact that, with limited exceptions, there is no evidence that advanced degrees increase teacher effectiveness in the classroom.
Illinois’ work to pass, in the words one national expert, “groundbreaking” legislation to reform teacher evaluation shows that state leadership is prepared to think in new ways around education. Let’s hope that the federal stimulus gives us a chance to prove that again in the years to come.
Sincerely,
Robin Steans
Executive Director
Advance Illinois
News delayed is news denied…. The Skeleton in Arne Duncan’s Closet US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan appears to have a noisy one dating from his years running the Chicago Public Schools. Her name is Carol J. Spizzirri. A little background.
Spizzirri is a convicted shoplifter. According to a sworn affidavit by her ex-husband, a court ordered psychological evaluation diagnosed her as a paranoid schizophrenic and pathological liar.
Spizzirri said SALF trained 67,000 Chicago Public School (CPS) children in first aid the year before and that the training was free to the children. In fact, records show that CPS paid the foundation a considerable amount. invoices, totaling $49,000, were processed and signed off by CEO Arne Duncan’s office. One includes this handwritten notation: “per AD per Ann Whalen 9-14-05.”
Whalen was Duncan’s personal assistant. She now works for him in Washington.
Why did CPS pay SALF over $60,000 for a “free” program? What happened to the more than $1,000,000 SALF received from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for one year (there were other CDC contracts)? What about the millions SALF received from Illinois taxpayers? In the case of the Illinois State Board of Education, it’s a guessing game. ISBE’s complete records consist of a form showing a disbursement of $600,000 to SALF — no application, no review, no evaluation, no nothin’.
Federal Case Number is 09-cv-07599
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