[Senate Hearing 111-306]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
S. Hrg. 111-306
CONFIRMATION OF ARNE DUNCAN
=======================================================================
HEARING
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, EDUCATION,
LABOR, AND PENSIONS
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED ELEVENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
ON
CONFIRMATION OF ARNE DUNCAN, OF ILLINOIS, TO BE SECRETARY, U.S.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
__________
JANUARY 13, 2009
__________
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COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR, AND PENSIONS
EDWARD M. KENNEDY, Massachusetts, Chairman
CHRISTOPHER J. DODD, Connecticut MICHAEL B. ENZI, Wyoming
TOM HARKIN, Iowa JUDD GREGG, New Hampshire
BARBARA A. MIKULSKI, Maryland LAMAR ALEXANDER, Tennessee
JEFF BINGAMAN, New Mexico RICHARD BURR, North Carolina
PATTY MURRAY, Washington JOHNNY ISAKSON, Georgia
JACK REED, Rhode Island JOHN McCAIN, Arizona
BERNARD SANDERS (I), Vermont ORRIN G. HATCH, Utah
SHERROD BROWN, Ohio LISA MURKOWSKI, Alaska
ROBERT P. CASEY, Jr., Pennsylvania TOM COBURN, M.D., Oklahoma
KAY R. HAGAN, North Carolina PAT ROBERTS, Kansas
JEFF MERKLEY, Oregon
J. Michael Myers, Staff Director and Chief Counsel
Frank Macchiarola, Republican Staff Director and Chief Counsel
(ii)
C O N T E N T S
__________
STATEMENTS
TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2009
Page
Harkin, Hon. Tom, a U.S. Senator from the State of Iowa, opening
statement...................................................... 1
Enzi, Hon. Michael B., a U.S. Senator from the State of Wyoming,
opening statement.............................................. 2
Durbin, Hon. Richard, a U.S. Senator from the State of Illinois.. 4
Prepared statement........................................... 6
Duncan, Arne, Chief Executive Officer of the Chicago Public
Schools, Chicago, IL........................................... 8
Prepared statement........................................... 13
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL
Statements, articles, publications, letters, etc.:
Dodd, Hon. Christopher J., a U.S. Senator from the State of
Connecticut, prepared statement............................ 49
Letters of Support........................................... 51
(iii)
CONFIRMATION OF ARNE DUNCAN
----------
TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2009,
U.S. Senate,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
Washington, DC.
The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:02 a.m. in
room SD-430, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. Tom Harkin,
presiding.
Present: Senators Harkin, Mikulski, Murray, Reed, Sanders,
Enzi, Alexander, Burr, Isakson, Murkowski, Hatch, Roberts, and
Coburn.
Also Present: Senator Durbin.
Opening Statement of Senator Harkin
Senator Harkin. Good morning. The Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions will come to order.
Our Chairman, Senator Kennedy, has asked me to chair this
morning's hearing of this committee.
A special welcome to Mr. Arne Duncan, who has been
designated by President-elect Obama to lead the Department of
Education in the new administration.
Since 2001, Mr. Duncan has been chief executive officer of
the Chicago public school system. Prior to joining the Chicago
Public Schools, he was director of the Ariel Education
Initiative, which seeks to create high-quality educational
opportunities for inner-city children on Chicago's South Side.
As a leader of Chicago Public Schools, Mr. Duncan has
earned a national reputation for turning around a large,
diverse, urban public school system.
Mr. Duncan, there is no question that schools across
America can benefit from the same kind of fresh thinking that
you have brought to the Chicago Public Schools. As you know
very well, perhaps our greatest educational challenge is to
improve the performance of urban and rural public schools
serving high-poverty communities.
As I mentioned to you last week when we met in my office, I
have been deeply influenced by the writings of Jonathan Kozol.
In his book ``Savage Inequalities,'' he talked about what
happens in these high-poverty neighborhood schools, and I
quote,
``One consequence of medical and early education
denial is the virtual destruction of learning skills of
many children by the time they get to secondary
schools.''
In our Nation's 35 largest cities, the dropout/attrition
rate is 50 percent or worse. So Mr. Duncan, this is just one
more crisis and challenge facing the incoming Obama
administration. If you are confirmed by the Senate, we will be
counting on you for bold and aggressive leadership.
In addition, we need a new commitment to education funding
from the incoming administration. Reform without new resources
is just so much wishful thinking. Over the last 7 years,
however, the title I program has been underfunded by $55
billion, and we have failed to advance on our commitment to
fund the education of children with disabilities.
We need a fresh perspective on No Child Left Behind, a
program that you are intimately acquainted with as a big-city
school administrator. The challenges you have faced in Chicago
are faced by districts all across the country.
As we have talked about, the challenges facing special
education have long been a priority of mine. It is time for the
Federal Government--and I don't mean just you, but all of us--
to make good on our promise to fully fund the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act.
With regard to higher education, a top priority for the
next Secretary must be to ensure that no young person is denied
access to college for lack of access to a reasonable loan.
Should you be confirmed, you will be asked, along with your
counterpart at the Department of Health and Human Services, to
expand access to early education. The President-elect laid out
a bold agenda that, if enacted, would increase access and
improve the quality of early education. It would also require
more from the Secretary of Education than has been asked of any
of your predecessors.
The Secretary also has the important responsibility of
administering the career and technical education and adult
education programs. With so many people out of work and looking
to retool for new jobs, these programs are more important than
ever.
Mr. Duncan, we look forward to hearing your ideas for
change and reform. More broadly, members of this committee are
looking forward to hearing your commitment to consult and
collaborate with us in the months and years ahead. This is a
very diverse committee, with members who represent a wide
variety of expertise and points of view.
When we met last week in my office, you expressed your
openness to learning from members of this committee and from
educators across the country. That attitude will serve you
well.
Mr. Duncan, I admire your commitment to public service and
to public education in particular. You have very impressive
credentials and experience, as well as the confidence of the
President-elect.
Again, I welcome you to the committee. I look forward to
your remarks.
With that, I will yield to our distinguished Ranking
Member, Senator Enzi.
Opening Statement of Senator Enzi
Senator Enzi. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for
holding this hearing.
Confirming the President's nominees is one of the most
important constitutional duties of the Senate. And in terms of
our country's future, education is one of the most critical
issues we have to address.
I first met Mr. Duncan in Chicago a little over 3 years ago
at an announcement by Secretary of Education, Spellings, of a
pilot program for supplemental educational services. Even
before we met, I was aware of the efforts he was making to
reform Chicago Public Schools, always focusing on what is best
for children.
He supports charter schools, public school choice, and
merit pay for teachers and school leaders. His belief in
holding schools accountable for results and maintaining
transparency about school performance through public reporting
has led to improved student achievement.
Your track record with a major urban school district is
well known. But I must warn you that I am particularly
concerned about the unique challenges that rural and frontier
schools and students face, and I will remind you of these
challenges as we work on issues such as the reauthorization of
No Child Left Behind, or whatever we call it next time. Or as I
sometimes say, ``no rural child left behind.''
Since the fall of 2005, we have seen ongoing improvement in
education that our children receive in our Nation's schools. I
would say that even with the progress we have made, it has not
been enough. I believe that education is a key factor in
securing a sound economic future for our country. Everyone,
regardless of their background, needs access to quality
education and training throughout their lives.
Education has been a bipartisan issue, and we need to keep
it that way. In fact, I believe that no major piece of
education authorizing legislation has been passed by the Senate
or sent to the President's desk that didn't have strong
bipartisan support.
The HELP Committee has established a successful track
record of getting legislation across the finish line and signed
by the President. I attribute that success to focusing on the
80 percent that we agree on, while trying to find a third way
for the remaining 20 percent.
There are going to be areas where we disagree, but my hope
and expectation is that by focusing on solutions, we can
produce meaningful results for our students and their families,
for teachers, principals, and administrators.
Congress and the Department of Education need to work
together to make sure that every school has the tools and the
flexibility needed to help students develop the knowledge and
skills required to be successful in the 21st century. We still
have too many students leaving high school and college without
completing their programs of study.
More students need to graduate from high school, on time,
prepared to successfully enter college or the workforce. We
also need to increase the number of students who enter college
and complete their program of study. They should not leave with
little to show for their time except bills and debt.
Some postsecondary education is critical to at least 8 out
of 10 jobs being created. Over 6,000 students drop out every
day, which means that for every school hour, upwards of 275
students drop out. For those students, over their lifetime, we
will lose about $74 million in lost wages and revenues. That is
too great a price to pay for the student, for the community,
for our Nation.
I look forward to working with Mr. Duncan to chart a future
course for the education success of all of our students. When
Mr. Duncan and I spoke last week, we discussed our mutual
belief that we need to improve the number of students who
successfully enter and complete postsecondary education
programs.
We have to build on the successes of No Child Left Behind.
We have to coordinate efforts across programs, including career
and technical education and workforce programs under the
Workforce Investment Act, and reduce the barriers
nontraditional students face to obtaining education that will
provide the knowledge and skills they need to be successful in
the 21st century. Our country's future depends on our ability
to reach this goal.
I have a number of questions for you, some of which I will
ask during question and answer. It is likely, however, there
will be questions I won't be able to ask and will provide for
your written responses to be included in the record. So that we
can accelerate consideration of your nomination, I would
appreciate your quick response to these questions.
I do apologize. I will have to leave the hearing early. We
have some other Cabinet-level positions that are being
confirmed or heard at this point, as well as a few health
issues we are trying to work on.
In closing, I would like to again thank the Chairman for
calling this hearing. I would also like to thank Mr. Duncan for
his willingness to take on the challenges of the Federal role
in improving education for all students throughout their
lifetime.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Senator Harkin. Thank you, Senator Enzi.
We welcome our distinguished Assistant Majority Leader to
the committee, another great champion of public education in
this country, for the purposes of introduction, Senator Dick
Durbin.
Welcome, Dick.
Statement of Senator Durbin
Senator Durbin. I want to thank Senator Harkin, Senator
Enzi, Senators Mikulski, Alexander, and Hatch for joining us,
and all the members of the HELP Committee.
It is my honor to appear before you today to introduce my
friend Arne Duncan, who is the choice of President Obama to
serve as Secretary of the Department of Education.
When Mayor Daley took a look at the great city of Chicago
and its future, he decided there were two things that had to be
done. First, you needed to bring safety to the neighborhoods
and, second, quality to the schools. Arne Duncan was chosen as
the CEO of Chicago Public Schools in the year 2001. For 7\1/2\
years, he has tackled the challenge of turning around the
troubled schools in the city of Chicago. Chicago Public Schools
is the third-largest school district in America with all the
challenges of an urban school district--over 90 percent
minority, over 90 percent poverty.
Arne is a leader. He has consistently surpassed
expectations with hard work and clear dedication. If you take a
look at how he grew up, you can understand it. His mother had a
center in Hyde Park for inner-city kids, poor kids to go to, to
be tutored. Arne would finish his day in the classroom in his
school and then go over to his mother's center and tutor other
kids. That is how he grew up. That was his after-school
activity.
Many of his views about urban education were shaped by that
experience, and you will learn about them during the course of
this hearing. He also worked in the nonprofit sector with John
Rogers at the Ariel Fund, identifying key schools where
investments could be made and a difference could be made.
Eventually, he was tapped by Mayor Daley to step back into the
public sector, and he did willingly.
He has adopted a whole class of children and sent them to
college. He started a school in Chicago built around financial
literacy. Along the way, incidentally, he played a little
basketball--that seems to be a recurring theme with the new
Obama administration--including some time when he played
professional basketball in Australia.
In his senior year at Harvard--I read this morning--as co-
captain, his greatest moment was in playing Duke and leading
his teammates, scoring 20 points. Harvard lost, but it was
quite a game effort.
[Laughter.]
Mr. Duncan. Not enough.
Senator Durbin. It is his work in the Chicago Public
Schools that really stands out. I have had the honor of knowing
and working with Arne for many years. We have been to so many
different events at schools and press conferences.
I even recalled with his wife, Karen, this morning when
Claire and Ryan and Arne and I were both holding shovels,
digging a playground at a public school in a very muddy setting
in the city of Chicago. So I know that he is a hands-on leader.
He lights up when he talks about the latest school that is
beating the odds on a new program, reaching students who had
been written off. He doesn't sugarcoat the challenges he
encounters along the way. He is straightforward, thoughtful,
honest, and decisive.
Last year, I visited a high school in Chicago and met with
a group of students and then walked through the school. After I
had finished that, I called Arne directly. I said to him,
``Arne, I don't think I have ever complained to you about a
school that I have visited. But that high school is out of
control. I can't believe that anybody is learning anything
there, as I walk through the corridors and look in the
classrooms.''
He said, ``I will look into it.'' Two weeks later, he
called me, and he said, ``You were right. It was an experiment
with the principal that didn't work, and he is moving on. We
are bringing in somebody else.''
I liked that. Here is a person who listened, followed up,
and did the right thing.
Today, Chicago enjoys a reputation as a model of school
system reform, and Arne's leadership has had a lot to do with
it. Over 7\1/2\ years, he has raised test scores, lowered
dropout rates, boosted college enrollment, opened more than 100
new schools, and expanded after-school and Saturday programs.
Through it all, he has maintained good relations with the
business community, with the unions, and elected officials,
even as he pushed tough reforms. Arne Duncan understands that
real and meaningful change in our toughest schools depends on
the participation and cooperation of everybody.
He knows when to compromise, and he knows when to hold
firm. One of the toughest challenges he has had is closing a
school. If you can imagine the reaction in the neighborhood and
from the families and from the teachers, and he has weathered
that storm time and again, never blinked, knowing that some of
those schools that were failing just had to be closed for the
best interests of the kids.
No other district in the country has been as aggressive
about holding schools accountable for performance and willing
to try new, innovative methods to improve schools. I think that
is the spirit we need in the Department of Education.
American education is at a critical moment. Thirty years
ago, the United States ranked first internationally in
graduating students from high school and college. Today, our
Nation ranks 15th.
This is not the time for America to fall behind. It is time
to raise the bar. We need to make sure every student has a
chance to excel.
This is a challenge and a priority for the Obama
administration. I can remember speaking to the President-elect
just days after the election, and we talked about the
Department of Education, and a lot of names were mentioned. I
said to him, and he nodded in agreement, ``You know, we have
somebody right here in Chicago who would be an extraordinary
Secretary of Education.''
Well, I am honored today to have the opportunity to
introduce him to you in a formal way. I know that most of you
have already had a chance to meet him.
We are going to miss him in Chicago, if the Senate confirms
him, and I believe it will. We will know that he will be an
excellent Education Secretary, and the students of America and
their families couldn't have a stronger advocate on their
behalf.
I am sorry that I have to step away at this point, but I
will now turn it over to my friend and, I hope, the next
Secretary of the Department of Education, Arne Duncan.
[The prepared statement of Senator Durbin follows:]
Prepared Statement of Senator Durbin
President-elect Obama has asked Arne Duncan to serve as
Secretary of the Department of Education.
Arne Duncan was appointed CEO of Chicago Public Schools in
2001. Since then, we have watched him tackle the challenge of
turning around troubled schools in Chicago. Chicago Public
Schools is the 3rd-largest school district in America with all
the challenges of any urban school district.
Arne is a leader. He has consistently surpassed
expectations through his hard work and clear dedication to
Chicago's children. Arne understands the challenges of urban
education. Education has been his life--starting as a child,
when he spent every afternoon at his mother's tutoring program
for inner-city children.
Many of his views about urban education were shaped by this
experience, and you will learn more about those views over the
course of this hearing.
Arne also worked in the non-profit sector. He adopted a
whole class of children and sent them to college. He started a
school in Chicago built around financial literacy.
You might also have heard that Arne has played basketball
all his life-including professionally in Australia. He will
tell you that the discipline and teamwork that he acquired on
the court has helped him off the court.
But it is his work with the Chicago Public Schools that
really stands out.
I have visited many Chicago schools with Arne, stood with
him at public events and press conferences, and followed his
reform efforts closely. He lights up when he's talking about
the latest school that is beating the odds or a new program
reaching students who had been written off. But he doesn't
sugarcoat the challenges he encounters along the way. He is
straightforward, thoughtful, and honest.
Today, Chicago enjoys a reputation as a model of school
system reform, and I credit Arne's leadership--his work ethic,
his focus, and his determination.
Over 7\1/2\ years, Arne has raised test scores, lowered
dropout rates, boosted college enrollment, opened more than 100
new schools, and expanded after-school and Saturday programs.
Through it all, he has maintained good relations with
business leaders, unions, and elected officials--even as he
pushed forward tough reforms. Arne Duncan understands that
real, meaningful change in our toughest schools depends on
participation from all parties.
Arne knows when to compromise and he knows when to hold
firm. One of his toughest reforms was closing down low-
performing schools in Chicago. It was very controversial. But
Arne knew that these schools were failing their students, and
he never blinked. Today, the children who were in those schools
are much better off.
No other district in the country has been as aggressive
about holding schools accountable for performance or as willing
to try new innovative methods of improving schools. He will
bring the same high standards and focus on innovation to the
Department of Education.
American education is at a critical moment. Thirty years
ago, the U.S. ranked 1st internationally in graduating students
from high school and college. Today, we rank 15th.
This is not the time for America to fall behind. It's time
to raise the bar. We need to make sure that every student who
wants a college education receives the academic preparation and
financial support they need to achieve their goal. Every
student who wants a college education should have the academic
preparation and financial support they need to achieve their
goal.
This is a challenge and a priority for the Obama
administration. Arne Duncan is the right leader to carry that
agenda forward. He has my complete confidence and highest
recommendation.
Arne has been a tremendous asset to my state of Illinois.
Chicago will miss his leadership. But he will be an excellent
education secretary. The students of America could not have a
stronger advocate on their behalf.
It's an honor to introduce my friend, a great educator and
a great leader, Arne Duncan.
Senator Harkin. Senator Durbin, thank you very much, and I
know you have other business to attend to as the assistant
leader. Thank you very much for the introduction and for all
your help and your support for Mr. Duncan.
Mr. Duncan, welcome to the committee. In keeping with the
tradition that Senator Kennedy has set for this committee, I
always ask the nominee to first introduce the family members
who are with you. We would like to know who all your family
members are.
Mr. Duncan. Sure. I would be proud to do that. Behind me is
my wife, Karen, and my children, Claire and Ryan. If you guys
could please stand.
Claire is 7 years old, and Ryan is almost 5.
[Applause.]
Senator Harkin. A great-looking family. A handsome son, and
since I raised two daughters, I am partial to daughters,
obviously.
[Laughter.]
I think Claire is just beautiful, and is she going to try
out for the part of ``Annie'' in a school play?
[Laughter.]
Mr. Duncan. They will be busy writing and drawing
throughout the confirmation process.
Senator Harkin. Mr. Duncan, again, your statement will be
made part of the record in its entirety. You can proceed as you
so wish.
STATEMENT OF ARNE DUNCAN, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE
CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS, CHICAGO, IL
Mr. Duncan. Thank you so much.
I want to thank Senator Kennedy in his absence. We had a
great conversation yesterday.
I want to thank Senator Enzi. Senator Harkin, I want to
thank you for agreeing to chair this hearing and for your
tremendous commitment to children, particularly those who are
disabled and have not had the opportunities historically. Thank
you so much for your leadership.
This is an extraordinary time in our country, an
extraordinary time to be working on education. I want to begin
by talking about something that I think the public hasn't
picked up on enough that Senator Mikulski articulated
extraordinarily well as we talked last week. I have really
enjoyed my conversations with all the Senators over the past
few days.
She talked about what she called the ``Barack effect,'' the
``Obama effect.'' What we have with the President-elect and his
wife are two people who are living symbols, who embody the
value of education.
They come from humble backgrounds, humble beginnings.
Because they worked so hard, because they are so committed to
becoming great people, what they did educationally was
extraordinary.
Children throughout our country today, whether it is inner-
city Chicago, whether it is rural Iowa or Wyoming, children
around the country look at those two and say, ``They worked
hard. I can do it, too.'' What you see is children saying not
just, ``I want to be the President like the President-elect.''
They are saying, ``I want to be smart like the President-
elect.''
We have a time, collectively, as a country, to capitalize
on something I think is simply extraordinary. Never before has
being smart been so cool and working hard been so cool.
I think we have a chance to build upon not just the
substance of the education plan, but the symbolism of what the
President-elect and his wife represent. I think that is going
to be very, very special and that every child in this country
has the chance to look at them and say, ``If I work hard, look
what I can accomplish.''
The President-elect views education as both a moral
obligation and an economic imperative. In the face of rising
global competition, we know that education is the critical,
some would say the only, road to economic security.
Quality education is also the civil rights issue of our
generation. It is the only path out of poverty, the only road
to a more equal, just, and fair society. In fact, I believe the
fight for a quality education is about so much more than
education. It is a fight for social justice.
I come to this work with three deeply held beliefs. First,
that every child from every background absolutely can be
successful. Rural, suburban, urban, gifted, special ed, ELL,
poor, minority--it simply doesn't matter. When we, as adults,
do our job and we give them opportunities to succeed, all of
our children can be extraordinarily successful.
Second, maybe the flip of that, when we fail to properly
educate children, we, as educators, perpetuate poverty, and we
perpetuate social failure. That is not something that I want to
be a part of.
Third, our children have one chance, one chance at a
quality education, so we must work with an extraordinary sense
of urgency. Simply put, we cannot wait because they cannot
wait.
As we look ahead, I will begin with the President-elect's
strong commitment to reform at every level and the compelling
vision that he spelled out during his campaign. I am
extraordinarily hopeful about what we can accomplish by working
together.
First, he talked about the need to dramatically improve
both access to early childhood opportunities and to have more
high-quality opportunities there, and we know that the quicker
we get to students, the earlier we get them involved in high-
quality early childhood programs, the better they are going to
do in the long-term.
Second, at the K to 12 level, we want to continue to
dramatically raise standards and increase teacher quality.
Third, as those students progress from early childhood on
to K to 12 and then on to higher education, we want to ensure
greater access there and strengthen institutions like our
community colleges--which you mentioned, Senator Harkin--which
are critically important and can play a huge role, giving
people a second chance, retooling skills, and getting back into
the workforce.
As we look at those three buckets of work--increasing
access and opportunity for early childhood, strengthening what
we are doing to K to 12, and increasing access to higher
education--there are two themes that I think need to run
through all of that work that are very important to me.
First, we must do dramatically better and we must continue
to innovate. We must build upon what works, we must stop doing
what doesn't work, and we have to continue to challenge the
status quo. That spirit of innovation has been hugely important
and will continue to be very, very important to me going
forward.
Second, we must recognize and reward excellence. There are
extraordinary teachers, principals, district leaders, State
school chiefs, and community college presidents throughout this
country. We have to elevate the teaching profession, we have to
build upon this next generation of leaders in our schools and
our State boards, and we have to find ways to scale up what
works.
There are great, great pockets of excellence as we look
across every State in this country. We have to find ways to
scale up what works, to shine a spotlight on those educators
who are doing an extraordinary job and going above and beyond
the call of duty every single day.
I am absolutely convinced that if we can create better
opportunities and raise expectations for everyone from our 3-
year-olds to our 23-year-olds, if we can continue to innovate
and challenge the status quo every single day, and if we can
recognize and reward excellence throughout the country, I am
absolutely convinced that we can transform education here in
America.
Let me close briefly by just telling you a few things about
myself. I have spent the past 10 years working for the Chicago
Public Schools. I have been very fortunate to have that
opportunity. For the past 7\1/2\ years, I have been the CEO of
the Chicago Public Schools.
Our work is not done. There is a long way to go, but at the
same time, we are proud of our progress. We have had 7
consecutive years of rising test scores, rising graduation
rates, and reductions in dropout rates.
We have done everything we can to increase our time with
children. I think our school day is too short, our school week
is too short, our school year is too short. We have 150
community schools. We opened 200 schools on Saturdays this past
year. We brought 15,000 freshmen back to school a month early
during the summer on a voluntary basis because we wanted to get
them off to a great start.
We are trying to really do everything we can to enhance the
teaching profession. We have gone from 11 national board-
certified teachers to over 1,200. We have gone from 2
applicants for each teaching position to over 10.
We have tried to make Chicago the place, the Mecca
nationally for people who are passionate about public education
and want to make a difference in students' lives. We have tried
to create great new opportunities in neighborhoods that have
been historically underserved, and I would argue have been
underserved for decades.
We have closed schools for academic failure when we needed
to do that. Those are not easy decisions to make. Very
significantly, we have opened over 100 great new schools, again
focusing primarily on communities that have been underserved.
We couldn't be more proud of the opportunities that children in
those neighborhoods now have that haven't been there for far
too long.
Perhaps the number I am most proud of is that last year our
graduating seniors collectively won over $150 million in
competitive grants and scholarships. Given the fact that so
many of our children are the first in their family to go to
college, so many of our children are new to the country, we are
so proud that colleges and universities around the country are
recognizing the talent that our students have.
I tell them all the time that these are not gifts. These
are investments in the future. People believe in what our
students can accomplish as they go forward.
Twenty years ago, you may recall the former Secretary of
Education Bill Bennett called the Chicago Public Schools the
worst district in the Nation. We are proud to have made
significant progress since that time and to really be a model
of national reform. Again, the hard work is going to continue
there, and it is far from done.
In the 6 years prior to joining Chicago Public Schools, I
was fortunate to work with my best friend John Rogers and,
along with my sister, to set up the nonprofit side of his
business, the Ariel Foundation. We did two things. We ran an I
Have A Dream program from 1992 to 1998. My job and my sister's
job and the job of a great team of volunteers for those 6 years
was to take 40 sixth graders and work with them all the way
through high school--to tutor them, to mentor them every day,
to work with their families to give them the opportunity to be
successful.
At the end of that, we were proud that 87 percent of our
students graduated on time, and 65 percent went on to college.
The class one year ahead of us from that school, Shakespeare
Elementary, had a 33 percent graduation rate, meaning 67
percent did not graduate. Sixty-seven percent the year before
didn't graduate. Eighty-seven percent of our class did.
What we were trying to demonstrate is that, again, given
students from high-poverty areas, given the challenges, with
long-term support, with long-term opportunity and guidance, our
students can be very, very successful.
About half way through that, in 1995, we started our own
small public school, the Ariel Community Academy, which today
remains one of the highest-performing neighborhood inner-city
schools in Chicago. It has a very innovative financial-literacy
curriculum, and I think it is a model from which we can learn a
great deal going forward.
Those experiences, managing Chicago Public Schools, setting
up a nonprofit, obviously were extraordinary learning
opportunities for me. But I have to be honest, and Senator
Durbin talked about it, probably the most important opportunity
I had, the most formative experience of my life was the first
10 years of my life, growing up as a part of my mother's inner-
city tutoring program.
Before I was born, in 1961, she began this program. She
raised my sister and brother and I as a part of it. Literally,
from the time we were born, we were there every day, and then
every day after-school, and I ended up taking a year off from
college between my junior and senior year to work with her
full-time.
Most of my friends were becoming or thinking about becoming
investment bankers and lawyers. I didn't quite think that was
what I wanted to do in my life. I wanted to find out if this
really was what I wanted to do. It was just an extraordinary
experience.
There, everyone is taught to help everyone else. Probably
my first job was as a 5-year-old, washing the books and
cleaning tables at the end of the day. The 10-year-olds teach
the 5-year-olds. The 15-year-olds teach the 10-year-olds. You
learn by being taught and by teaching others.
I grew up with a set of children who didn't look like me,
very few of whom came from two-parent homes, and all of whom
were desperately poor. They went on to do extraordinary things.
One, Michael Clarke Duncan, is a Hollywood movie star. Another
one, Kerrie Holley, who actually taught me for many of those
years, is one of IBM's leaders internationally.
Another one, Corky Lyons, is now a brain surgeon. Another
one, Ronald Raglin, is part of my senior management team in
Chicago Public Schools. All of these guys came from one little
corner, 46th and Greenwood, on the South Side of Chicago.
What I saw, again, from the time I was born, was that
despite challenges at home, despite challenges in the community
that were sometimes unimaginable, our young people can be very,
very successful. If we stay with them, work with them hard
every single day, have the highest of expectations, and
challenge them, amazing things can happen.
That was a formative experience. It was exhilarating, but I
have to be honest. It was very, very tough, and we faced some
real challenges.
One of my earliest memories was when I was about 6 years
old, in 1970, the church that we were working out of was fire
bombed by the Blackstone Rangers. I remember salvaging what we
could from the church and walking around the block to another
church, carrying crates of books, and asking that minister to
allow us to come and work.
Our lives were threatened. My mother's life was threatened.
I remember leaving work one night, and a guy coming by and
saying if we came back the next day, we would be killed.
We had an interesting conversation that night at home at
dinner. Our dinnertime conversations were maybe a little
different than those of other families. We tried to figure out
what to do and really decided that you can't run. Once you
start running, you will be chasing your shadow eventually. We
showed up the next day, and luckily, he didn't.
Unfortunately, given the level of violence in the
community, many friends I had did not make it, and there were
many people I was very close to who were killed growing up.
Those experiences, when you are young, shape you, and I would
go so far as to say scar you, in ways that are difficult. For
me, they increased the tremendous sense of urgency about this
work of giving every child a chance to be successful.
I have thought a lot about, as I have gotten older and
became a father and raised my two children, what compelled my
mother to take her three young children into this community
every single day and to face those kinds of challenges? Why did
my father support my mother and his three young children doing
this?
I think the answer is pretty simple, but also profound.
They did this work every single day simply because this work
was so important and because this work is bigger than all of
us.
Finally, I just commit to you one thing: That if you see
fit to support my nomination today, I will do everything in my
power to work with the same sense of commitment, the same
urgency, and most importantly, the same courage for the next 4
years that my mother has exhibited for the past 48 years.
Thank you so much.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Duncan follows:]
Prepared Statement of Arne Duncan
Mr. Chairman, Senator Enzi, and members of the committee, I am
deeply grateful for the opportunity to appear before you today as
President-elect Obama's nominee for Secretary of Education. I am
humbled by the collective wisdom, insight and experience of this
committee and the full Congress, and by the vision and purpose of the
new administration. Above all, I am honored and inspired by the call to
serve America on an issue that is so important to our future.
I am joined here today by my wife, Karen, and my children, Claire
and Ryan--so you can see that my interest in this issue is more than
professional.
In today's era of global economics, rapid technological change and
extreme economic disparity, education is the most pressing issue facing
America. Preparing young people for success in life is not just a moral
obligation of society. It's an economic imperative. As President-elect
Obama has said many times, ``The Nations that out-teach us today will
out-compete us tomorrow.''
Education is also the civil rights issue of our generation--the
only sure path out of poverty and the only way to achieve a more equal
and just society. In a world where economic success is tied more
closely than ever to educational opportunity, we are condemning
millions of children to be less than they could be by consigning them
to schools that should be so much more. That is a blight on our country
and a brick on our progress.
If I am confirmed as Secretary of Education, I will work closely
with you and with all of Congress, with the President, and with
educators across America to bring about real and meaningful change in
the way our schools teach and our children learn because we need to get
better faster. Children have only one chance for an education and
children who are in school now need a better education today if they
are to thrive and succeed tomorrow.
I look forward to working with the HELP Committee because you offer
so much experience and knowledge on this issue. Chairman Kennedy has
long been the champion of educational opportunity for all. Senators
Enzi and Kennedy and the entire HELP Committee have done great work on
critical education legislation in the 110th Congress, including:
The Head Start for School Readiness Act;
The America COMPETES Act;
The College Cost Reduction and Access Act; and
The Higher Education Opportunity Act.
I am eager to hear your ideas for how the Department of Education
can work with the States, and support local school districts. Having
been a school superintendent for 7 years, I know that having a strong
partner in Washington is critical--but I also know that an overbearing
Federal bureaucracy can impede innovation and progress. I look forward
to working with you in the years ahead to strike the right balance.
Education has been my life's work, starting on the South Side of
Chicago where I grew up along with my sister and brother, as a part of
my mother's inner city after-school tutoring program, Sue Duncan's
Children's Center, where I learned to, as she says ``cherish every
child.'' Her remarkable courage and dedication has been a constant
source of inspiration to me. The Children's Center is an example of the
type of partnership needed to support the learning of every child--in
this case though a partnership among parents, community volunteers,
school staff, philanthropies, and a university. With different sets of
partners, examples like this across the country, in urban districts and
rural communities, have demonstrated that, given opportunity and
support, every child can learn. As the President-elect has said, these
kids are our kids, and their education is the responsibility of us all.
I come to you after serving as the head of America's third-largest
school district, serving over 400,000 mostly poor and mostly minority
students. I am very proud of Chicago's progress. We have had 7 years of
steady gains in test scores and attendance. Our dropout rate has
steadily declined while college enrollment rates have risen. We have
improved the quality of teaching through better recruiting and more
support for existing teachers. We've held teachers and school leaders
accountable for the performance of our children--all of our children.
Where they've succeeded, we've rewarded them for their work. We worked
hard to involve parents more deeply in the education of their children,
recognizing that schools and teachers are no substitute for a mom or
dad who reads to their kids and makes sure the day's homework is done.
This has not always been easy or without difficult choices. Chicago
has been one of the few districts that have held accountable
chronically low-performing schools--making the tough decision to close
them down and reopen them with new leadership, new staff and new
educational approaches. For the most part, the results of our school
turnaround program have been dramatic--boosting test scores, attendance
and school morale. For all of our progress, however, I am fully aware
that challenges remain--in Chicago and in schools across America.
President-elect Obama has proposed a bold agenda for meeting our
educational challenges. I want to briefly outline his priorities.
First, we must invest in early childhood education. Too many
children show up for kindergarten already behind. Many never catch up.
The President-elect's ``Zero-to-Five'' proposal calls for:
Greater supports for working parents with young children;
Early-learning challenge grants to States;
Voluntary universal pre-school quality enhancements; and
More resources to build on the successes of Head Start and
Early Head Start.
The President-elect also plans to establish a Presidential Early
Learning Council to better integrate pre-school programs and resources.
Second, we know that teacher quality must be addressed on many
levels: recruitment, preparation, retention, and compensation. As a
member of the HELP Committee, Senator Obama worked with many of you to
include teaching residency programs in the Higher Education Opportunity
Act. I know, from Chicago's experience, that residency programs work
and President-elect Obama will make them a priority.
President-elect Obama and I will also work with you and with school
leaders across America to ensure that our teachers are treated and
valued as professionals. We must promote career advancement programs so
that successful teachers can be instructional leaders for their
colleagues. We must enable teachers to collaborate and learn from each
other as members of strong professional communities. We must expand
teacher compensation based on performance. For any of this to be
effective, we must do more to develop and support strong and effective
principals.
Third, we know that only about 70 percent of high school students
graduate. America once led the world in high school graduation, and now
we're falling behind other industrialized Nations. We can't continue
down this path. We must identify students at risk of failure by the
middle school years if not earlier--and target interventions to them.
We have begun this work in Chicago, investing heavily in ninth grade
transition programs. I look forward to sharing our experience with you
and working with you on this issue.
We also know that many students who manage to graduate subsequently
struggle in the workplace or in college. We have to increase rigor in
high schools to prepare young people for the next stage of life--by
boosting advanced placement participation, raising standards, and
increasing learning opportunities so that they have the support they
need to meet those higher standards.
I know that the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind will be a
priority for the 111th Congress. I have seen first-hand the impact of
the Federal law on our students and schools. I have seen the law's
power and its limitations. I agree with the President-elect that we
should neither bury NCLB nor praise it without reservation. I support
the core goals of high standards for all--black and white, poor and
wealthy, students with disabilities, and those who are just learning to
speak English. Like President-elect Obama, I am committed to closing
achievement gaps, raising expectations and holding everyone accountable
for results.
Fourth, we must make sure that our citizens have the means and the
encouragement to aim for education and training beyond high school.
Nearly half of the Department of Education's budget is committed to
helping Americans pay for college. More than 5 million students from
modest backgrounds receive Pell Grants, the most important financial
aid program in the Nation. President-elect Obama is committed to
boosting Pell Grant funding and also ensuring that inflation does not
eat away at their value.
One of the President-elect's signature proposals is the American
Opportunity Tax Credit--$4,000 for college in exchange for 100 hours of
community service. This is more than a financial aid program. It's
really a statement of our broader values: if you serve your neighbors,
clean up the environment, care for the elderly, or tutor at the
elementary school, you deserve help in paying for college. If
confirmed, I look forward to working with Congress, the President and
the Treasury Department on this proposal.
Mr. Chairman, I congratulate and thank this committee and your
colleagues in the House for the timely action you took to make certain
that students would be able to get their Federal loans even in the
midst of the unprecedented problems in the credit markets. Prompt
action by the Congress and the Education and Treasury Departments
prevented disruptions for students across the country. Eight million
people of all ages take advantage of Federal loan programs. If
confirmed, my first priority with respect to student aid will be to
ensure that 100 percent access to student loans continues. Beyond
access to loans, we need to make sure that the aid programs are managed
in a way that protects taxpayers from unnecessary cost and risk,
prevents students from taking on excessive and expensive debt, and
offers borrowers affordable ways to repay their loans.
Federal aid is critical to helping millions of Americans attend
college. Unfortunately, many talented young people who could and should
be going to college are not taking advantage of that opportunity. Part
of the issue is inadequate financial aid, but we must also ensure that
students have the information and guidance they need to make good
decisions and maximize the aid they can receive under current programs.
We should streamline the financial aid process by implementing the
President-elect's proposal to allow students to apply for aid by simply
checking a box on their tax forms. Enormous amounts of time and energy
are wasted badgering kids to fill out this needlessly complex form.
College counselors, teachers, parents and others are all pressed into
service because it is so complicated. That's time they could spend more
productively thinking about what to do with their lives, where to
attend college, and planning their future. I applaud Congress for
providing new tools under the Higher Education Opportunity Act to
simplify the aid process. I vow to work closely with the higher
education community and the Internal Revenue Service to advance this
effort.
We also want to support community colleges, which serve almost 40
percent of America's college population. For some, community college is
a more affordable route to a Bachelor's degree, while for others it's
about getting job skills in growing fields like health care and
technology. Many community college students are adults who are
returning to school after years in the workforce or after raising a
child. The President-elect has proposed additional support for
community colleges and I want to work with you on that as well.
I also want to applaud the committee's efforts to boost college
enrollment for students with disabilities, curb tuition hikes, and help
more students to complete college. I want to underscore this issue of
student success in college. I have seen talented students graduate from
high school in Chicago, only to find they were not able to build on
that success in college. Some responsibility may lie with their
preparation, but it may also be that the college failed to provide the
engaging courses and the support and guidance that would have led that
student to a degree and to a great future. This is not only the
student's loss, but the Nation's as well. This is an issue that the
committee has recently addressed, making important advances: improving
oversight for the accreditation process; insisting on more data about
student success; and shining a light on the issue of college cost. If
confirmed, I am ready to implement this legislation. Indeed, the timing
of the regulatory process means that I will be working on these issues
from day one. Secretary Spellings and her entire staff have been
extremely helpful and cooperative on this transition process--
especially with respect to issues that require immediate action. I am
grateful to her and will look to her for input as we move forward.
There are many other issues that the new Administration and
Congress will need to tackle, including:
Appropriately supporting students with disabilities,
making sure that they are assessed fairly, and making real and
necessary learning gains to meet their full potential;
Helping English language learners to be successful, not
only in learning our common language, but in gaining the knowledge and
skills they need for success;
Promoting innovation that accelerates student learning;
and
Aligning our education system not only to prepare students
for the jobs of the future, but also for the responsibilities of active
citizenship in our democratic society.
Under the leadership of President-elect Obama, I am deeply
committed to working with you to meet these challenges, to enhance
education in America, to lift our children and families out of poverty,
to help our students learn to contribute to the civility of our great
American democracy, and to strengthen our economy by producing a
workforce that can make us as competitive as possible. This is a matter
of great urgency for me, and I know it is for you as well
I also want you to know that it has always been my working style to
be completely open and accessible. I believe that the best solutions
are reached when every stakeholder has a voice and an opportunity to be
heard. It's OK to disagree on issues, but it's not OK to refuse to
listen and consider everyone's views. No one person alone has all of
the answers, but together, I am absolutely confident that we can find
all the answers we need.
I look forward to working with you, with your staff, with your
constituents, with the White House and with people all across America
who recognize that the education of our children is our solemn
obligation, our fundamental responsibility, and our greatest
opportunity.
Thank you for the chance to appear before you today. I am happy to
answer any questions.
Senator Harkin. Mr. Duncan, thank you for that very
inspiring and elegant statement. We appreciate that.
It is my understanding that the committee has received a
number of letters from individuals and organizations in support
of Mr. Duncan's nomination. I ask unanimous consent that those
letters be inserted in the record at the appropriate place,
without objection.
[Editor's Note: The information previously referred to may
be found in Additional Material.]
Senator Harkin. I know that Senator Enzi has other
commitments he has to go to, and I will yield to him. In
keeping, again, with Senator Kennedy's strictures, we will have
5-minute rounds. We will start with Senator Enzi.
Senator Enzi. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for this extreme
courtesy.
I thank Mr. Duncan for both his enthusiasm and his
expectations.
One of the questions I have been asking all nominees that
come before this committee is--and I am always hoping for just
a one-word answer. This committee turns out a lot of
legislation, and it is because of the great working
relationship between the majority and the minority.
If confirmed, will you pledge to cooperate in this type of
a working relationship with all Senators on the committee,
Democrat or Republican, by promptly responding to any written
or phone inquiry, sharing information as soon as it becomes
available, and directing your staff to do the same?
Mr. Duncan. Absolutely.
Senator Enzi. Thank you.
And finally, if confirmed, do you agree that regulations
promulgated under your authority should be based on legislative
authority?
Mr. Duncan. Yes.
[Laughter.]
Senator Enzi. Thank you.
I do have some questions that I would ask about rural
education, about the Federal Family Education Loan and about
preschool programs. I would mention that 12 years ago, I think,
we had 115 preschool programs. We are down to 69 preschool
programs. We keep trying to make the ones that are authorized
more effective and better funded, and I hope you will
participate in that process.
We know that a lot of IDEA kids are faced with an uncertain
future once they leave high school, and we will be interested
in your approaches to that along with greater alignment of high
school graduation requirements so that high school students
meet with college entry requirements, as you have done in
Chicago.
I am very impressed with your presentation, and I thank you
for your willingness to take on this job. I will be submitting
questions in writing.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Senator Harkin. Thank you, Senator Enzi.
Mr. Duncan, back in the 1980s, then-President Reagan had
asked a group of business people to set up a committee to look
at education in the United States and to look at it from the
hard-headed business standpoint, not the sort of soft-sided
social sciences type of standpoint, as to what was needed in
education.
This group met, Jim Renier, I think, was the head of it. He
was the head of Honeywell at the time. Then it spilled over
into the first President Bush's administration.
I remember the first report came out. If I am not mistaken,
it was 1989. I had assumed the chairmanship of the
Appropriations Committee on Education at that time, and he
delivered a copy to my office.
Now I had never met Mr. Renier, a very successful
businessman, and he wanted to deliver the report. He wanted to
point to the executive summary. The executive summary of this
2- or 3-year involvement of all these business leaders was
summed up thusly.
``We must understand that education begins at birth, and
the preparation for education begins before birth.''
They got it. This was in the 1980s. As we discussed then
and later on that so many of these kids come to school, they
have had terrible diets. They have had a television as a
babysitter for 4 years. They have come from really tough homes
and tough neighborhoods, as you have pointed out. Maybe they
don't have parents who read to them and take care of them, love
them a lot.
They come to school, and we try to patch and fix and mend.
A lot of times during those early formative years, as you know,
is when the brain really develops. That is when learning really
starts. Yet so many of these kids, we get them in kindergarten
maybe, or if there isn't a kindergarten, first grade, and we
have a tough time.
It has not been really the purview of the Department of
Education in this area. That has sort of been over with the
Department of Health and Human Services. Somehow, we have got
to break this down. The two of you have got to get together.
We have got to get this melded so that we really focus on
that early childhood education, whether it is Early Head Start,
Head Start programs--how that is melded into education.
Somehow, we have to make sure that every child comes to school
ready and able to learn.
Any thoughts that you might have on that, I would
appreciate.
Mr. Duncan. I just echo your sentiments. I think there is
nothing more important we can do than get our children off to a
great start in their life. As you said, we have children--we
see it all the time--who are in kindergarten, who have been
read to, who come to school absolutely fluent in reading. And
you have other children, tragically, that don't know the front
of a book from the back of a book.
How are even the best kindergarten teachers supposed to
handle that great spread in their classroom? It is very, very
difficult.
The best thing we can do is to get to our children as young
as possible to give them the highest quality of programs, to
make sure what we are doing, frankly, isn't just babysitting
and glorified babysitting, but really getting those early
literacy skills, those early socialization skills intact so
that children enter kindergarten ready to learn and ready to
read.
I absolutely commit to working in partnership with Senator
Daschle and with the HHS team in trying to do something
dramatically better for the country around early childhood. We
need to increase access. We need to increase quality, and we
need to make sure that we are getting to our children as young
as we can.
This is a better investment than all of the money we spend
in prisons down the road. Whether it is from an economic
standpoint, whether it is from a human-potential standpoint,
this is the right thing to do, and I will commit to do whatever
I can to work in partnership with him and with HHS to do
something dramatically better for children.
Senator Harkin. I am glad to hear that. We have just got to
somehow break this thing down and get these two together in how
we focus education on these young kids.
I will be, as a member of this committee, but also as the
chairman of the Appropriations Committee, looking for
suggestions and advice from you on how we might do that, and
also from Senator Daschle and, of course, the President. I want
the President involved in this.
Mr. Duncan. Well, as you know, the President has talked
about setting up this early learning commission, this early
childhood commission, which I think is very important. I think
we have to look at this not as leaders of bureaucracies, but
just practically: What is right for children?
Whatever is right for children, we just need to get it
done. I want to bring that spirit to this work.
Senator Harkin. I appreciate that very much. Thank you, Mr.
Duncan.
Now I will yield to Senator Alexander.
Senator Alexander. Thanks, Mr. Chairman. Thanks very much.
This brings back memories for me, Mr. Duncan. Eighteen
years ago, I came before this committee sitting in your place,
my family behind me. I was very innocent, and I nearly got my
head taken off by the Democratic majority, which included
Senator Kennedy, Senator Harkin, and a number of others.
We later developed a very good relationship.
Senator Mikulski. Aww.
[Laughter.]
Senator Alexander. That toughened me up, Barbara.
That is not going to happen to you, and it is not just
because you are a Democratic nominee before a Democratic
majority. President-elect Obama has made several distinguished
Cabinet appointments. From my view of it all, I think you are
the best.
I hope I still think that a year from now, but that is
clearly my view today. I am very impressed by what you have
been able to accomplish and what you have been able to do.
As I mentioned to you, you will find your Cabinet seat is
at the end of the table. You are at the bottom of the line of
succession. If the country wakes up and finds you reassuring it
that everything is all right, that means everything is really
in trouble.
Mr. Duncan. We are in big trouble.
Senator Alexander. We are in big trouble by the time we get
there, but I am very impressed by what you have been able to
accomplish.
I hope we can talk more about standards and whether they
should be--there is a difference between national and Federal
standards, standards imposed from Washington. I hope we can
talk more about--and Senator Mikulski and I have had several
conversations about this--whether our well-meaning rules and
regulations about higher education in some cases actually
interfere with cost and quality. I hope we can talk more about
that.
I hope you will use the--as you follow up on Senator
Harkin's suggestion--the new Head Start approval included
centers of excellence, which governors may pick in their States
to try to use the large amount of Federal money already
appropriated for early childhood in a coordinated way and show
good examples.
The two areas I would like to hear from you about are ones
that after a long time of looking at education come--seem to me
is the most important. It seems to me that parents are first,
and teachers and principals are second, and everything else is
about 5 percent. It is very hard to pass a better parents law.
How are you going to be able, using the Teacher Incentive
Fund or other ideas, to help the country do more of what you
did in Chicago to reward outstanding teaching? And second, how
are you going to be able to help persuade the country that
public charter schools are basically places to give those
outstanding teachers a chance to use their common sense to help
the children that have been delivered to them to help succeed?
Mr. Duncan. Those are great questions, and I look forward
to spending a lot more time with you, Senator. I learned a lot
just in our brief conversation last week and look forward to
continuing to pick your brain regarding some ideas.
In the education business, talent matters tremendously. We
can have the best curriculum. We can have the best technology.
We can have a great facility. If we don't have great teachers
in every classroom, the rest of it just isn't as important.
Whatever we can do to, again, support great teaching,
recognize it, reward it, grow it, that is the most important
thing we can do. Leadership matters. It is a cliche. Any good
school in Chicago, and I would venture to say across the
country, any good school we see, there is a good principal
there.
It is much harder to build a good school than it is to tear
it down. I have seen great principals build a school over a
decade, and 6 months after they are gone, if you don't have the
right succession plan in place, that school is a disaster. So
we are in the talent business.
One of the best things I think Secretary Spellings has
done--and I have learned a lot from her, and she was a great
partner to us in Chicago--was the Teacher Incentive Fund, that
we were able to use to recognize and reward excellence in some
of the toughest communities of Chicago.
This has been done in partnership with the union. This has
been led by a group of great teachers. I have a teacher
advisory council that I work with every single year. They
shaped this program. They built it, and we thought we had some
great ideas. We got a very significant grant from the
Department of Education. We wondered if anyone would be
interested. We had 120 schools show interest.
The more we can reward excellence, the more we can incent
excellence, the more we can get our best teachers to work in
those hard to staff schools and communities, the better our
students are going to do. I plan on spending a lot of time
thinking about how we continue to innovate and how we continue
to incent great talent to come into teaching and then keep that
great talent once it is there.
Second, obviously, I have been a strong supporter of
charter schools, and I will just take a brief second why I
think that is important for us.
First, we have been very, very strict about who we allow to
open a school. This has not been ``let a thousand flowers
bloom.'' We have had a very rigorous front-end process before
we allow a group to open a school. We turn down many more
applicants than we actually select. We only want the best doing
this work.
Once we approve a group, we give them significant autonomy,
and we want to free them from the bureaucracy and give them a
chance to innovate. We also have a 5-year performance contract
and clear accountability, and I think that combination of
autonomy and accountability is very, very powerful. One without
the other, and I think the balance gets a little bit out of
whack.
Ultimately, what I say is that these are our children.
These are our tax dollars. If you ask any second or third
grader, they don't know whether they are going to a traditional
school or a magnet school or a gifted school or a charter
school. A third grader, all they know is does my teacher care
about me? Does the principal care about me? Are they working
hard?
The more we create great schools of any form or fashion,
the better our children are going to do. We have to improve
dramatically.
Our dropout rate is unacceptably high in Chicago. It is
unacceptably high around the country. We have to continue to
build upon what works, do a lot more of it. Things that aren't
working, we have to have the courage to challenge the status
quo.
Senator Alexander. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Mr. Duncan.
Senator Harkin. Thank you, Senator Alexander.
As I said, Mr. Duncan, you can see we have a lot of
expertise on this committee. Another one who is also an expert
in education, Senator Mikulski.
Senator Mikulski. Thank you, Senator Harkin.
Good morning, Mr. Duncan, and to your family and to John
Rogers as well.
I certainly enjoyed our conversation together, and based on
that and reviewing your record, it will be my intention to
support you for confirmation. I think you are a high-altitude,
high-achieving guy, and I think you will absolutely lead our
Department of Education.
I want to thank you for agreeing to serve. You have a great
momentum going in Chicago, and your family is well established.
Your children are in grade school. We know that with you coming
to Washington, you are essentially going to be going through
the same things that our first family is.
I want to thank Karen for being willing to sign up and suit
up as well and your girls for being willing to do this.
The others, I want to acknowledge the presence of Mr. John
Rogers, the founder and chairman and executive leader of Ariel
Mutual Fund, your best friend, as you said. Mr. Rogers, would
you stand up? I would like the committee just to note your
presence.
Mr. Rogers is a real financial entrepreneur, started a
mutual fund, and made, by all Morningstar ratings, one of the
most solid mutual funds in America. While he has been involved
in financial investments, he also put his money into social
investments.
Mr. Rogers, I want to thank you and hope this friendship is
sustained. He is going to need all of the pals he can get. The
Obamas are getting a dog. You get one, too.
[Laughter.]
Mr. Duncan. We got a cat.
Senator Mikulski. Mr. Rogers, I am not saying this to
flatter you. Really, if more Wall Street guys had spent time on
Main Street the way you had, I think both Wall Street and Main
Street would have been better off.
Now, Mr. Duncan, you talked about our conversation with the
``Obama effect.'' I would like to follow that up in my
questions with you related to teachers. Let me say this to my
colleagues.
One week from now, we will be heading to the platform for
the inauguration of President-elect Obama. America will then
see what I think it is already experiencing, three things. The
Obama family itself--our President-elect, our first lady, the
Obama girls.
What they are seeing is a wonderful family, where the
family is intact. The family relates to each other. There is a
strong mother, a strong father, and all the wonderful things
they do. I think that is going to create its own effect.
There is the Obama administration that wants to put the
hopes and dreams of the people who voted for this new President
into action. That is your job. What we all have a chance to do,
all of us, including the Congress, is to harvest the Obama
effect.
I believe that there is a new spirit in the country, that
people want to serve. Not only do they want to sign up for
public service and come to work in Government or in teaching or
in my field, social work, or whatever. They want to be involved
and make a difference.
What we are seeing is teachers are re-invigorated like they
have never been. Young people want to come in to public
service. What we are seeing is even with students in my own
hometown of Baltimore for a summer math program, instead of 10
kids, over 100 showed up, and more on a waiting list. They
actually came even wearing Obama buttons.
This gifted Maryland Teacher of the Year, when she said to
this little boy, ``What do you want to be? '' And he said,
``Smart.'' She felt she had to leave the room, that in her 25
years in Baltimore public schools, no kid had ever said, ``I
want to be smart.''
This is what is out there in America, and this is what I
hope that we can achieve. That is what I mean by the Obama
effect, where we can really make a difference.
Now this takes me to teachers. Every school reform begins
at finger-pointing teachers. Teachers are the first in line to
be blamed, and they are first in time to be regulated. If the
Security Exchange had regulated Wall Street the way we regulate
teachers, we wouldn't be in this financial mess.
Now, my question is, given the Obama effect, how do you see
recruiting and retaining and retooling our teachers because
they are the front line in the classroom?
Mr. Duncan. One of the biggest reasons for our success in
Chicago has not been anything that I have done. It has been the
extraordinary hard work of teachers and what they are doing
every single day. I think there is this groundswell of young
folks who are committed, who are passionate and want to make a
difference.
We have an extraordinary opportunity, and frankly, given
the tough economic times, that actually helps our chances of
recruiting great, great talent to come into the teaching
profession.
I intend to take some of the lessons that we learned going
from 2 to 10 applicants for each teaching position in Chicago.
I want to take some of those lessons, travel the country, and
get the best and brightest from our universities around the
country to come into teaching.
We have a generational change. We have a baby boomer
generation that is moving toward retirement. We are going to
see significant turnover, and we have a chance to bring in just
an extraordinary generation of talented folks into teaching.
I look forward to that. I am excited by that opportunity,
and again----
Senator Mikulski. How will you retain them? Because what we
observe in Maryland is many of our most talented leave after 3
years.
Mr. Duncan. Yes. You need great mentoring programs. You
need great support. What you find, unfortunately, is some young
people who are idealistic and come into it for all the right
reasons. They don't feel listened to. They don't feel
supported. They struggle with classroom management skills. And
guess what? Two or 3 years later, they leave.
We know teaching is an art. It is not a science. Your best
teachers don't get there until 10, 15 years into the
profession. We have to retain those great teachers.
How do you do that? You do it through great mentoring
induction programs. You do it through clear career ladders so
they can see a way to grow and continue to improve their
skills. You do it by training principals to really support
those buildings.
I view principals as CEOs. They have to manage their team.
They have to create a climate where folks want to work. Where
you see great leadership from the principal's seat, you see
real stability within their workforce.
Great mentoring induction programs, particularly in those
early years, are absolutely critical for helping those young
teachers be successful. Any first-year teacher, the best first-
year teacher in the world, is going to struggle. This is
extraordinarily hard work.
We have to help our great teachers get through those tough
times and get through those nights when they go home crying,
thinking, ``I am never going to be any good at this,'' and get
them over the hump and give them a chance to be successful
long-term.
Senator Mikulski. Well, thank you. My time is up.
Mr. Chairman, if I could just ask Mr. Duncan to do one more
thing? It doesn't require an answer.
Senator Alexander talked about higher ed regs, but I want
to talk about Congress. We tend to look at things in a boutique
way. We love to pass lots of legislation, where we either look
for single solutions or silver bullets.
Could you work with us to identify those things where it is
too many good-old micro line-item programs, and we can then
work with you and get real bang for the buck and harvest this
Obama effect?
Mr. Duncan. I appreciate that. We have to be focused. We
can't be all things to all people. We have got to try and be
world class and work extraordinarily hard in a couple of high-
leverage activities. That is what I want to do.
Senator Mikulski. Go Obama.
[Laughter.]
Senator Harkin. Thank you very much.
Next would be Senator Roberts. But Senator Murray has to
leave, and Senator Roberts has graciously ceded to Senator
Murray for this round of questions.
Senator Murray. Thank you so much for your accommodation.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have to go replace another chairman
who is doing an oversight hearing as well.
Mr. Duncan, thank you so much for agreeing to do this
tremendously important job, and for the sacrifice of your
family as well. I saw your wife shaking her head at the dog.
Just so you know, it is not going to happen back there.
Mr. Duncan. I am well aware.
[Laughter.]
Senator Murray. I really appreciate it. It is tremendously
important that we have somebody at the head of this agency who
is really going to tackle a lot of issues to get this country
back on track.
I think education is no doubt one of the most important
issues that we have to tackle with this new Congress and
administration. As a former educator myself, it is very near
and dear to my heart.
In this time of economic turmoil, I can think of no better
way to improve our economy and maintain that competitive edge
for the coming decades than investment in skills for our
students today to make sure they can secure good jobs tomorrow.
We want to create a new green energy economy. We want to
have a strong healthcare system. We need mechanics and laborers
who have the ability to weld and those kinds of skills, too. We
have a lack of people today with the skills to fill high-skill
jobs.
When I travel around my State, business leaders, local
community leaders tell me, ``We have job openings. We have
people who are unemployed. We don't have the skill set matches
to make sure the unemployed have those jobs.''
Making sure that we empower our local communities to
provide a pathway for all of our students to the careers of
tomorrow is extremely important. I will be introducing
legislation this year to bring those communities and employers
and schools together to help provide those pathways for our
students to succeed.
I wanted to ask you this morning how you think, as
Secretary of Education, you can help our communities identify
and create ways for all of our young people today to get the
skills they are going to need tomorrow?
Mr. Duncan. There has been a disconnect between educators
and the business community. I think we should really work hand-
in-hand. As you said, there are jobs that are going unfilled
because we are not preparing students, and yet we struggle with
unemployment rates.
We need to think more about a host of skills--nursing being
one--that are never going to be exported, that are never going
to go overseas, where people can come out of high school and
get some additional training and be extraordinarily successful.
Community by community, city by city, State by State, we
need to really be working in partnership in helping to prepare
our students for 21st century skills. I think we have a moral
obligation to do that. We have a huge opportunity to do that.
We need to think about apprenticeship programs and
internships and giving our students a chance to get a sense for
why this work is so important and the opportunities they have.
Some of our young people don't live in communities where many
people are working. It is hard for them to even imagine what
that looks like.
By working in partnership with the business community, by
listening, by creating better educational opportunities and
really exposing our students to the opportunities that are
available, we can do a lot better.
Senator Murray. Well, I appreciate that. The mantra of the
last 8 years has been No Child Left Behind. I would like to see
that changed so that every child has the skill we need.
Mr. Duncan. Yes.
Senator Murray. I hope that we can work on that together.
My colleagues had a chance to talk to you about early
childhood education, an issue near and dear to my heart. I hope
that you and the Secretary of HHS can break down some of those
barriers and work together on Head Start and early childhood
education as well. I assume you will do that.
In just the minute I have left, I did want to mention, Mr.
Chairman, that we have had several issues requiring the
oversight of our Federal student loan program over the past
Administration. Hundreds of millions of dollars in subsidies
were improperly paid to some of our lenders.
Today, community college students are struggling to get
loans at a time when we need them to be getting good skills. We
see the credit crunch affecting this. It will require a lot of
strong oversight from you.
In my last few seconds here, if you could comment on that
because I am extremely concerned about it?
Mr. Duncan. As am I. I want to commend this group here in
Congress and Secretary Spellings for working to shore up some
of those challenges. We need to view all of these issues
through the lens of what is right for our students, who are
trying to improve and trying to go to the next level. That is
how I am going to view this.
We need to expand access. We need to expand affordability
and to create more opportunities for students. This is an area
where I want to spend a lot of time and attention.
One thing that hasn't come up that is just a real basic
thing I want to try and work on early is the actual form, the
financial aid form for going on to college, the FAFSA form. I
don't know if any of you have completed one lately, but you
basically have to have a Ph.D. to figure that thing out. In and
of itself, it is a huge barrier.
Think about all of our children who are first generation or
ELL students, and who are trying to do well and succeed: the
form itself is a hindrance.
Impediments like that--anything that isn't working in the
best interests of our students who are desperately trying to go
on to some form of higher education--community colleges, 2-year
colleges, 4-year universities, whatever it might be--we have to
be smart and pragmatic and thoughtful in trying to remove those
barriers.
Senator Murray. Well, thank you very much. Thank you for
the conversations we have had, and I do look forward to working
with you as the head of this critical agency.
Senator Roberts, Senator Harkin, thank you so much for your
accommodation.
Senator Harkin. Thank you, Senator Murray.
Senator Roberts.
Senator Roberts. I thank you, Senator Murray, and Boeing
forever. A little inside comment there, Mr. Duncan.
I don't ride with the expert education posse. I simply read
to kids. I used to be a classroom teacher before Senator
Alexander got his head taken off by Senator Harkin, which he is
pretty good at doing that on occasion, and usually it works
pretty well.
At any rate, thank you for coming by my office. Thanks for
the very good, good, good visit. I think you have made an
excellent statement. You are making an excellent impression. I
think you are going to come through with flying colors.
I have three questions, and the answer to the three are
yes. So we can get done real fast.
[Laughter.]
Impact Aid is based on enrollment figures from 2 years ago.
Then we have the BRAC. We have several Impact Aid areas in
Kansas due to Fort Riley and Fort Leavenworth. We need to
address this issue to make sure that our schools are up to date
and adequate with large increases in student enrollment. I know
you will do that, right?
Mr. Duncan. Yes, sir.
Senator Roberts. Science and math competency is
increasingly essential to this country. We had a science and
math program in one of the bills we passed last year. All of
the committee supports that not only because of the global
economy, but because of national security.
I know that you are a strong supporter on what needs to be
done to encourage students to pursue studies in math, science,
and technology, right?
Mr. Duncan. Yes, sir.
Senator Roberts. Now here is the one that if there are any
cameras, they will start clicking.
[Laughter.]
They don't click at me, but they will click at you. It is a
funny thing. You will sit there like this, and you will say
something terribly important, and obviously, they won't take
your picture. If you raise your hand like this or point or
maybe pound a fist like that----
[Laughter.]
Yes, OK, get ready, guys. Because this is the biggie. This
is the biggest unfunded mandate that the U.S. Congress has
foisted on the American public and the American school system
ever since conceived.
Thirty years ago, we promised that we would pay 40 percent
of the excess cost of educating a special needs youngster,
IDEA--40 percent. Now we are nowhere near--I think it is 14
percent now, Mr. Chairman. I don't know.
Senator Harkin. Sixteen.
Senator Roberts. Sixteen. Well, it is 16 in Iowa. It is
only 14 in Kansas. At any rate----
[Laughter.]
That needs to be changed. I think Senator Harkin, Senator
Hagel, and myself were the three musketeers who voted for full
funding, full funding for IDEA. Think of what would happen to
the school districts all throughout Illinois or Kansas or Iowa
or Oklahoma or wherever, if, in fact, we paid that, which is
simply an unfunded mandate.
It is a good program. On the other hand, if you had a
school that is really doing its job and they are doing a great
job with the special need kids, under No Child Left Behind, you
don't measure growth, all of a sudden you can be penalized. We
talked about that.
I guess my question to you is or my statement to you is,
please, help us to do everything we can to get that funding up
to 40 percent. As far as I am concerned, it ought to be fully
funded. I am sure you will do that, right?
Mr. Duncan. I appreciate your tremendous commitment here,
and I can just say I have lived on the other end of the
unfunded mandate to the tune--
Senator Roberts. Wave your arms so they can take a picture.
[Laughter.]
No, that is surrender.
[Laughter.]
That is what the French do. We don't do that. You know,
give it a chop. There, like that. Come on, guys. OK.
Mr. Duncan. I have lived on the other side of the unfunded
mandate to a tune of about $250 million. So I know. I have
lived how tough the flip side of that is.
Though you didn't ask about it, I just want to commend you
on the reading to children that you do here. I think it is the
Everyone Wins! program that you and a few other Senators
participate in, which I think is something that would be great
for me and my team to do to really stay connected to kids in
classrooms. I look forward to learning more about that and
perhaps joining you in that program.
Senator Roberts. Well, you made a commitment to come out to
Kansas City or actually to real Kansas, which is west of there,
and read to kids, which I do a lot. It is the Reading Is
Fundamental program. It has been around for about 35 years.
Then we had the first lady, Laura Bush, come out and read to
our youngsters.
I only read to second and third graders. You can take the
fourth graders. They are a little too sharp for me.
Mr. Duncan. Stick to your sweet spot.
Senator Roberts. That is a good comment.
[Laughter.]
Tom, write that down for me.
All right. Do you know why those teachers left after 2
years that Senator Mikulski was talking about? It is called
money. It is called raising a family.
Now if you are not married, if you are a single teacher,
OK. It is called money. We talked about opening up the back
door to education, to people who have had experience in
business and the military, whatever. I know that there is all
the rigmarole that you have to go through to get there from
here to become eligible for whatever criteria each State has.
The one I love the best is the standard deviation test,
which nobody uses because you can't have enough time to use the
thing. I suppose it is helpful for somebody sitting there who
dreamed it up, but anything we can do to help in regards to
teacher pay. I don't expect you to have any sudden answers to
that.
That has been a real problem, except for IDEA. If we could
fund IDEA, guess what would happen? All sorts of good things
would happen.
I am done. Thank you.
Mr. Duncan. Thank you.
Senator Harkin. Mr. Duncan, you have just observed what I
have said many times, that Senator Roberts is a rarity here on
the Hill. He is actually as funny as he thinks he is.
[Laughter.]
Senator Reed.
Senator Reed. Well, thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
Welcome, Mr. Duncan.
Mr. Duncan. Thank you.
Senator Reed. I think the President has made a very wise
choice. Your experience and your commitment is obvious, and I
think you will make a real difference in the Department of
Education. I welcome your appointment very, very much. Welcome
to your family.
I think it is significant that so much of what we have all
talked about--Senator Alexander, Senator Mikulski, Senator
Murray--has been teacher preparation, teacher retention. As we
discussed in our meeting, and I absolutely agree with you, that
that is probably the key, the key point of leverage in any
education system.
Last year, in Title II, the Higher Education Act, we tried
to focus on the preparation of teachers, trying to induce
education schools to provide a clinical experience, trying to
have a plan for mentoring and continuity afterwards. That is
the law. I would hope you would be able to tell us you are
going to put your shoulder behind the law and money behind it
to make these provisions in title II very effective and real in
the process.
Mr. Duncan. We need to work with higher education to really
make sure, as you said, that teachers are being very well
prepared for the practical reality. And yes, you need the
pedagogical skills. Yes, you need the theory and the
philosophy. You need to be in classrooms working with children
and getting used to that.
There is one university that we have worked with back home,
Illinois State, that actually has students spending 6 months in
the communities with us. We have actually sort of created a
dorm-like setting in Little Village, a Hispanic community in
Chicago, where students live for 6 months, become part of the
community, part of the culture, and teach in classrooms. That
kind of thinking outside of the box, I think, is extraordinary.
There are teacher residency programs. I think there is
great talent that, frankly, doesn't come through higher
education or through schools of education. We have done a lot
around alternatively certified teachers. We have brought 1,200
alternatively certified teachers in.
We have, again, a wealth of talent and commitment and
interest around this country, and the more we can harness that
and bring it into our classrooms, there are only benefits for
our children by doing that well.
Senator Reed. Well, again, I hope you can harness those
practical experiences you have to the title II legislation and
really provide the kind of movement on this mentoring and
induction problem.
Mr. Duncan. Yes.
Senator Reed. There is another area which complements this,
and legislation that I was pleased to co-sponsor with the
President-elect, the School Improvement Through Teacher Quality
Act, which would provide a separate source of funding right to
title I schools for this whole issue of mentoring not just the
first- and second-year teachers, but the whole school
community.
Because I think, in addition to retaining teachers--we have
focused on that--school improvement is a direct function of the
ability to continually mentor and upgrade the skills of every
teacher. Can you comment upon that? Can you support that
initiative?
Mr. Duncan. I just think the day we stop learning and
growing is the day that we start to let our students down.
Whether it is 2-year teachers, whether it is 5-year teachers,
whether it is a 20-year veteran, we all have to continue to
learn and grow and get better at what we do.
I think that, philosophically, that is exactly the
direction we have to go. What you see around the country is you
see your best teachers continuing to improve their skills and
get better. They set an extraordinary example, and we have to
make that the norm and do everything we can to support those
efforts.
I talked earlier about these career ladders for teachers.
How do you help teachers continue to grow and learn, take on
additional leadership skills?
Some great teachers want to become principals, and that is
fantastic. Some great teachers want to teach for their 35-, 40-
year careers, and we need to really support them and enable
them to have a high impact and great leadership as they
progress throughout their career.
Senator Reed. Well, thank you very much.
Let me quickly switch gears in the remaining minute or so.
At the higher education level, we have and I have been
particularly active in supporting the LEAP program, Leveraging
Education Assistance Partnership. It is, as the name implies, a
grant program, a partnership between the State and the Federal
Government.
We try to incentivize the States to put money in to help
low and moderate income students with financial assistance.
This is part of the whole panoply of Pell Grants, Stafford
Loans, assistance to people who need assistance, that have
talent but need the resources to go to college.
I would hope that you would not neglect this part, the LEAP
program, that you could successfully incorporate it to
complement these other efforts.
Mr. Duncan. I just really appreciate your tremendous
leadership on this issue. Again, we have to dramatically
increase access and affordability for all students to go on to
some form of higher education. I think that is what your work
is about. That is what you are trying to accomplish.
To conclude, I really appreciate your leadership and look
forward to doing everything we can collectively to get more
students, particularly students from poor communities and poor
families, particularly first generation students, not just
thinking about college, but graduating from high school. Those
are the students that need these opportunities, and we have to
do everything we can to support them and help them to be
successful.
Senator Reed. Well, thank you very much, and good luck.
Thank you.
Mr. Duncan. Thank you.
Senator Harkin. Thank you, Senator Reed.
Senator Coburn.
Senator Coburn. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Welcome. Probably the most important question that hasn't
been asked is the rumor that you can beat Barack on the round
ball court. Is that true?
Mr. Duncan. We have a lot of fun together.
Senator Coburn. That is what I thought.
[Laughter.]
He knows how to answer questions already, doesn't he?
A couple of things, just specific. One of the problems that
we are having today with special ed is a ruling that has come
out of the Department of Education on the fabulous special ed
teachers that we have, that not only do they have to be highly
qualified in one area, they have to be highly qualified in
every area in which they teach.
In Oklahoma, we are experiencing, or we are about to
experience, the loss of our best special ed teachers because if
they don't have a master's degree in every area, they are no
longer going to be eligible to teach those kids who need their
skills. My hope is that you will help us solve this dilemma
before we lose some of the greatest teachers we have throughout
the country.
A second point that I would make is--and I actually talked
to President-elect Obama last night about your nomination and
our conversation. One of the things that has given hope and
promise for change in this country is his declaration that
line-by-line reviews are going to take place in every agency.
Government programs that aren't performing, that are
wasteful, duplicative, or obsolete are going to be gone. Paying
for commitments for new programs by eliminating the ones that
aren't working, and rooting out redundancy, and the fact that
every Federal contract above $25,000 is going to be
competitively bid.
Is it your intention to honor that as you work in the
Department of Education?
Mr. Duncan. I think our resources are desperately scarce,
and I think as much as we want to fund more for education, we
can never do enough. I think we have a moral obligation to use
every dollar wisely.
It is easy to start things. It is much harder to stop doing
things, and we have struggled with that in Chicago. We want to
do everything we can to get every scarce dollar to schools and
communities and children that need them the most.
Senator Coburn. You do plan on doing a line-by-line review
within your department?
Mr. Duncan. I will need a team to help me do that. I can't
do it alone. Again, my focus is taking scarce resources and
putting them into those high-leverage activities that are
making the biggest difference. That is the only way we can----
Senator Coburn. OK. I am trying to get you on record saying
you are actually going to perform the review, as he promised
that we would do, that we would do a review of the agencies.
Mr. Duncan. I would be happy to. I need to. I have to
perform a review to figure out what is working and what is not.
Senator Coburn. OK. The only other question, I must say I
have been very impressed with my conversation with you and the
research that I have performed and your commitment not to an
idea, but to our kids and the future of this country.
One of the things that the President-elect and I did was
the Transparency and Accountability Act. He is going to work
hard to make it happen, but I am going to ask you the question
anyhow.
Under that law, you are required, every agency in the
Federal Government all the way down to the United Nations and
our contributions, are required to report where the money goes,
who gets it, the contracts, the subcontracts, the grantees, and
the subgrantees. Will you assure this committee that you will
enforce that within the Department of Education in compliance
with that law?
Mr. Duncan. Yes, absolutely. Again, that is simply how we
have done business back in Chicago, that every contract above
$25,000 is competitively bid and goes through the board. Again,
we have this obligation to spend tight tax dollars absolutely
as wisely and thoughtfully as we can.
Senator Coburn. All right. Thank you.
Mr. Chairman, I have no other questions.
Senator Harkin. Thank you very much.
I guess back and forth, but Senator Isakson goes next.
Senator Isakson.
Senator Isakson. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
First of all, I have been involved in education my entire
public service career and never had a more enjoyable
conversation with anyone than I had with you when we met the
other day. I want to commend you on what you have accomplished.
Although I did not hear your testimony because I am on
Foreign Relations, and Mrs. Clinton is going through that
confirmation today, if everything you said earlier before I got
here is equal to what you said in my office, you are going to
be a great Secretary of Education.
Mr. Duncan. Thank you.
Senator Isakson. Senator Coburn raised a question and then
asked a second one. The first one never got asked, and I want
to start with that. The highly qualified requirements of No
Child Left Behind in practical application, particularly with
regard to special needs, do not work.
You and I talked about this in my office when we met, and I
talked to you about alternative certification, which I learned
is something you had an interest in as well. It is probably the
only way we reach the demand of having enough teachers in the
21st century to teach our children.
Would you address that subject, particularly in regards to
highly qualified and special ed?
Mr. Duncan. Let me take both of them, and they are related.
Obviously, as I stated earlier, I have been a big fan of
alternative certification. Over the past 5 years, we have
brought in 1,200 alternatively certified teachers. These are
people with great skills and experiences--chemical engineers,
biologists, physicists--who want to come work with our
children.
These are folks that historically were locked out of public
education. Couldn't come teach our kids. We tried to break down
those walls and give them an opportunity to make a difference
with our students.
In terms of looking at sort of the highly qualified rules
for teachers, as we go into No Child Left Behind
reauthorization, we need to really think again what is
practical, what is right for teachers, what is right for
students. Where things are working, we need to stick with them
and stay the course. Where things are impractical or have had
consequences that were maybe unintended, we should just be
thoughtful and pragmatic and fix those things.
Senator Isakson. I appreciate that recognition. You know,
you will be under a lot of pressure, and I imagine we will,
too, as members of the Senate and members of the House, to
dismantle parts of No Child Left Behind. I think it is
important to recognize that it has achieved its stated purpose,
which is improving or lowering the gap between those who are
inner-city poor title I kids, rural poor kids and the best
achieving, and that in math and reading comprehension they are
improving.
I will acknowledge there is some work that needs to be done
to improve it, and two other areas I want to mention real
quickly. One is the assessment of special needs kids. It is
very difficult to have a one-size-fits-all paper and pencil
assessment vehicle for special needs children, who have a
multiplicity of problems all individual and unique to
themselves.
I have long advocated letting the IEP, which is the
individual education program that the parent and the teacher
come together every year and decide on, to be the determining
factor for what the assessment of a special needs child is, and
I would appreciate your response to that.
Mr. Duncan. I appreciate your thoughtfulness. Senator
Harkin and I had a lengthy conversation about this. I really
tend to agree with you. I think we need just to be thoughtful
and pragmatic about this, and to have a one-size-fits-all
mentality doesn't make sense in this category.
If you look at the ELL population as well, you want to have
assessments that accurately assess students' abilities. If you
give any child an assessment that they can't read or can't
comprehend, what benefit is that to the child? What are we, as
adults, learning from that? Probably more importantly, what
lessons or what messages are we sending to children?
Working with teachers, working with parents, working with
school psychologists or social workers, working with whomever
else might be engaged, we can be thoughtful and figure this out
at a local level.
Senator Isakson. I think I have got enough time for one
more question that begs an answer of some distance probably.
One of the other major issues is the issue of AYP, and one
disaggregated group failing to meet AYP and an entire school
becoming ``needs improvement'' when, in fact, by and large, it
is achieving at very satisfactory rates.
Oftentimes--particularly in rural systems, but also in
urban systems--it is the disaggregated special needs group that
will cause that to happen. You and I discussed the growth model
or disaggregated circumstances or some way to bridge from ``not
achieving'' before you go into ``needs improvement.'' Would you
address that subject?
Mr. Duncan. Yes, and what I really do respect about what
has happened in the past is that we now have to disaggregate
data. We have to look at subgroups. We can't hide behind the
aggregate and sweep children under the rug who historically
have not been, frankly, served well. I think that is very, very
important.
Having said that, to label a school itself as a failure, an
entire school, because one child and one subgroup didn't hit a
mark or didn't hit a bar, to me, represents a lack of pragmatic
logic.
If individual children need additional support and
additional tutoring, let us do that. Let us make sure the
medicine fits what is going on there. Let us not take too blunt
an instrument to an entire school or to a school community
where that doesn't make sense.
I am a big fan of the growth model. I am really interested
in how much students are learning and gaining and growing each
year. The best teachers in the world take kids who are very far
behind and accelerate their rate of growth. They may not hit an
absolute target that year, but those teachers are not failures.
In fact, they are actually heroes.
Again, I want to find those students, and just take one
quick moment on this because this is important. If the average
child, let us say, is gaining 1 year's growth in math or
English for a year's instruction. If, in a given classroom, and
we see this throughout the country, we have students gaining
1.7 years, 2 years of growth for a year's instruction, those
teachers are doing a Herculean job, and we need to recognize
that. We need to reward that. We need to incent that.
Senator Isakson. Well, my time is up. I will just comment,
the biggest challenge our teachers face in America is the
discipline challenge with students in the classroom. To you and
your wife, who have done such a great job with Ryan, who is so
well behaved, I hope you can do that with every child in
America's classrooms.
[Laughter.]
Mr. Duncan. They are on their best behavior today.
Senator Harkin. Thank you, Senator Isakson.
Senator Sanders.
Senator Sanders. Thank you, Senator Harkin.
Mr. Duncan, thanks so much for coming in the other day.
Enjoyed our conversation. And thanks for the work you have done
in Chicago.
Let me start off by making this point and asking you to
comment on it. We talk a lot about wasting money in Government,
and one of the ways we waste money is by not putting funds into
prevention, allowing situations to deteriorate, whether it is
in healthcare and education or many other areas.
In America today, Mr. Duncan, as you probably know, 18
percent of our children live in poverty. That is, by far, the
highest rate of poverty for children of any major country on
Earth. Meanwhile, the other side of that equation is we have
more people in jail than any country on Earth, including China.
Amazing fact.
In your judgment, is there a correlation between the high
rate of childhood poverty and the fact that so many kids drop
out of school, intellectually drop out by the time they are 8?
Do drugs, do crime, do self-destructive activity. We end up
spending $50,000 a year keeping them in jail rather than
investing in education, rather than investing in childcare.
Part of that question, what are you going to do to deal
with the disaster in terms of childcare and early childhood
education so that in Vermont and all over this country, working
families today at the most important moment in a child's life
cannot find high-quality, affordable childcare?
Mr. Duncan. Well, as the President-elect has talked about
repeatedly, and he has a huge passion and commitment around
this, he totally understands, totally gets the fact that the
best thing we can do for children is give them access to high-
quality early childhood programs.
The more we are getting to our young children before they
hit kindergarten, the more this is not glorified babysitting,
but really getting their early literacy skills, their early
socialization skills intact, so they hit kindergarten ready to
read and ready to learn, the better our students are going to
do.
As a country, if we can invest more in education and less
in jail cells, I think that is absolutely what we all have to
be thinking about.
Senator Sanders. Specifically with regard to childcare, do
you agree that our current early childhood education situation
is totally inadequate? What can you tell us will happen in the
next 4 years?
Mr. Duncan. Well, again, as the President-elect has said
repeatedly, he wants to increase not just the quality, but also
access to early childhood education. I will tell you in Chicago
we have each year increased by 1,000 to 1,500 seats the number
of children able to go into high-quality programs for 3- and 4-
year-olds.
The President has, from day one, reiterated his tremendous
commitment to improving both the quality and the access around
the country.
Senator Sanders. Would you agree that our goal should be
that every parent in this country should be able to find access
to high-quality, affordable childcare?
Mr. Duncan. I think we have to move toward that opportunity
for universal access. Again, the more we are getting to our
children early, the better they are going to do.
Senator Sanders. In terms of prevention and protecting
people's well being and saving money--I know Senator Harkin has
been a leader on this. In terms of healthcare, primary
healthcare, I know in Vermont, we are beginning to have a
little bit of success with dental facilities in schools,
healthcare facilities.
Does the idea of bringing healthcare into the schools so
that we can detect kids' problems early on make sense to you?
Mr. Duncan. This is a larger point, and I touched upon it
earlier in my statement. I think the more our schools become
community centers, the more they become centers of community
and family life, the better our children can do.
The days in which schools are open 6 hours a day, and the
child goes home for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich at 2:30
p.m. with mom at home--that doesn't work for two-parent working
families. That doesn't work for single moms working two or
three jobs. That doesn't work for, in Chicago, 9,000 homeless
children.
Senator Sanders. It certainly doesn't work in Vermont. The
world has changed, and we have not recognized that anymore.
Mr. Duncan. The more we are creative in thinking about how
our schools are open not 6 hours, but 12 hours and Saturdays
and over the summer, the more we are co-locating services--GED,
ESL, healthcare clinics--the more those schools become the
centers of community life, the better our children are going to
do.
Senator Sanders. Now I know that President-elect Obama has
been very strong on this issue, as I am, and I am sure many
other members of this committee are. That is the concept of
expanded education.
To make it clear that after-school programs should be
available, that Saturday programs should be available, that
summer programs should be available so kids, especially lower
income kids, don't lose what they have learned. Does that make
sense to you?
Mr. Duncan. It has been a huge fight and passion of mine in
Chicago. Many of the opportunities I had going to a great
private school in Chicago--the things that were the norm for
me, a chance to experience arts enrichment or cultural
enrichment or debate or model U.N. or chess--are somehow seen
as extra, not important for public school children.
We have fought very, very hard to dramatically increase--
whether it is during the school day or, again, during the
nonschool hours--opportunities for every child to develop their
skills, to develop their unique interests and talent, and give
them reason to be motivated to come to school every single day.
Maybe it is the chess team. Maybe it is debate. Maybe it is
yearbook. We want every child to have those kinds of
opportunities to grow their unique skills and interests.
Senator Sanders. Well, Mr. Duncan, I am certainly going to
very strongly support your nomination, and I look forward to
working with you. You have just an enormous responsibility on
your shoulders because we have not done well by the kids of
this country, and there is so much to be done. I look forward
to working with you to make those changes.
Mr. Duncan. Thank you so much.
Senator Sanders. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Senator Harkin. Thank you, Senator Sanders.
Senator Burr.
Senator Burr. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Arne, welcome. My apologies for my tardiness. I was
downstairs with the President's nominee for energy.
Mr. Duncan. You have got a few things going on.
Senator Burr. Clearly, I, in one morning, have the two
smartest nominees that the President has made in you and Dr.
Chu, and that makes it challenging. More importantly, when Tom
Coburn was asking his questions and you answered, I realized
that competitive bidding is something that is not unfamiliar in
Illinois, is it?
[Laughter.]
Mr. Duncan. I apologize on behalf of my State.
Senator Burr. First question, most important, did you watch
the Wake-Carolina game on Sunday night?
Mr. Duncan. I didn't, but I saw the results, yes.
Senator Burr. For a guy who takes great pride in having
close games against Duke, I think it would stimulate you
greatly to see Carolina get beat. It was a good game.
I was going to ask you about the FAFSA, but you are on the
record. We need to change it. This is insane. Let me go to a
couple of other areas, if I can.
The United States is now the only industrialized Nation in
the world where a kid has a lesser chance of graduating from
high school than their parents did. Last year in the United
States, we graduated 70 percent of our 9th through 12th graders
on time. In my State of North Carolina, it is 69 percent.
If you are African-American, it is 55 percent. If you are
Latino, it is 52 percent. Some studies suggest that if you take
the 12 largest metropolitan areas in the country, that the
high-water mark for African-American graduation, 9 through 12,
on time is 25 percent.
That is what is fueling the prison construction and prison
costs, welfare payments that are increasing, food stamp
payments that are increasing. Because today's 21st century
economy requires a minimum of a high school diploma not to be
able to fill out an application, but to be invited for an
interview.
We are fooling ourselves if we believe that, as a country,
we can sit here with a 70 percent graduation rate from high
school on time and that those other 30 percent of our kids are
going to have the tools to compete. It is not going to happen.
I know from the conversation you and I have had that you
get it. As Secretary of Education, what are you going to do to
try to change that?
Mr. Duncan. A couple of quick comments, and this is a huge
issue. I think what you have seen is the United States hasn't
so much fallen behind as other countries have passed us. Other
countries have taken this much more seriously, and whether you
look at high school graduation rates or college graduation
rates, we have been sort of stagnant or dropped a bit. Others
are really soaring.
That is not a good thing from any view. From an economic
standpoint, from a human standpoint, we have to do something
dramatically better.
A couple of thoughts. Despite those very, very sobering
statistics that are real and that present huge challenges, we
today have examples--not just in Chicago, but around the
country--of extraordinary schools in the heart of our toughest
communities where 95 percent of students are graduating, where
the overwhelming majority are going to college and, guess what,
graduating from college.
These examples, frankly, are new probably in the last 10 to
15 years. I want to push very hard to scale up what works, to
continue to innovate. We don't have to look overseas for great,
great examples. We can learn something there, but we have them
in our back yards across this country today.
We have a chance to take to scale those things that are
making a difference in students' lives, and there is a set of
extraordinary schools and programs that are doing that every
single day.
Second, I think we have to continue to shine a spotlight on
this dropout issue, and I intend to do that. We have to tell
the story--the good, the bad, the ugly. Unfortunately, it is
not something any of us can be proud of.
I am proud that we have seen 7 years of reductions in the
dropout rate in Chicago, but it is still unacceptably high. We
have to, as a country, challenge ourselves to change those
numbers pretty significantly.
I would argue that while third grade test scores are
important and that is how many of us were measured, if my third
grade test scores are fantastic and my dropout rates are too
high, I am not helping my students be successful. I am not
changing their lives.
In as many ways as I can, both from the bully pulpit as
well as strategically, I want to shine a spotlight on this and
see if we can reverse those trends significantly.
The final thing I will say, and you know this so well, is
that if we are serious about reducing the dropout rate, we
can't wait until 11th or 12th grade. Those kids are gone. They
are on the streets. We have had a huge push on dramatically
changing what happens between eighth and ninth grade.
That ninth grade year is so critical to us. We have to stem
this problem before it begins, and I am committed to trying to
do that.
Senator Burr. You mentioned college graduation, the success
from that. Every year, more than a million full-time, first-
time degree-seeking students start college. Yet fewer than 40
percent of those students pick up their degree in 4 years, and
barely 60 percent pick up their degree in 6 years.
My question is going to be sort of strange to you. How long
should the Federal Government be obligated to extend Pell to a
full-time student who can't find a way to graduate?
Currently, we extend Pell for 18 months. If that were
extended to--or excuse me, 18 semesters. If that were
extrapolated for a full-time student, that would mean that they
could stay in 9 years, and we would still be subsidizing what
most students achieve or try to achieve in 4 years. Do we need
to rethink this?
Mr. Duncan. That is a good question that I don't know the
answer to and need to take a look at it. I will say a couple of
things. I think, again, we have to really think about how we
try to dramatically increase the high school graduation rate
and the college graduation rate.
I absolutely recognize that there are many students,
particularly, who might be 22, 23, coming back to school to be
retrained and to get those skills they need to enter the
workforce today. There are many folks who need to work part-
time and maybe raise a family. It might be a single mom who is
taking classes in the evening and trying to make ends meet, and
I want to do everything we can to support those folks.
I don't have a concrete answer to your--should there be a
final cutoff at the end of the day? For young people who are
trying to go to the next level and see going back to school as
a way to do that, I want to be supportive of those efforts.
Senator Burr. Well, I hope for those that are shocked by
the 70 percent graduation rate in high school, that they are
even more shocked today to hear that barely 60 percent of our
higher education students graduate in 6 years.
Mr. Duncan. Yes.
Senator Burr. I think that should be shocking to most of
us.
Mr. Chairman, could I indulge you for one more question
since it is just you and me and the Senator from Vermont?
Arne, you and I talked last week about attracting the best
and the brightest teachers in our classrooms. Especially as it
relates to low-income, underperforming schools, how crucial
that is to the success of that school and to the students.
In North Carolina, three school systems--Guilford,
Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Cumberland--have gone to a pay-for-
performance model. You did that in Chicago. They have been
successful at the attraction of talent. You were successful and
continue to be at the attraction of talent.
What can you do as Secretary to help put pay for
performance in the game for more systems, and is that one of
the models that we should try to increase the ability for
systems that are failing to get the teachers they need?
Mr. Duncan. I think the challenge of getting great talent
into the communities that need it most is a huge one. Let me
tell you, it is one of the areas where I am, frankly, most
optimistic because I have seen, every day, extraordinary talent
walk away from other jobs, other professions, other
opportunities because they are so committed to these children
and these communities, and they want to make a difference. We
have to find a whole host of ways to support that great talent
go where it needs to go.
I stated earlier one of the things that most helped us, and
for which I really want to commend Secretary Spellings, was the
Teacher Incentive Fund. The Department of Education created a
significant fund. It was of great benefit to us in Chicago and
other places, and that is something that I want to not just
support, but potentially increase.
That is a piece of it. We want to reward excellence. You
want to get great folks working where you want them and where
you need them the most. We talked earlier about creating real
career ladders and leadership opportunities for teachers to
stay there. I think we can't do enough to reward and recognize
and incent excellence and get the best and brightest working in
communities where great talent has fled historically.
Historically, there has been an out migration of that
talent. We have to find ways to reverse that and bring those
folks in. I know we can do it. I have seen it happen. I want to
work very hard in that area.
Senator Burr. Well, let me thank you for your comments
today. More importantly, let me thank you and your family for
your willingness to do what you are doing.
Mr. Chairman, it is important that I point out this is not
only a guy that gets it, he gets better as time goes on. As a
sophomore, he fouled out of the Duke game.
[Laughter.]
As a junior, he scored 20 points and was instrumental in
almost pulling off a victory, and I think this is a talent we
need to expeditiously get in place. I encourage the Chair to
move it quickly.
Thank you.
Mr. Duncan. Thank you, sir.
Senator Harkin. Thank you, Senator Burr.
I was just making some notes here, Mr. Duncan, on talking
about teacher quality and enticing teachers and getting the
best teachers. I am sure you must be familiar with Wendy Kopp
and Teach For America.
A high percentage of those students who graduate and join
Teach For America eventually stay in teaching. All of the data
that I have seen indicates that they have become very excellent
teachers.
Yet, we don't put much money into it. I asked for the
figure. I fund it through our Appropriations Committee at the
level of $14 million for a year. They could use a substantial
amount more than that.
Give me your thoughts on Teach For America and how it might
also help provide quality teachers.
Mr. Duncan. Sure, I am happy to do that, and I am a huge
fan of Wendy's. Let me just start there. I think there is a
generation of what I call education entrepreneurs who are
really helping to change the face of education. Wendy Kopp is
one of them. John Schnur is here today, who runs New Leaders
for New Schools, which trains great principals to go into
communities that have been underserved.
We have seen a great, great partnership with Teach For
America in Chicago. Actually, I worked on that before I got
this job. When I was working for the previous CEO, Paul Vallas,
I helped to bring Teach For America to Chicago. They have done
an extraordinary job, again, of bringing the best and brightest
from around the country into teaching.
Many stay. What has been interesting to me and that I
didn't fully appreciate or understand early on was that not
only are there great teachers coming through the program, but
it is a great pipeline of talent. Many of the new schools that
we have opened, a disproportionate percentage of the principals
who are running those schools are Teach For America alumni.
You get these people who have this great vision and this
entrepreneurial spirit and a willingness to innovate. The
leader of my curriculum for all of my high schools, for 110
high schools, is a Teach For America alumni. We have many Teach
For America alumni within my management team.
Yes, they produce great teachers. Programs like that bring
talent into our field where we desperately need that kind of
talent. I want to support the whole generation that Wendy Kopp
and John Schnur and others represent, who I think are changing
the face of public education. I want to do everything I can to
support their efforts.
Again, if something is working, we need to scale it up and
do a lot more of it and do it as fast as we can.
Senator Harkin. There is another program called Follow The
Leaders program, but I will talk to you about that----
Mr. Duncan. OK. I am not familiar with that one.
Senator Harkin. We have it in Iowa and a few other States,
and we have been funding it. All of the indications are that it
has been a great success. We will look at that more later on.
I am glad that you are supportive of Teach For America,
even though Wendy went to a different school than you did. I am
glad you are not holding it against her because she went to
Princeton, right? You are not holding it against her?
Mr. Duncan. I could care less about any of that.
Senator Harkin. Mr. Rogers here will keep you on track on
Princeton.
Two other things, just for the record, we talked in the
office about kids with disabilities. It came up again. And you
know about the 1 percent and the 2 percent rule.
Mr. Duncan. Yes.
Senator Harkin. It has the effect right now of just cutting
out 30 percent of kids with disabilities and saying we don't
even have to account for them. As I said to you in the office,
that would be like saying to any minority group 30 percent of
you just don't count.
We wouldn't do that for African-Americans or Latinos or
anybody else. I hope that you will take a look at that 2
percent rule and give us some suggestions on a new policy that
would be more supportive of kids with disabilities.
Mr. Duncan. I absolutely commit to you to doing that, and I
philosophically absolutely agree with directionally where you
want to go on this.
Senator Harkin. I have two other areas. One of the results
of No Child Left Behind that I have seen in Iowa and other
States that I have visited, and I hear it a lot, is that,
because of the testing requirements for reading and math, that
one of the first teachers to go because of the lack of funding
is usually the art teacher or the music teacher or the phys ed
teacher. Those are the first ones to go.
I want to just focus on the physical education part of it.
Right now, 10 million young people are considered overweight.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, by
2010, 20 percent of children and youth will be obese.
Yet, less than 10 percent of our schools are providing
physical exercise every day to the kids, less than 10 percent,
1 out of 10, or its equivalent for the entire school year.
Almost a quarter of all schools do not require students to take
any physical education at all.
I use a quote from a principal, I have to say, in Atlanta.
A principal who said, in response to the fact that they had
built an elementary school without a playground, ``We are in
the business of educating kids and not letting them play on
monkey bars.''
Very short-sighted. Very short-sighted.
When I was a kid, not only did we have 15 minutes in the
morning and 15 in the afternoon and a half hour at lunch, we
did an hour a day of physical exercise.
Then, when we went home in the evening, we played pick-up
basketball. We played sandlot baseball. We didn't have TV and
things like that. We didn't have Nintendos and those kind of
games.
Today, when kids are less active after school, and they are
doing more on Nintendo games and talking together on their
Facebooks and things, we don't even do anything in school for
these kids. I have co-sponsored legislation, the Fit Kids Act.
I don't need to get into that. Somehow, we need your leadership
to start prodding schools to build in physical exercise every
single day for these kids.
Now the other part of that equation is what they eat. Now I
wear another hat as chairman of the Agriculture Committee, as
you know, and this year is the reauthorization of the child
nutrition bill. We have got to get better food to our kids in
school for their breakfast and for their lunches and for their
snacks.
That is half of it. The other half is we have got to get
them exercising, too, during the day.
I look to you. You told me your wife is a physical
education teacher and an athletic director at a K to 12 school.
I am really glad you have someone close to you that will talk
to you about the need for physical exercise for our kids in
school.
I know about your own background, too. I know that you also
keep physically fit. Would you just address yourself a little
bit to this lack of physical exercise for kids, especially in
elementary school?
Mr. Duncan. Sure. My wife will absolutely keep me on the
straight and narrow on this one. It is a huge issue you bring
up, and there aren't easy answers. The more we instill in our
children early in life these habits that will last them a
lifetime, the better they are going to do.
We try to do what we can to expand those opportunities
before school, during the school day, after school. We have had
great nonprofit partners who have helped us do that in Chicago
in running programs. We had a group of our high school students
actually run the Chicago marathon. When students are exposed to
those kinds of opportunities, it is going to change them for
the rest of their life.
We have to find ways to do this. I will just say,
personally, I was lucky to go to school where I had PE 4 days a
week and recess. I was one of those young boys who would have
had a very hard time sitting through a full day of school and
would have been tough on my teachers.
Just from a personal standpoint, I know how critically
important it is to have those breaks and have a chance to get
up and run around a little bit. Again, I worry a lot about the
sedentary nature of so many of our young people today. As you
said, not just during the school day, but after school.
The more we can, from the early stages, build habits--and
again, the kids love this. This is fun. They like to eat
healthy. They like to get out and run around and play. None of
the stuff we have done has been mandated. The kids are looking
for these kinds of opportunities.
We need to be creative. We need to think about the use of
time. We need to think about great nonprofit partners who can
come in and provide these kinds of opportunities. I would
argue, frankly, that at the end of the day, this is going to
help us a lot academically. This doesn't take away from our
core mission. This is central to that core mission.
I want to find ways to be creative and think it through and
see if we can expand significantly over time the number of
young people with these kinds of opportunities that will shape
them until the day they die.
Senator Harkin. As I have said many times to Secretary
Spellings, both in open meetings and in meetings in my office,
No Child Left Behind ought to mean that we are not leaving them
behind in their health either. That ought to be just part and
parcel of No Child Left Behind. How do we build that into the
structure to meet certain goals?
I mean, if we are going to meet certain goals in testing on
reading and math, why shouldn't we have certain goals in terms
of their body mass index, their exercise, their heart rates,
their obesity index, all those kinds of things that we can
build in? That ought to be a part of it, I would think.
Mr. Duncan. Again, this has just been so hugely important
to me and my wife and to our family, and I fully intend to look
at this very seriously.
Senator Harkin. Thank you very much, Mr. Duncan.
I see that another great leader on child nutrition is also
here, Senator Murkowski.
Senator Murkowski. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate
the opportunity to work with you on the childhood nutrition and
your comments about just the physical health of our children
and share your comments.
Mr. Duncan, it is a pleasure to meet you. We haven't had an
opportunity to speak one-on-one. I look forward to that. I will
tell you my first impressions of you are very strong and very
favorable.
You have got a beautiful family behind you. I am quite
pleased that your young son is sitting there reading books
instead of amusing himself with the latest electronic gadget.
As a mom of two boys, I know that it is tough to kind of keep
them in their seats. But you are doing right.
I welcome your wife. If you ever have any questions about
what we need to be doing in our schools and to engage our kids,
don't forget to ask your own. I am always asking for input from
my boys and learning a lot.
My first request to you is a big one. I do have high hopes
that you will fulfill it. I extended an invitation to both
Secretary Paige, when he was Secretary of Education, and
Secretary Spellings, when she was Secretary of Education, to
come to Alaska to see some of our challenges as they relate to
how we are able to educate children in a State that is as vast
and as broad as it is.
Secretary Paige, as we were traveling across the State--
this was at a time when Alaska was trying to get an exemption
from the provision that said if you fail to meet AYP, you have
to send your kids to the next closest school. Well, that school
that we flew to from Nome to Savoonga was the same distance as
between Washington, DC, and New York City.
As we were flying over the ocean, looking down over the
icebergs, he is very quiet, and he says to me, he says, ``I
thought I knew what rural was.'' He said, ``I am getting a
different picture.''
We would like to show you a different picture in Alaska not
only of our challenges, but how we have been very creative in
our use of tele-education and distance learning and how we are
able to meet some of our challenges. That is my first request
to you, and I would welcome your family to join you in that. I
think it would be a real eye-opener.
Kids, we will show you some bears and some other things
like that that might make it more interesting.
I do want to make sure that you are aware of some of the
challenges that our Alaska Natives deal with. One of the things
that we have learned from No Child Left Behind that has been
made more clear with the statistics is, our education
statistics are not anything to be proud of as they relate to
our Alaska Natives in terms of achievement, dropout rates,
college enrollment. The gaps are wide, and they are
unacceptable, and we are working aggressively to deal with it.
You know that the Federal Government has a trust
responsibility with relationship to our Alaska Native tribes,
but we don't have Bureau of Indian Affairs schools or funding
to address that. What Congress had authorized was the Alaska
Native Educational Equity Act, and this act provides funding
for programs like the remedial and gifted education, dropout
prevention, community engagement--a whole variety--curriculum
development, teacher training, and recruitment.
The competitive grants that are funded under this program,
we believe, are making a difference. They are still very, very
necessary to ensure that Alaska Native children have
educational equity with their nonNative peers across the
country.
I just use this time to make sure you are aware of it and
to ask for your commitment to work with us to ensure that we do
have continued funding for these programs.
Mr. Duncan. I appreciate your comments, and I have never
been to Alaska. I would absolutely take you up on the offer to
go there.
Senator Murkowski. Wonderful. Thank you.
Mr. Duncan. My daughter's favorite animal is the polar
bear. She is a polar bear nut. If we could see some polar
bears----
Senator Murkowski. You don't want to get too close to those
guys.
Mr. Duncan. You and a number of other Senators have been
really courteous and offered me the chance to come out and
visit some schools with you, and I need to get out. I need to
listen. I need to learn. There is a whole lot I need to
comprehend and to figure out.
I will absolutely take you up on that request. I would be
honored to do it.
Senator Murkowski. Great. The other thing that I would let
you know in terms of priorities and things that I am working
on, in addition to healthy children, I mentioned the dropout
rate, the graduation rate. In Alaska, again, our numbers
overall, not just with Alaska Native students, but our dropout
rate is not acceptable.
This is an initiative that I am taking on and looking to
work with several of my colleagues. I want to know that we can
work with you on this. I know that Senator Burr had mentioned
it to you. I know it has been an initiative of Senator Obama,
when he was in the Senate.
I am just looking for your commitment to work with me on
what I feel is a very, very important area.
Mr. Duncan. It is a huge issue, and I don't think there is
a State in this country that could be really, really proud of
that number. As a country, I don't think we can proud of what
that number is today.
It is something that I need to have a laser-like focus on.
This is complex in many factors. I want to spend a lot of time
figuring out how we dramatically increase the graduation rate.
Obviously, not overnight, but over time.
When our children drop out today, as you well know, we
basically condemn them to social failure. There are no good
jobs out there today with a 9th grade, 10th grade education. It
just doesn't exist.
I have often said in Chicago that if you go back 30 years
ago, there was an acceptable dropout rate. You could drop out
and go work in the stockyards and steel mills, and you could
support a family and own your own home and do OK.
As we know, that is a distant memory from a bygone era and
we have to work collectively to be creative, to be thoughtful,
to innovate, and to try, over time, to significantly change
those numbers, which I think, frankly, none of us can be really
proud of today.
Senator Murkowski. Well, I appreciate that statement. I
think we recognize that it is not just some decision in senior
year of high school that a young man or woman decides, ``I am
done with this. I am out of here.''
Mr. Duncan. Right.
Senator Murkowski. These decisions or these thoughts come
about much, much earlier in middle school. One thing that I
would like to have an opportunity to chat with you about in the
future, we have put a great deal of focus with No Child Left
Behind on the early years and giving those basics. Now we are
looking at the high school end and making sure that we have
taken care of our students there.
I just got through the middle school years, thank goodness,
with my sons. There is--we don't put the focus on those ages
when kids are--kids are either checking in or checking out. We
can't have a gap in any part of this educational system where
it is kind of OK for you to slough. It is kind of OK to not
have that incentive there to perform well.
I don't want our kids in those middle school years, when
adolescence is hitting them and all kinds of things are coming
at them, to say, ``Well, education is just not a priority for
me now.'' I would hope that that would be an area that we would
also be able to work together and focus on.
Mr. Duncan. No, again, I just appreciate your thoughtful
comments, and I am a big fan of Geoffrey Canada, who runs the
Harlem Children's Zone in New York. He was asked a question--I
was on a panel with him recently--and people were saying, ``Is
it early childhood? Is it high school? Is it middle school?''
And he said, ``It is all important.''
Senator Murkowski. Yes.
Mr. Duncan. It is complex, but that is the truth. That we
have to start early, we have to stay with kids all the way
through, and it makes the job harder. It is more comprehensive.
It is more complex. But it is the absolute truth.
We have to have a continuum from birth to whatever it is,
22, 23, 24, or 25, whatever it might be, of real opportunities,
of real high expectations, and really driving students to be
successful. If we think there is a magic bullet at one point,
we are really kidding ourselves. It is not that simplistic.
I wish there was a magic bullet. Our lives would be a lot
easier. As you know as a parent, it is just not that simple,
and we have to have this continuum of opportunity and high
expectations all the way through and continue to challenge kids
every single day.
Senator Murkowski. Well, Mr. Duncan, I appreciate your
comments, I certainly like what I hear, and will look forward
to working with you. Again, I will welcome you to Alaska when
that time is appropriate.
Mr. Duncan. Thank you so much. That would be an
extraordinary opportunity.
Senator Murkowski. Look forward to it.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Senator Harkin. The only advice I have, Mr. Duncan, is go
there in the summertime.
[Laughter.]
Thank you.
Senator Sanders.
Mr. Duncan. I will plan it well.
Senator Harkin. Senator Sanders.
Senator Sanders. Thank you, Senator Harkin.
Mr. Duncan, I know you have been to Vermont, and we don't
have polar bears. We would love to welcome you to our State
because there are a whole lot of educators there who have a lot
to say. Summertime is also a good time.
I would be remiss if I didn't touch on higher education
because my wife is the president of a small college. I think
your point about looking at our problems as a continuum are
absolutely right. There is no magic bullet anywhere along the
line.
I think one thing that happens is if young people--
elementary school, middle school, or high school--get the
feeling they are never going to make it to college, they kind
of drop out intellectually and do self-destructive activities.
Now I don't have to tell you, because you know it better
than I do, that we have a crisis in terms of the affordability
and access to college in America today. We have hundreds of
thousands of qualified young people who have given up on the
dream.
Equally alarming is the fact that millions of young people
will leave school $20,000, $30,000, $40,000, $50,000 in debt.
Graduate school, $100,000 in debt. They carry that burden on
their shoulders for many, many years. It also heavily
influences their choice of careers.
You want, I want, Senator Harkin wants the best people in
this country to go and become a teacher or a childcare worker.
Well, they aren't going to do that if you leave school with a
$50,000 debt.
In the last couple of years, we have begun to make some
progress, a little progress, but nowhere near enough. We passed
a debt forgiveness proposal, which says that if you go into
teaching, for example, after 10 years of work in a nonprofit
organization, your debt will be forgiven. Well, 10 years is a
long time.
Can you give us some specificity as to how we can make
college opportunity more affordable for the young people of
America so that more of them can go to college and so that more
of them will not leave college with these very oppressive
debts?
Mr. Duncan. As you well know, the President-elect is just
passionate and absolutely committed on this. He has set a real
goal for us of increasing the Pell Grant amounts. He has set a
goal of passing the American Opportunity Tax Credit. He has
talked a lot about loan forgiveness for folks that want to go
into teaching and go into other professions.
I think what has been so appealing to me about his vision,
it is really to me this idea of reciprocity or mutual
responsibility. That we are going to give you these
opportunities, but also expect you to come back to the
community and help out. I think that spirit is so important.
I think there are some very significant ways going forward
that we can work together with you, with the President-elect,
to increase access, to increase affordability, and to your
point, Senator, to make sure that those folks who would prefer
to teach and not go to Wall Street, that they not be compelled
to go in a different direction because of their loan
obligations.
I remember well the conversation with your staffer, who is
facing very, very significant loan challenges.
Senator Sanders. Here she is.
Mr. Duncan. Yes.
Senator Sanders. She is still facing those obligations.
Mr. Duncan. Again, we want to get the best and brightest to
come into these fields, and we need to find ways to make it
possible for them to chase their dreams.
Senator Sanders. Well, thank you very much for that, I
think, excellent answer.
On a very specific issue, there is the work-study program
in college, and most of the money, as we discussed in my
office, which I just recently learned as well, goes to on-
campus activity--working in the library, working in the
cafeteria. Do you think we could take a look at expanding that
so that students get work-study money working as a mentor in a
public school or a childcare center?
Mr. Duncan. Yes, that was a great point. That is an area
where I need to really learn more, and that was the first time
I had heard that was talking to you.
As I talked about earlier, we have hundreds and hundreds of
college students, probably thousands, who are in our schools
every single day in Chicago. My mother's inner-city tutoring
program has been staffed for years and years by phenomenal
talent from the University of Chicago and others. That has been
sort of the lifeblood of her program.
I need to better understand the facts and the challenges of
what needs to happen there. Philosophically, if you could get
more students these kinds of opportunities, I think the
benefits for our children around the country would be great.
I think, very importantly, when our college students get
exposed to the possibilities of teaching and the possibilities
of working in community centers and healthcare clinics, that
may influence their career choices.
I think there are lots of benefits there, and I want to
understand the intricacies or the challenges. Directionally, I
love where you are trying to push.
Senator Sanders. OK. Thank you very much, Mr. Duncan.
Again, what an opportunity you have to transform education and
improve the lives of millions of young people, and I am very
excited about the possibility of working with you.
Mr. Duncan. I am thrilled with the possibility as well.
Thank you.
Senator Harkin. Well, Mr. Duncan, thank you very, very much
for being so candid. Again, my thanks for your willingness to
take on this task.
You have, as you can see, a lot of support here in this
committee on both sides of the aisle. I have no doubt that you
will be confirmed, I hope unanimously, from this committee and
also by the Senate.
You have a big job ahead of you. I don't think there is any
Secretary whose decisions, whose statements, public posture has
more effect on the American people intimately than yours. Maybe
the Secretary of Health, too. Maybe. Education affects every
family in America.
How we progress as a country and how we are going to
maintain our standard of living, our way of life, and provide
for equality of opportunity for all our kids really comes down
to what kind of education system we have.
You know, the Secretary of Defense always gets a lot of
publicity and stuff. I have thought about this a lot. The
Secretary of Defense and the committees here that fund
defense--and I am on that Appropriations Committee--they are
charged with the responsibility of defending America.
The Secretary of Education, along with the Secretary of
Health and Human Services, they have the task of defining
America, who we are and what we are as a people and how we
progress and what kind of society we are going to be.
I look forward to your leadership, as well as that of your
counterpart in Health and Human Services, for taking the
leadership in defining America perhaps better than what we have
had in the past.
I don't mean just the recent past. I mean just in all of
our past, that we redefine America truly as a country where
someone like you, coming from your background, can get the kind
of education you had. Where someone like me, whose mother was
an immigrant and whose father was a coal miner, can get to
where I am.
Where kids of color, where kids whose parents are recent
immigrants and who have English as a second language, who are
struggling to learn the language, where they can also see that
America is for them, too.
I don't mean to be overly heavy on this, but having been
here for so many years and serving on both the Appropriations
Committee and on this wonderful committee--we really have to do
better in education in this country and on health and human
services. I look upon the two of you as working together.
It is a big job. From what I know of you and from your
appearance here this morning, I think you are up to it. I look
forward to working with you and doing all we can to better
define America as really that land of opportunity for all our
kids.
I thank you very much, Mr. Duncan. I thank all of your
family for being here.
The record will be kept open for additional questions that
may be proffered to you in writing, and we look forward to your
early confirmation and swearing in.
Mr. Duncan. Thank you so much. I think this is just an
extraordinary opportunity to do something better for our
country's children, and I am amazed by those possibilities. I
look forward to working very closely with you and your
colleagues to make that happen.
Senator Harkin. Thank you.
[Additional material follows.]
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL
Prepared Statement of Senator Dodd
Thank you Chairman Kennedy. I want to welcome and
congratulate Mr. Arne Duncan on his nomination to be Secretary
of the Department of Education.
I've served on this committee for 26 years, and rarely have
I seen a time where the potential to make a positive impact on
our Nation's education system has been so great. Over the
coming months, as we face difficult economic times, there will
be many discussions on the importance of making smart
investments--how can we best make the critical decisions needed
to rebuild our economy?
Today, we all recognize that if our children fall behind
for a decade, America falls behind for a century. It's that
simple. The flip side of that equation is that if we get the
challenge of educating our children right--and I believe we
can--everything else will follow. Whatever the issue, America's
leadership--its economic and national security--rests on her
commitment to educate and prepare our children to succeed in a
global economy, from pre-k to college.
To be sure, no one knows this better than my colleague,
Chairman Kennedy. From his shared commitment to early childhood
education to his work last year reauthorizing the Higher
Education Act, Senator Kennedy has worked tirelessly to provide
quality education to all Americans. I look forward to
continuing our work together to improve our Nation's schools.
Mr. Duncan, I know you recognize that the state of our
education system is troubling. One out of four high school
freshmen fails to graduate within 4 years. Among those who do
make it to graduation, only a third have the skills they need
to succeed in college. American students are finding it more
difficult to compete against their international peers in our
increasingly interconnected world. Despite the efforts we have
made in education, we are failing to meet the needs of students
of all ages across the Nation.
That is why I am encouraged that President-elect Obama has
chosen you to lead the Department of Education. I am also
heartened by his commitment to early childhood education and
look forward to strengthening current programs like Head Start,
CCDBG, and title I to benefit our children and their families.
The Department of Education as well as the Department of Health
and Human Services are collectively responsible for our early
childhood education. These two agencies must work in a
cooperative and coordinated manner to comprehensively address
the needs of our children. We know that investing in our
youngest Americans pays off in their readiness for school,
their health, job creation now and in the future, and the need
for fewer social services later in a child's life.
In the last Congress, I introduced the Early Childhood
Investment Act to establish public-private partnerships to
strengthen existing investments in early childhood development
by awarding grants to local community initiatives and programs
that serve young children and their families. We see many low-
income children entering Kindergarten behind their peers.
Already, by the age of five, there is a documented achievement
gap in education.&
We must do a better job of investing our time, money, and
energy in strengthening and expanding programs that help our
youngest children enter school healthy and ready to learn, and
I look forward to working with you to ensure we do.
Of course, once these students enter kindergarten, our work
is far from over. Reforming No Child Left Behind is long
overdue--the law has been implemented in a manner that is
inflexible, and many times, unreasonable.
No one argues with the basic tenets of the law. No one
argues that providing a high quality education for all students
is our highest priority. No one suggests that the importance of
closing the achievement gap across demographic and
socioeconomic lines is critical to our future.
We have failed to give States and districts the tools and
resources they need to help students be successful. Instead, No
Child Left Behind has become confusing and even daunting to
many teachers, schools, and States who are doing heroic work to
make a difference in students' lives under often extraordinary
and difficult circumstances.&
Mr. Duncan, I look forward to working with you and my
colleagues to reform No Child Left Behind. As I have outlined
in the No Child Left Behind Reform Act, I believe it is
important that we consider the best ways to support students,
teachers, and schools. Schools should not simply be permitted
to use added academic measures in assessing student
improvement--they should be encouraged to do so.
Assessment is critically important. But, in the process of
assessing the performance of our students in the classroom, we
should not forget to assess what really counts. Whether they're
learning in the classroom.
In my view, we ought to examine implementing growth models
into the legislation and provide support to schools and
students who fail to meet adequate yearly progress.
In the 2006-2007 school year, 315 of Connecticut's
schools--nearly a third--did not make adequate yearly progress.
Instead of penalizing schools that are identified as needing
improvement, we should put a system in place that invests in
them. I look forward to working together to expand and
strengthen programs that have already made a positive
difference in the lives of students, such as afterschool
programs.
Additionally, I am pleased that President-elect Obama has
nominated someone who has worked so closely with teachers. In
such a critical moment for the future of education, we must put
aside our ideological differences and focus on programs and
ideas that work. You and I both know that supporting teachers
will be central to improving our Nation's schools--they are the
single most underutilized resource in reforming our education
system.&
I have stood with teachers throughout my entire career in
public service, because I know that they work tirelessly to
support and educate children across America. The debate ought
not to be about the quality of teachers in the workforce--as
far as I am concerned, no one works harder and gives more than
our public school teachers.
Rather, our policies should be about identifying where
teachers need the most help and, for a change, giving them that
help. I am sure that, given your reputation as a collaborator,
you will do the same in the coming months.
Lastly, I look forward to working together, Mr. Duncan, to
helping make college accessible and affordable for all
Americans. If you talk to families today, among their primary
concerns in this economy is their ability to provide for their
children's education. American families know that education,
particularly a college education, is vital to their children's
lifelong success. According to the most recent statistics, a
college education can increase an individual's earnings by as
much as $800,000 over a lifetime. Higher education is the key
not only to the economic security of individuals, but to the
economic security and global competitiveness of our Nation as a
whole. Yet, American families today are greatly concerned about
their children's prospects for a higher education--specifically
as it relates to the cost of tuition. Today's tuition levels
are, in many cases, spiraling beyond the reach of many hard-
working Americans. Clearly, we must do more to ensure that
skyrocketing tuition rates do not put out of reach the dream
and ability of obtaining a college degree.
It is clear, Mr. Duncan, that we have much work to do. At a
time when many States, including my State, are slashing
education budgets, and our country faces extraordinary
challenges, we must commit to reinvesting in our Nation's
future--we have no other choice. I believe you have the
experience and heart needed to excel as Education Secretary,
Mr. Duncan, and I look forward to working with you, Chairman
Kennedy, and my colleagues on the committee to provide a
quality education to all children.
LETTERS OF SUPPORT
Association of California School Administrators
(ACSA),
Sacramento, CA 95814,
January 12, 2009.
Hon. Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman,
U.S. Senate,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
428 Senate Dirksen Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Chairman Kennedy: We are writing in support of Mr. Arne
Duncan, nominee for U.S. Secretary of Education. As an education
association of over 17,000 school administrators from throughout
California, we are pleased to support an educator with the depth of
experience held by Mr. Duncan.
With the many challenges facing our public schools, Mr. Duncan is
well positioned to embrace them and work with the education community
to move forward on the goal of providing a superior education for all
students. As the chief executive officer of the Chicago Public Schools,
Mr. Duncan has first-hand experience in working with a diverse student
population with below average test scores and a high dropout rate and
working tirelessly to boost scores and decrease the dropout rate.
Through his work in the third largest school system in the country,
Mr. Duncan understands the hard work necessary in turning around low-
performing schools, raising graduation rates, and the challenges of
sustaining these successes. From this practical experience, he has done
the work to improve teacher quality and understands the importance of
school site leadership and district leadership in these efforts.
We look forward to working with Mr. Duncan as he leads the Federal
department of education and moves forward on an ambitious agenda of
improving achievement for all students.
Sincerely,
Bob Wells,
Executive Director.
______
Adler Planetarium,
Chicago, IL 60605,
January 9, 2009.
Hon. Edward M. Kennedy,
U.S. Senate,
317 Russell Senate Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Hon. Michael B. Enzi,
U.S. Senate,
379A Russell Senate Building,
Washington DC 20510.
Dear Senator Kennedy and Senator Enzi: It is my pleasure to endorse
the nomination of Arne Duncan for the position of U.S. Secretary of
Education. Most likely you are already aware of much of Arne's history.
A magna cum laude Harvard graduate who has been involved in Chicago
education programs since 1992, Arne was named CEO of Chicago Public
Schools by Mayor Richard M. Daley in 2001.
In 2006, Arne joined the Adler Planetarium Board of Trustees. The
Adler Planetarium's mission to Inspire the next generation of explorers
is one that Arne wholeheartedly embraces. More than simply a name on
the Trustee roster, Arne has been an active Board member, serving on
the Education Committee and hosting meetings focusing on the Adler's
efforts to improve math and science education in Chicago Public
Schools. Arne's practical approach to education and his strong advocacy
for excellence and accountability in the Chicago Public School system
has been evident through his Education Committee work. Arne has been
instrumental in supporting our successful partnerships with the CPS
offices of Early Childhood, Bilingual, Math and Science, and more
recently our After School Science enrichment programming. His
facilitation of these partnerships with the Adler resulted in hundreds
of teachers and thousands of students positively impacted by our
collaborative programming.
Arne has a talent for creating positive partnerships, advocating
forward-thinking programs, and promoting progressive teamwork. His role
as an Adler Trustee has been a natural extension of his leadership
efforts in reforming CPS, helping to improve student performance and
lower the dropout rate.
For the United States to remain competitive in the global
marketplace, it is imperative that its citizens be sufficiently
educated and encouraged to embrace learning. Arne Duncan is eminently
qualified to spearhead such efforts throughout our country. In
endorsing Arne for this position, I echo the sympathies of Rufus
Williams, President of the Chicago Board of Education, in saying that
Chicago's--and the Adler's--loss is the Nation's gain. The Adler
Planetarium endorses without qualification this nomination, and we wish
the Senate all goodspeed in ratifying Arne Duncan as the next U.S.
Secretary of Education.
Sincerely,
Paul H. Knappenberger, Jr., Ph.D.,
President.
______
Advance Illinois,
Chicago, IL 60602,
January 8, 2009.
Dear Senator Edward Kennedy and Senator Michael Enzi: It is an
honor to write this letter in support of Arne Duncan's nomination to
become Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. I have known Mr.
Duncan for close to 20 years and believe him to be a man of
extraordinary character and intelligence. He has a demonstrated ability
to work with people of all backgrounds and a commitment to keeping the
best interests of children front and center in all that he does.
I first met Mr. Duncan when he was heading the I Have A Dream
program for the Ariel foundation, a job that involved shepherding a
group of children through school and into college. My family and I had
``adopted'' a group of students through the I Have A Dream program in
Chicago as well, and had the opportunity to collaborate with Arne on a
number of substantive projects, including starting a charter high
school on the city's west side. In tackling these efforts, as well as
in working with his Dreamers, Arne displayed quiet determination and a
willingness to find creative ways around entrenched problems.
I was delighted when Arne was selected to serve as Chief Executive
Officer of the Chicago Public Schools. As trustee of a family
foundation actively engaged in improving educational outcomes for
students on the west side of Chicago, and now as Executive Director of
Advance Illinois--a statewide education policy and advocacy
organization--I have been involved in school reform efforts for going
on 20 years. Arne's ability to galvanize and engage community and civic
leaders in the city's public schools has been nothing short of
remarkable. He has sought out innovative ideas to vexing problems and
been willing to tackle some of the most complex challenges facing our
schools.
During Arne's tenure the Chicago Public Schools has focused
intensively on improving literacy, on recruiting, supporting and
retaining effective teachers and principals, and on expanding school
choice to families that have historically had few options. Having
invested in National Board Certification training, literacy coaches in
schools across the district, performance pay plans, and an ambitious
program to close and ``turnaround'' chronically failing schools, Arne
can point to a number of critical successes. The number and caliber of
people interested in teaching in Chicago public school classrooms has
swelled, as have the number of quality school options in historically
underserved communities. In addition, graduation rates and dropout
rates are each moving in the right direction, and elementary reading
and math scores have been steadily rising. In short, while there is
much work left to be done, Arne has put Chicago Public Schools on the
path of meaningful growth and change.
In addition to my professional commitment to public schools, it is
worth noting that my three children attend Chicago public schools. As a
parent and as someone deeply involved in public school policy in
Illinois, I will miss Arne's leadership. He has brought confidence in
the system to a new high, and leaves behind an inspiring and productive
tradition of inside-outside partnership.
As a longtime friend and someone who cares about the future of our
economy and our citizenry, I applaud his nomination and think that
President-elect Obama could not have chosen someone with a stronger
skill set, a deeper commitment, or a more compelling vision to fill
this position.
I wholeheartedly support this nomination and am happy to provide
whatever further information or insight might be desired.
Sincerely,
Robin M. Steans,
Executive Director, Advance Illinois.
______
American Osteopathic Association,
Washington, DC 20005,
January 16, 2009.
Hon. Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman,
HELP Committee,
428 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Hon. Michael B. Enzi, Ranking Member,
HELP Committee,
428 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Chairman Kennedy and Ranking Member Enzi: On behalf of the
American Osteopathic Association (AOA), I am pleased to offer our
endorsement of Arne Duncan to serve as Secretary of the Department of
Education. Secretary-designee Duncan is a demonstrated leader in
education, having served in significant leadership positions throughout
his career in the Nation's third largest public school system.
As the U.S. Congress and the Obama administration examine and
address our Nation's education issues, it is imperative that the
government has leaders that can seek bipartisan solutions and provide
leadership and guidance on important education policy issues. Secretary
designee Duncan has developed the necessary experience and skills in
his career managing a large, complex public school system.
The U.S. Department of Education recognizes the AOA as the
accrediting association for osteopathic medical education in the United
States. We encourage the Secretary-designee to address Federal
financial aid and student debt issues. We urge the Senate to confirm
Mr. Duncan's nomination quickly so that these and other important
education issues can begin to be addressed by the Department.
Sincerely,
Carlo J. DiMarco, DO,
President.
______
Ariel Investments,
Chicago, IL,
January 11, 2009.
Dear members of the HELP Committee: My personal journey from the
youngest of 6 raised by a single mother, to the presidency of one of
the largest minority-owned mutual fund companies in America is powerful
proof that education is the key to hope as well as the path to success
for low-income children.
With that in mind, I want to offer the strongest possible
endorsement for Arne Duncan for Education Secretary of the United
States. I know Arne as a friend, as a colleague, and as a public
official and in every role he embodies integrity, courage, insight and
honesty. His low-key but determined style of leadership effectively
brings together people with opposing viewpoints and always finds a way
to advance broader goals. He is neither intimidated by power nor
seduced by it and he is equally comfortable taking direction or giving
it. He is the rare leader who also listens.
Arne Duncan's only interest is children. It has been his life work,
and I am absolutely confident he will help our country meet its solemn
obligation to educate this most precious resource.
Sincerely,
Mellody Hobson,
President, Ariel Investments.
______
Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development,
Alexandria, VA 22311-1714,
January 15, 2009.
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator: The Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development (ASCD), representing over 175,000 educators from all
aspects of the profession, requests your support to confirm President-
elect Barack Obama's nomination of Arne Duncan as Secretary of
Education.
During his tenure as the chief executive officer of Chicago Public
Schools, Secretary-designate Duncan's reform efforts transformed a
struggling large urban school system into a national model of
innovation and improvement. We believe that his experience in making
schools the center of their communities, recruiting and retaining the
best and brightest teachers and educational leaders, and effectively
intervening in low-performing schools will prove invaluable as the
Nation's premier educational leader.
ASCD members agree wholeheartedly with Mr. Duncan's beliefs that a
student's education begins even before entering school. Staffing
schools with the most effective teachers and educational leaders is key
to the success of all learners, and every child deserves a
comprehensive and well-rounded education.
Toward that end, we appreciate the Secretary-designate's commitment
to focus greater attention on access to and quality of early childhood
education, recruit and retain the best and brightest teachers and
education leaders, and advocate the need for educational programs and
services that support the whole child.
Based on his 7 years leading Chicago's public schools and from his
testimony before the Senate Education Committee, it is clear that Arne
Duncan has a commitment, passion, and record of success in ensuring
that every child is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged.
Our Nation is facing one of the greatest economic hardships in our
history and education is one of the primary means by which we will
return to prosperity. Arne Duncan will be the kind of partner that
educators, parents, and students can rely on to help improve our public
schools and the kind of national leader we need in these challenging
times.
We hope that the Senate will unanimously support Mr. Duncan and
strongly encourage you to vote for his confirmation as Secretary of
Education. Should you have any questions, please contact Tina Dove,
ASCD legislative advocate, at 1-703-575-5641 or [email protected].
With warmest personal regards,
Gene R. Carter, Ed.D.,
Executive Director and CEO.
______
The Aspen Institute Headquarters,
Washington, DC 20036-1133,
January 8, 2009.
Dear Senators Kennedy and Enzi: I am writing to support the
confirmation of Arne Duncan as Secretary of Education. I know Arne
through the Aspen Urban Superintendents Network, which for 8 years has
brought together about a dozen superintendents for semi-annual
professional development retreats. Arne has been a Network member since
taking on leadership of the Chicago Public Schools. I have also had the
opportunity to work with a number of Arne's senior staff through
Aspen's networks for chief academic officers and central office
literary and mathematics leaders.
In these settings, I have found Arne to be extremely thoughtful,
open to learning about new approaches, and committed to examining and
responding to data and evidence. Perhaps most striking is Arne's
consistent focus on Chicago's young people and what they need to
succeed despite the inevitable distractions and political pressures in
leading the third largest district in the Nation.
In pursuit of his goals, Arne has been a pragmatic leader willing
to try a range of approaches to get the job done. For example, the
quality of new teachers has risen dramatically under his tenure as a
result of aggressive recruiting from traditional teacher education
programs as well as from non-traditional sources such as Teach for
America and the cutting-edge Chicago urban teacher residency program.
The district is developing and improving retention of excellent
teachers by heavy support for National Board Certification and through
a pilot pay-for-performance initiative. Importantly, his commitment to
exploring new approaches has been coupled with an equal commitment to
gathering data about results, recognizing missteps, and making needed
mid-course improvements. Moreover, perhaps because of his ability to
listen and his pragmatic nature, while leading sometimes controversial
teacher reforms, Arne has still earned a reputation with the teacher
union as an honest and trustworthy partner.
Arne has also recruited a great deal of new talent into the
district's central office. It is worth noting that district staff I
have worked with think the world of Arne. He is praised for his
consistent leadership, commitment to students, and his generosity in
giving support and credit to those who work for him.
I believe that Arne is poised to be an excellent Secretary of
Education. He comes to the position with an in-depth understanding of
the realities of urban communities and schools and the credibility
gained from success in Chicago. His effective leadership of a large
school system bureaucracy augurs well for the management of the U.S.
Department of Education. These attributes, in addition to his
recognized integrity and commitment to better life chances for
children, make him a superb nominee.
I respectfully encourage you to confirm Arne Duncan as the next
Secretary of Education.
Sincerely,
Judy Wurtzel,
Co-Director, Aspen Education Program.
______
Board of Education,
City of Chicago, IL 60603,
January 9, 2009.
Senator Edward M. Kennedy,
Senator Michael B. Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
428 Senate Dirksen Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator Kennedy and Senator Enzi: It is my pleasure to
recommend to you Chicago Public Schools Chief Executive Officer Arne
Duncan as the next U.S. Secretary of Education in the administration of
President-elect Barack Obama.
During his tenure as CEO of the Chicago Public Schools, Arne has
demonstrated, an extraordinary ability to create an environment of
collaboration within the school district while fostering outside
partnerships with the business, philanthropic, religious and grassroots
communities. It is this exceptional quality that has helped him
accomplish what many school district chiefs have failed to do in the
past--focus and engage a wide variety of people on the issues of
education.
Most important, Arne has been a courageous and innovative reformer,
bringing about changes in a school system once labeled ``the worst in
the Nation.'' Having come from a family that holds dear the importance
of offering a quality education to all children, Arne has long been
dedicated to improving the lives of our students, from the time he
helped start a small school in an impoverished neighborhood of Chicago
to the last 7 years in which he led the third-largest district in
America.
Arne also has provided steadfast leadership throughout the district
and will leave behind a legacy of lowering the district's dropout rate,
increasing the graduation rate, improving student and teacher
attendance, elevating test scores and creating better educational
options for children in each neighborhood of our city.
While our work in Chicago is not done, the district has made
substantial improvement during Arne's tenure and we will continue in
his quest to challenge the status quo and to bring equity throughout
our school system.
Our entire district is very excited about the prospect that Arne's
experience, perspective, and passion for education reform and
innovation can finally be realized at a national level. It is for these
reasons that I urge you to approve the nomination of Arne Duncan for
U.S. Secretary of Education.
Sincerely,
Rufus Williams,
President.
______
Bill Bradley,
U.S. Senator, Ret.,
January 6, 2009.
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Dirksen 428,
Washington, DC 20510.
Attention: Joe Kolinski
Dear committee members: I have known Arne Duncan for over 10 years.
I have watched him work. I have watched him grow. I have watched him
lead. I strongly support his confirmation as our Nation's Secretary of
Education. I urge the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions to approve his nomination.
As the head of the Chicago public school system, he has been a
successful reformer--he has turned around and rebuilt a broken and
highly troubled educational system. Arne's commitment to our children's
educational needs remains unsurpassed.
I can think of no finer public servant in this position than Arne
Duncan. On the day he is confirmed, all Americans should feel lucky.
Sincerely,
Bill Bradley.
______
The Broad Foundation,
Los Angeles, CA 90024,
January 6, 2009.
Hon. Edward M. Kennedy,
317 Russell Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Hon. Michael B. Enzi,
379A Russell Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Senator Kennedy and Senator Enzi: I extend my strong support for
Senate confirmation of Arne Duncan as U.S. Secretary of Education.
Over the course of the last 6 years, we have worked closely with
Arne on our mutual efforts to improve student achievement in Chicago
Public Schools.
We have been more than impressed with his strong leadership skills,
strategic vision, openness to employ innovative approaches that work
for students and commitment to get the job done. Indeed, his leadership
in overseeing tens of thousands of district employees while remaining
squarely focused on systematic changes necessary for students to
succeed was central to my decision to invest more than $7 million in
Chicago's education reform efforts.
Arne also enjoys a strong reputation across the American
educational community. His leadership has resulted in consistent
student achievement gains in an era when students in far too many large
urban districts are falling through the cracks. And, similar to
President-elect Obama, he is known for having a leadership style that
has been effective in dealing with a wide variety of interest groups
that will be ever- present on the national level.
Finally, Arne's deep practical experience at the top of the
Nation's third largest school district--particularly as it relates to
education issues of great importance to the Nation, such as
accountability, teacher quality and high-quality charter schools--will
be of great benefit to the Department as he moves forward to enforce
Federal education policy.
Without reservation, I encourage you to confirm Arne Duncan as U.S.
Secretary of Education.
Sincerely,
Eli Broad.
______
City of Chicago,
Office of the Chairman,
January 5, 2009.
Senator Edward M. Kennedy (MA),
Senator Michael B. Enzi (WY),
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate, Dirksen 428,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senators and members of the committee: As Chairman of the
Finance Committee of the Chicago City Council I have had a close
opportunity to study and observe the leadership abilities and personal
character of Arne Duncan, who has been nominated as Secretary of
Education by President-elect Barack Obama. During his 8 years of
leadership, I have seen Arne bring about an educational miracle here in
the Chicago Public Schools (CPS). Chicago can truthfully boast of this
educational turn-around that has become the hallmark of urban education
in our Nation. I believe this outstanding accomplishment has been a
very natural outgrowth of Arne's character and professional abilities.
He is a man of honor and one who is genuinely engaged in both the
theory and praxis of urban education. He has always demonstrated a
powerful understanding of his responsibility to the students within the
CPS system. His efforts have always been centered on those whose
futures are defined in Chicago's urban classrooms. Of course, he is
bright and intelligent--Harvard educated and possessed of a refined
educational inheritance set by his talented parents. He has all the
educational and practical experience to lead the Nation educationally,
as he has done across the urban landscape of our city. But he also
brings something just as necessary to the task--the personal, emotional
and spiritual commitment to educational excellence for students and
teachers alike.
During his years of leadership with the CPS, Arne has demonstrated
a very savvy understanding of the mechanics of the educational system.
He saw the CPS in planes of thought in multi-dimensions--something that
was revolutionary here in Chicago. He understood what was wearing away
at educational effectiveness and saw, at the same time, the complex
geography of what was so desperately in need of repair.
Arne had the ability to perceive fresh approaches to everyday life
in our schools, and he came to discover what was so necessary for real
change to occur. This was an enormously complex undertaking of, not
only an educational issue, but of a political, social and cultural one
as well. He engaged all of these components with strength, a sense of
fearlessness and an intense human understanding. He pushed for
aggressive reforms that shaped new paths for the CPS, often with the
reticence of Chicago's educational establishment. Today, the
correctness of his foresight is both acknowledged and applauded.
Without him we would never have known the extraordinary advantages of
integrated family and community involvement in our schools.
Arne always has had the big picture before him. He had the wisdom
to invite outstanding educational leaders to share in his dream and
vision for the CPS. He built a team of such integrity and energy that
it was possible to make huge leaps in the manner in which our schools
were administered. He gained the confidence of Chicago political
leaders; the trust of union leaders; the support of Illinois
legislative leaders; and the loyalties of Chicago teachers. This was,
in itself, a profound and renewing miracle.
I am delighted to have this opportunity to speak on behalf of my
colleagues in the Chicago City Council who certainly join me in
supporting Arne's nomination for Secretary of Education. I am confident
that he will carry with him, to this responsibility, the same values
and virtues that he displayed so generously here in Chicago. He will
bring honor and accomplishment with him to Washington. While we are
saddened to see him leave Chicago at this time, we recognize our larger
responsibility of sharing his educational leadership with the rest of
the Nation. If I can be of any further assistance to your committee,
please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours truly,
Edward M. Burke.
______
City Council,
Chicago, IL 60620,
January 14, 2009.
Senator Edward M. Kennedy,
Senator Michael B. Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Dirksen 428,
Washington, DC 20510.
Re: Congratulatory for Arne Duncan, Secretary of Education.
Dear Senators: I am honored to have had the opportunity to work
with and follow the distinguished career of the U.S. Secretary of
Education, Arne Duncan. During my years of collaboration with Secretary
Duncan on educational issues facing Chicago's young people, I found him
to be one of the most involved and invested administrators to ever
service the residents of our great city. He not only brought a love of
education and a concern for the welfare of people whom a lack of
education was negatively affecting.
His Ivy League experience at Harvard University provided him with
some of the country's finest educational perspectives. His role as co-
captain of Harvard's basketball team and designation as a First Team
All-American was testament to his commitment to being the best--a
testament to overcoming the many challenges he accepted as a student-
athlete. Even as he played professional basketball in Australia after
college, he took the time to work with children who were wards of the
State. Arne has never confused his ``profession'' and his ``passion'';
he has never forgotten his sociological perspective and calling to the
service of people.
Once he joined the Ariel Education Initiative in 1992, inner-city
children on Chicago's South Side would realize greater access to
educational opportunity through his work. Seeking to have an even
greater positive impact on young people across the city, he joined the
Chicago Public Schools in 1998. Three years later, Mayor Richard M.
Daley named Duncan Chief Executive Officer of Chicago Public Schools.
Mr. Duncan's dream of building better schools, better teachers and
better students had reached new heights, but there would still be
greater work to perform in the service of young people and families.
When President-elect Barack Obama stood before the throngs amassed in
Chicago's Grant Park on Tuesday evening in November 2008 after becoming
America's first African-American Commander in Chief, Arne Duncan had to
know that he may soon be facing the greatest challenge of his
professional career.
He has served on many prestigious boards, received numerous
honorary degrees and been recognized in every sector of Chicago's
business, educational, political and philanthropic communities. One of
the things that I admire most about him, however, is his unadulterated
humility and grounded spirit. He is a man with clear purpose, and his
willingness to sacrifice for the good of the least fortunate of us has
resulted in consistent advances in the educational performances of our
city's schools . . . and our future leaders.
I stand proud and unyielding in my support of our U.S. Secretary of
Education-Designate, Arne Duncan, and wish him his greatest success
yet. I pray for his success because his triumph in this position, and
the policies he will promote during these troubled times--times that
have seen mega-corporations filing for bankruptcy and national
dependence on foreign oil fueling worldwide terrorism, while millions
starve at home and abroad--will serve to educate our Nation's children,
and may prove to be as vital to our country's future as Brown vs. Board
of Education.
On behalf of the entire city of Chicago, I congratulate U.S.
Secretary of Education-Designate Duncan and wish him Godspeed as he
receives the keys to steer our country's children bravely into the 21st
century. May he keep his vision to help build a generation of young
scholars that will be the envy of this rapidly changing world.
Sincerely,
Latasha R. Thomas,
Chairperson, Committee on Education,
Chicago City Council.
______
The Chicago Community Trust,
Chicago, IL 60601,
January 6, 2009.
Hon. Edward M. Kennedy,
Hon. Michael B. Enzi,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator Kennedy and Senator Enzi: I write this letter to you
in support of Mr. Arne Duncan's nomination for Secretary of Education.
I have had the privilege to work with Mr. Duncan for 8 years. He was
appointed as CEO for the Chicago Public Schools just months after I
began work at The Chicago Community Trust to craft our Education
Initiative which provided a $100 million commitment to support Mr.
Duncan's agenda to improve student achievement. This partnership
between metropolitan Chicago's community foundation and the school
district is, in itself, a testament to the character and quality of Mr.
Duncan's leadership.
Under Mr. Duncan's leadership, the Chicago Public Schools district
has achieved a record of continuous progress spanning 7 years which is
unmatched by other urban districts. Key to this success is his
understanding that educational improvement requires the collaborative
efforts of many stakeholders--and his commitment to building
collaborative partnerships focused on students and their needs. From
the beginning of Mr. Duncan's tenure he focused on the goal of
preparing students for postsecondary education and work by achieving
excellent instruction. The bottom line is that Mr. Duncan is pragmatic
and driven by results, not ideology.
Mr. Duncan fundamentally transformed the culture of this large
urban school bureaucracy. He opened up the system and invited parents,
business leaders, community leaders, nonprofit leaders, and foundation
leaders to join with him. Almost overnight he tapped a wellspring of
goodwill and expertise eager to tackle the seemingly intractable
challenge of improving the educational outcomes for poor and minority
students. Hundreds of civic leaders now feel a direct stake in the
success of Chicago's students and schools.
His successful strategies are tightly focused on transforming the
quality of teaching and learning in the classroom, introducing 21st
century standards (including expansion of world language programs),
closing failing schools, and creating new and innovative schools.
The core strategy for improving student achievement is to
strengthening teachers' knowledge and school leaders' abilities to
tackle and raise the collective performance of entire schools and to
recruit talented new teachers. This strategy is supported by the
creation of exemplary curriculum offices and the mobilization of
university supports inside schools and classrooms, and an active
partnership with the Consortium on Chicago School Research that
provides real-time and longitudinal research studies to guide
decisionmaking. As a result, Chicago has experienced a remarkable
turnaround of classrooms, school climates, and an invigorated
workforce, not only in the new schools but also in existing
neighborhood schools. This work has led to major innovations in how
universities and schools work together; work that translates into
higher achievement by all children.
Above all, under Mr. Duncan's leadership, the Chicago Public
Schools system is courageous and steadfast in its commitment to close
failing schools each year through a fair and objective process. This
process has invited and increased parent engagement and community
involvement in the process of school closing decisions and the
selection of new school operators and leaders.
In concert with school closings, Mr. Duncan set an ambitious agenda
to open new schools and built a process to incubate, evaluate and
launch an impressive number of innovative new schools that meet the
diverse learning needs of students and increase the opportunities for
public school choice. As a result of this work, the district developed
a ``turnaround'' strategy that enables students to remain in place
while new leadership and teachers are brought in with a plan to
dramatically improve the school.
What sets Mr. Duncan apart from other superintendents is his
reinvention of the role of the superintendent to that of a manager of a
portfolio of schools--with the work designed to continually improve the
mix of schools to benefit the maximum number of students. In this
regard, his agenda is to provide the best schools for the district's
students, whether the school is a charter school, contract school, or
traditional neighborhood school. His decisions to award new schools are
based on evidence and performance--not ideology.
Critical to the success of these strategies is his insistence on
the development and use of data and evidence to guide decisionmaking.
If I can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to
contact me. I can be reached at (312) 616-8000.
Sincerely yours,
Terry Mazany,
President and CEO.
______
The Campaign for Educational Equity,
New York, NY 10027,
January 8, 2009.
Hon. Edward M. Kennedy,
Hon. Michael B. Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Dirksen 428,
Washington, DC 20510.
Re: Nomination of Arne Duncan
Dear Senators Kennedy and Enzi: I am writing to convey my
enthusiastic support for the nomination of Arne Duncan as U.S.
Secretary of Education. I think that Mr. Duncan is exceptionally well
suited to undertake the challenging responsibilities of this position
at this particular time. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a
unique ability to bring people together and to solve difficult problems
in a bipartisan way.
Mr. Duncan's remarkable success in bringing innovations and
substantial educational success to the Chicago schools is a matter of
record, and others who are closer to that scene can speak about the
specifics of these accomplishments better than I. What stands out for
me in this record is the fact that he was able to accomplish striking
reforms, like implementing a performance pay plan and closing down 19
schools for academic failure and dismissing the entire staff, while
maintaining good relations with the teachers union and avoiding any
labor strife during his entire long tenure in office.
My personal involvement with Arne Duncan has centered around three
critical issues: fiscal equity reform, community schools and revisions
of the No Child Left Behind Act. I will briefly discuss my interactions
with him regarding each of these important subjects and explain why I
think he is uniquely qualified to lead the Federal Government's policy
initiatives in each of these areas.
Before assuming my present position at Teachers College, I was lead
counsel for the plaintiffs in a major litigation, CFE v. State, that
successfully challenged New York State's system for financing public
education. I also head the National Access Network, a grouping of most
of the attorneys and advocates around the country who are involved in
fiscal equity and education adequacy reform movements. Last year, Mr.
Duncan asked me to come to Chicago to discuss with him and the members
of the Chicago Board of Education our experience with fiscal equity
reform in New York and the relevance that experience might have for
promoting similar reforms in Chicago.
I was impressed with two aspects of his reaction to my
presentation. First, he quickly comprehended the complex legal story I
laid out and honed in on some strategic factors that might be relevant
to the difficult legal landscape regarding this issue in Illinois.
Second was his passion for the well-being of Chicago's public school
children and his genuine distress at the fact that they were receiving
significantly fewer resources than their peers in New York City. He has
kept in touch with me since that time to prod me for ideas and
assistance on how to rectify the fiscal inequities in Illinois. I am
convinced that, as Secretary, he will also be a committed champion for
fiscal equity reform on a national level and that he will find
pragmatic ways to make progress on this issue by ``leveling up'' the
resources available to children who are presently underserved without
diminishing the educational opportunities of those who presently are
being well served.
Increasingly, policymakers at both the national and the State
levels are understanding that in order to make serious inroads on
eliminating the current achievement gaps between advantaged and
disadvantaged children, we need to confront the socioeconomic barriers
to school success that impede educational opportunity for students from
backgrounds of concentrated poverty. Arne Duncan has been the national
leader on taking concrete policy steps to provide the health,
nutrition, family support and preschool opportunities these children
need to succeed. He has done so by initiating the establishment of
community schools in Chicago--not merely as pilots or demonstrations,
but on the large scale needed to make a significant impact on urban
education.
In Chicago, fully 25 percent of all the public schools are now
``community schools'' that are open every day well into the night and
provide a range of important services to students and their families.
Mr. Duncan has been generous with his time in providing guidance for
efforts that my colleagues and I are now undertaking to promote a
similar community school reform effort in New York City. He
accomplished this impressive innovation in Chicago with very limited
resources by husbanding and carefully prioritizing the public funds
available to him and by motivating many individuals and foundations in
the private sector to support this effort. Mr. Duncan's ability to find
the means to implement a major innovation in the face of serious
resource scarcity will obviously serve him well in helping the
President-elect implement his ambitious education agenda during the
current economic downturn.
One of the first major tasks that the new Secretary of Education
will face is dealing with the long-delayed reauthorization of the No
Child Left Behind Act. Arne Duncan has mined and utilized the many
positive possibilities for reform provided by that statute and, for the
past 7 years (as long as the law has been in effect), has also wrestled
with the implementation difficulties the law presents in a number of
areas. Mr. Duncan also has a deep understanding of the complex
interplay of the legal and policy perspectives and the political
compromises that went into the law's enactment and will be well-
situated to consider and work out agreements on necessary revisions. I
recently coedited a book that examines the theoretical underpinnings of
the law and presents a variety of perspectives on how NCLB should be
revised in order to accomplish the goal of truly overcoming the
achievement gaps. Mr. Duncan agreed to review this work and gave us
some very insightful comments on its themes. He clearly has the right
mix of practical experience and theoretical understanding of NCLB to
lead the Department's efforts to build on the law's accomplishments and
strengthen those aspects of the law that have proved problematic.
In sum, I think Arne Duncan, by temperament, intellect and
experience, is superbly qualified to carry out the responsibilities of
the U.S. Secretary of Education. I appreciate your considering my views
on this important matter. Please let me know if I can provide any
further information or be of any further assistance to the committee in
the confirmation process.
Sincerely yours,
Michael A. Rebell,
Executive Director, Campaign for Educational Equity
and Professor of Law and Education Practice.
______
Council of the Great City Schools,
Washington, DC 20004,
January 8, 2009.
Hon. Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Hon. Michael B. Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Mr. Chairman and Senator Enzi: I am writing on behalf of the
Council of the Great City Schools, the Nation's primary coalition of
large urban public school systems, to enthusiastically endorse the
appointment of Arne Duncan as U.S. Secretary of Education.
Arne Duncan is one of the finest educational leaders in the country
and is eminently qualified to lead the Nation's schools and colleges as
Secretary of Education. Mr. Duncan has led the third largest school
system in the Nation since 2002, a tenure well beyond the average in
urban education today. His leadership has been marked by innovation,
collaboration, determination, and skill. He has been at the forefront
of important high school reforms and has championed improvement and
accountability for results at every turn. The results of his efforts
can be seen in better schools and significantly enhanced student
achievement and opportunity.
In the process of leading the Chicago Public Schools, Arne Duncan
exhibited all of the skills that a Secretary of Education will need in
order to be successful: honesty, integrity, transparency,
thoughtfulness, and political acumen. He is well known as a leader who
will listen to all sides of a debate and make up his mind based on the
best available data and research. He widely consults parents and
unions, teachers and principals, municipal leaders and the broader
community. And he is bipartisan and relentless in the pursuit of better
education and greater opportunity for the Nation's children.
The Council of the Great City Schools is pleased and proud to give
its wholehearted support behind Arne Duncan and urge the U.S. Senate to
confirm his appointment at the earliest moment. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Michael Casserly,
Executive Director.
______
The Chicago Principals & Administrators
Association,
Chicago, IL 60601,
January 9, 2009.
Hon. Edward M. Kennedy,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator Kennedy: The Chicago Principals & Administrators
Association (CPAA) is honored to send this letter of support for the
confirmation of Mr. Arne Duncan for the position of Secretary, U.S.
Department of Education. Our Association has enjoyed a productive
relationship with Mr. Duncan during his tenure as CEO of the Chicago
Public Schools. Mr. Duncan has extended an open-door policy to us at
his downtown office, additionally, providing his home telephone number
for discussions at anytime necessary.
We have monthly meetings with Mr. Duncan and his senior staff to
bring issues of concern for resolution. The meetings also afford
opportunities to explore innovative ideas for collaboration around
improving management and instruction at the local school level.
We are very grateful that Mr. Duncan has supported and continued a
long standing (53 years) joint professional development initiative
between CPAA and CPS. Each year local school administrators are given
permission to attend a 2-day conference that features top senior staff
from Chicago Public Schools, national speakers and educational experts.
The Chicago Principals & Administrators Association has worked
under the guidance of CPS to provide other professional development to
Chicago administrators with funding by the Chicago Public Schools. We
believe the articulation and collegial planning between our
organizations has created an atmosphere that encourages innovative
change and thinking ``outside the box.'' We are proud to recommend our
CEO, Arne Duncan, to the rest of the Nation as their new education
leader.
Sincerely,
Clarice Berry,
President.
______
The Chicago Public Education Fund,
Chicago, IL 60606,
January 9, 2009.
Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman,
Senator Michael B. Enzi, Ranking Member,
U.S. Senate,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
428 Senate Dirksen Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senators Kennedy and Enzi: It is my great honor to offer this
letter of support for my friend and colleague, Arne Duncan, CEO of
Chicago Public Schools, on his nomination by President-elect Obama for
U.S. Secretary of Education. As the Nation's longest-serving urban
school system superintendent, Arne's unique talents have translated
into real results for children. I know from working with Arne over many
years that he will set aggressive goals and will engender a spirit of
collaboration that will simply get things done.
I always think of Arne as an athlete, as he brings the consummate
athlete's style to his work. He is a team-builder, a first among
equals, someone who shares the credit, the type that does what he says
he is going to do. He is a humble man, but with a deeply held
competitive spirit that gives him tenacious focus and drive to tackle
the toughest challenges. And after a win, he wants to know what's next.
There is no finish line.
Thanks to Arne, Chicago has been on a tremendous winning streak.
Arne was one of the first big-city schools' chiefs to identify
principal and teacher talent as the greatest lever we can pull to
improve schools. In partnership with The Chicago Public Education
Fund--made up of Chicago's eminent business leaders who have had the
confidence in Arne to commit nearly $50 million of their personal money
to improve the city's schools--Arne has dramatically increased the
quality of human capital in this, the Nation's third largest school
system.
Arne's success lies in his fair and disciplined leadership, embrace
of innovation, and solutions-oriented management. I want to give you
three brief examples of these qualities, which will serve the Nation
well.
On leadership, Arne was pivotal in creating in Chicago some of the
toughest eligibility requirements for principals in the Nation. He was
a key member of the Leading to Great Principals Task Force, chaired by
Fund Director and Chicago-based businesswoman Penny Pritzker and
including prominent corporate, foundation and school district leaders.
Arne not only attended every meeting as promised, he steadfastly
implemented the Principals Task Force recommendations, which ultimately
boosted eligibility requirements to the point that the pool of
principal candidates reduced by nearly two-thirds. Despite losing
principal candidate supply, Arne's determined leadership focused
relentlessly on quality.
On innovation, in collaboration with The Fund, Arne brought to
Chicago and developed leading-edge principal preparation programs.
These programs have become a model of innovation in school leadership
preparation, by blending management and instructional leadership
training, providing a strong, year-long internship experience, and
attracting non-traditional leadership talent to education.
On management, Arne is collaborative yet decisive. In partnership
with The Fund, Arne has made National Board Certification a signature
human capital initiative for Chicago. Indeed, under his leadership, and
with financial and strategic assistance from The Fund, Chicago has
become the fastest growing big-city school district for National Board
Certified Teachers. When Arne recently learned that recruitment for
teachers to pursue the certification process had slumped, jeopardizing
Chicago's momentum in boosting teacher quality, he quickly assembled
the program management team and The Fund and developed an immediate
action plan. He was thoughtful and deliberative, but ultimately
resolute.
In a system of more than 400,000 students, 24,000 teachers, and 650
schools, the challenges of achieving high performance are as immense as
they are intricate. Yet, Arne's results, driven in large measure by his
leadership, innovation and management, speak for themselves. He has
demonstrated the right mix of traits to succeed as head of a large,
complex organization. And he has done so with great humility and
affability.
Working side-by-side with Arne has been one of the great pleasures
of my career. I have the utmost confidence that he will serve his
country with as much distinction as he has his city. I ask that your
committee and the full Senate vote to confirm Arne as our next
Secretary of Education.
Sincerely,
Janet M. Knupp,
Founding President and CEO.
______
Chicago Public Schools (CPS),
Chicago, IL 60603,
January 7, 2008.
Hon. Edward Kennedy,
Hon. Michael B. Enzi.
Dear Senators Kennedy and Enzi: It is an honor and privilege to
have the opportunity to collectively write in support of the nomination
of Mr. Arne Duncan as Secretary of Education.
Transformation is an overused word. However, it is, if anything, an
understatement to describe how Mr. Duncan has affected the Chicago
Public Schools. Since his appointment in 2001 as Chief Executive
Officer, Mr. Duncan has changed, for the better, the lives of hundreds
of thousands of our most deserving children. Over the last 7 years,
student achievement in the Chicago Public Schools has improved to
historic levels. As you may imagine this has been a difficult path, as
he has often had to take the necessary risks as a leader to create
change in an enormous, school district. Since 2001, standardized test
scores have risen dramatically and consistently. Prior to Mr. Duncan's
leadership, roughly 40 percent of Chicago Public School elementary
students met or exceeded Illinois State Learning Standards. Today, 70
percent have reached that same standard. High School students have made
similarly spectacular gains, moving from an ACT average of 16.1 to our
current average of 17.3
Mr. Duncan has guided us to look substantially further, and to set
goals that were simply unimaginable even 5 years ago. He has helped us
to look beyond our school or our grade level. Our long-range goals of
reducing the poverty rate in Chicago, and preparing every student for
success, has forced us to understand that our vocation plays a singular
role in the success of our neighborhoods and our city. By strategically
looking at data, and openly seeking information that will objectively
guide our work, we have tossed aside assumptions that were built over
generations. Because of his leadership, we now clearly see a path to
success.
Mr. Duncan's accomplishments are substantial and deep. Under his
leadership, we have developed a theory of change that provides us
focused guidance. The theories are simple: provide excellent
instruction, attract and develop talented people, and expand
opportunities and options for all students. We have seen teacher
quality rise exponentially, along with teacher satisfaction and
effectiveness. Recognizing that great teachers make great schools, Mr.
Duncan has made National Board Certification a priority, and worked
with the private sector to ensure that these great teachers are
rewarded for their efforts. He has recognized that great leaders are
essential to every school, and has developed Principal Competencies,
ensuring that principals are prepared for the enormity of their task.
He created autonomy options for great leaders, and closed schools that
were not properly serving the needs of our children. He has also
developed an array of choices for parents, ensuring that the need of
every child is met.
However in Chicago, our focus has been so much more than just
improving test scores. Mr. Duncan has repeatedly shown the courage to
argue for increased funding for our schools, with the understanding
that all must be held accountable. He has worked closely with our
unions to ensure continued labor peace so the focus remains on
children. Furthermore, Mr. Duncan has worked tirelessly with local and
State agencies, community and faith-based organizations to combat the
tide of violence affecting the lives of our students and their
families. Mr. Duncan has repeatedly challenged us with these words,
``If in the end we have just improved test scores and have not moved
more children from poverty through education--we have failed!''
We serve as Area Instruction Officers, supervising the 600-plus
Chicago Public Schools. Prior to Mr. Duncan's organizational
leadership, our function was to supervise the operational activities of
schools, with little influence over instruction. One of Arne's first
acts was to reorganize our roles so that the majority of our time would
be spent working toward improved instruction. He clearly recognized
that, if true change was to occur, it would happen at the classroom and
school level. His focus on instruction has been maintained throughout
his tenure as CEO.
It is, of course, impossible to list all accomplishments of Mr.
Arne Duncan. It's easy, however, to state that the education of the
children of Chicago has been immeasurably improved by his courageous
leadership. It's equally easy to say that he is, in the minds of many,
irreplaceable. However, it is with immeasurable pride that we write in
support of Arne's appointment. We are certain that what he has done at
the local level can be replicated nationally. We're certain that No
Child Left Behind will become much more than an empty phrase. We're
certain that lives will change because of this appointment. He will be
deeply missed.
Sincerely,
Thomas Avery, Cynthia Barron, Analila Chico, James Cosme, Rebecca
de los Reyes, Carolyn Epps, Deborah Esparza, Stephen Flisk, Annette
Gurley, Jerryelyn Jones, Joe Kallas, Olga Laluz, Delena Little, Denise
Little, Isabel Mesa-Collins, Rick Mills, Leonard Moore, Pamela Randall,
Norma Rodriguez, Karen Saffold, Katherine Volk, Adrian Willis, Paul
Zeitler,
The 23 Area Instruction Officers, Chicago Public Schools.
______
Chicago Public Schools,
Chicago, IL 60622,
January 9, 2009.
Hon. Edward Kennedy,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator Kennedy: As principal of Talcott Fine Arts and Museum
Academy, with the Chicago Public Schools, I appreciate the opportunity
to recommend Mr. Arne Duncan for the appointment of Secretary of
Education. Talcott Fine Arts and Museum Academy's profound growth is
consistent with the significant improvement many Chicago schools have
experienced under Mr. Duncan's exemplary leadership. His city wide
initiatives as the Chief Executive Officer for the Chicago Public
Schools created the context and foundation for Talcott Academy's
dramatic improvement.
Arne Duncan supports and validates the belief that our greatest
resources to children are the very adults who commit to serve them as
educators. This human capital has been nurtured and developed by
creating and sustaining multilevel partnerships, holding high
expectations for teachers' higher education, and being an embedded,
inspirational leader who understand the underpinnings and implications
of educational reform.
Mr. Duncan has shown commitment to build collaborative and long-
term partnerships among organizations such as National Boards, Chicago
Community Trust, Illinois State Board of Education, Chicago Public
Education Fund and the Chicago Teachers Union in order to substantially
support deep and reflective student learning.
Mr. Duncan is steadfastly dedicated to developing highly skilled
and qualified teachers. He has nurtured and developed the National
Board Certification within the city, and as a result the Chicago Public
Schools are at the forefront nationally for teachers achieving National
Board Certification. At Talcott Academy 30 percent of our staff (nine
teachers) have achieved National Board Certification within the past 4
years. These teachers have demonstrated a profound impact schoolwide in
creating a culture of instructional excellence and professional
accountability.
Arne Duncan has also supported several graduate degree programs to
continue teachers' professional development and growth. Mr. Duncan
understands and acts on the belief that in order for our children to
learn and achieve at increasingly higher levels, they must have highly
qualified, motivated and dedicated teachers throughout their entire
school career. Over the course of his tenure as Chicago Public Schools
CEO, Mr. Duncan has envisioned, created, developed and sustained an
environment where the bar for Chicago's teachers can be set at a high
level.
Mr. Duncan is an inspirational leader who respects and appreciates
the spirit of our children. He completely understands that the very
strength and soul of Chicago and the rest of the United States of
America is our families' cultural diversity. He takes a personal
interest in the achievement of all students as he understands that
collective success is measured by every group of students, including
children of poverty and children who are often overlooked by the rest
of society. He has challenged schools to set the bar high for students
because he truly believes in their capability to become truly amazing
citizens.
Mr. Duncan expects high-level instructional programs to be offered
to every child. This is evident in Talcott Academy's ability to
implement programs such as high school algebra for 8th grade students.
His leadership conveys the very message that a high level of success is
necessary for every child.
Finally, Arne Duncan actively leads innovative educational reform
for children. While supporting the need to have students achieve in
core subjects such as reading, writing, math and science in order that
they may be prepared for college and the 21st century global workforce,
he also understands the importance of the fine arts and physical
education. In addition to rigorous academics, all Talcott students
routinely have theater, music and visual arts to inspire their
creativity and strengthen personal discipline. As a result of Chicago
School reform, the amount of students who have achieved Illinois State
norms in core subject areas such as reading, math and science has
dramatically increased at Talcott Academy. For example, 40 percent of
the students met State standards in Science 4 years ago, while 83
percent do now, a rate that exceeds the Illinois State average.
Keeping with his impressive knowledge of educational reform, Arne
Duncan is well known as being a relentless advocate for the community
school model. Talcott developed an after-school program with the Union
League Boys and Girls Club that serves hundreds of students and
provides extended opportunities for athletics, academics, theater,
dance, music, band, recreation and meals. Additionally, Mr. Duncan has
supported innovative educational partnerships for Talcott students with
some of Chicago's world class museums. Students view the Art Institute
of Chicago, Field Museum of Natural History and National Museum of
Mexican Art routinely as extensions of their classrooms.
In conclusion, Mr. Duncan is a strong leader who is dedicated to
serving children. Mr. Duncan's leadership has helped our teachers to
grow and our students to achieve at high academic levels. As a
principal of an urban school that has made dramatic gains, I respect
and am inspired by his commitment to educational reform. I am confident
that our children and schools will benefit from his leadership as
Secretary of Education. Thank you for your dedication to our country's
educational system and your consideration for Mr. Arne Duncan.
Sincerely,
Craig Benes,
Principal, Talcott Fine Arts and
Museum Academy, M.S., M.A., C.A.S.
______
Chicago Public Schools (CPS),
Chicago, IL 60620,
January 7, 2009.
Dear Mr. Edward Kennedy (MA) and Mr. Michael B. Enzi (WY): Please
accept this letter of support on behalf of Mr. Arne Duncan, CEO Chicago
Public Schools who has been nominated to serve as the Secretary of
Education for President-elect Barack Obama.
I have worked under Arne's leadership for the past 7 years. During
this time, he has been relentless in his quest to improve Chicago
Public Schools. His vision has become a way of life for our system. He
has been supportive of citywide initiatives to improve instruction as
well as increase student attendance.
Under his leadership, the district won a grant for the Teacher
Advancement Program (TAP). This initiative has brought a sense of
community, collaboration, and support to our school. While we have a
long way to go, the structures that are evident within the TAP program
will prove to bear great results. With 10 schools being selected
initially, there is now room to add 30 more schools over the next year.
Arne Duncan is an excellent choice for the office of the Secretary
of Education. His commitment, dedication and hands-on approach is
definitely needed to ensure that all children in the United States of
America have access to an equal and quality education regardless of
their economic status.
Educationally committed,
Monique N. Dockery.
______
(CPS) John J. Pershing West Middle School,
Chicago, IL 60616,
January 8, 2009.
Hon. Edward Kennedy (MA),
317 Russell Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Hon. Michael B. Enzi (WY),
379A Senate Russell Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senators Kennedy and Enzi: I am honored to submit this letter
in support of Mr. Arne Duncan as Secretary of Education for the United
States of America. What a privilege it is to be asked to share
information about Arne (as he likes to be called by all) in order to
help create a complete composite of an individual who has impacted
education within the city of Chicago in such a profound way.
As an instructional leader in an urban district, I am often faced
with dismal information about the academic success of our students. The
media fills the airwaves and print media with negative, albeit factual,
statistics and prognoses about children whose faces and situations
categorize them as minority. When Mayor Richard M. Daley appointed Arne
as Chief Executive Officer, a positive outlook emerged. Within a short
period of time, he applied a uniquely innovative approach to
leadership, proving that he was more than able to handle the tough task
of making our district one that would stir a sense of pride across the
Nation. No longer are we seen as a district with no future. In fact,
the Chicago Public School system is now referenced as a district of
promise.
I have two stories to share regarding Arne's personal commitment to
Pershing West, where I have had the honor of serving as principal since
2005. In the summer of 2005, we realized that our existing playground
met neither the needs of the community nor of the school population.
Arne, along with a bus load of volunteers that he garnered, sweated
alongside parents, students, family members, and faculty to erect a new
playground. He never complained about the work, or the heat, and
labored from morning to evening with a smile on his face. The second
scenario occurred 2 years later when he attended a principals' meeting
hosted by our school. Teachers were excited at the thought that he
would walk into classrooms, as he is prone to do. The day stretched on,
and it soon looked like the classroom visits would be impossible due to
his full schedule. Nevertheless, I appealed to him to accompany me
briefly into classrooms. He did without pause or hesitation. I share
these stories to add a stroke to the portrait being painted of Arne.
While building the playground, he remained focused on the task, but
also engaged in dialogue with everyone. It was clear that each
individual present mattered equally to him. After the principals'
meeting, he could very easily have exited the building without
considering my request, but he didn't. He willingly honored my request.
These anecdotes speak volumes about Arne's character. He is a
personable, attentive, driven visionary. Of paramount importance is the
fact that he is guided by a vision that has children and the support of
teaching and learning at its foundation.
Finally, as the principal of a performance model school under
Chicago Public Schools' Renaissance 2010 initiative, I can tell you
that Arne is a risk taker for education. Critics may attempt to vilify
him for making bold decisions to close underperforming schools.
However, for taking a stance on creating schools with varying
opportunities for students, for daring to hold principals and teachers
accountable, and for creating an avenue for new schools to be
developed, I contend that he has done as he promised 7 years ago: he
has kept children's needs at the top of his ``to-do'' list. His efforts
prove that ``Children First'' is not just rhetoric or a meandering
slogan, but a motto by which all educators should work. I am confident
that Arne will be committed to placing the educational needs of all
children across the country first.
Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to share a little about
Mr. Arne Duncan. I know that the Nation will be positively impacted by
President Obama's decision and I believe with all of my heart that this
appointment will yield productive fruit for the country's most valuable
asset--our children.
Respectfully submitted,
Cheryl D. Watkins,
Principal.
______
(CPS) Williams Multiplex Schools,
Chicago, IL 60616,
January 9, 2009.
Hon. Edward Kennedy,
317 Russell Senate Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator Kennedy: It is with great pleasure that we write a
letter of support for Mr. Arne Duncan, for the position of U.S.
Secretary of Education. Mr. Duncan has demonstrated integrity,
trustworthiness, commitment and dedication to the students, staff and
parents of the Chicago Public Schools and communities.
Under his leadership Chicago Public Schools have experienced a high
level of expectations. You will have a leader who is personable without
being familiar, cheerful in the face of diversities and unflustered
under stress. Mr. Duncan has been intuitive in formulating goals that
prepare Chicago students for success in the global community,
Mr. Duncan realized that not all students in the city of Chicago
were receiving a quality education. He felt that it was time to make a
change. After carefully analyzing the data, the vision and birth of
Renaissance 2010 evolved. Renaissance 2010 is an initiative designed to
create 100 high performing schools in targeted, underserved
communities. Williams School was one of the first schools to close
under this new initiative. This was indeed a difficult, bold and
courageous step toward improving the quality of education in the
Dearborn Homes Public Housing Complex. There was a great level of
opposition from elected officials, community and faith-based leaders,
parents, students and the Chicago Teachers Union. Mr. Duncan stood firm
on his commitment and held community forums to listen to concerns of
all stakeholders. He engaged the community throughout the process to
create the type of school that would ensure that students obtain a
quality education.
Williams Multiplex reopened in 2003, The Multiplex consisted of
four small schools within a school, serving children from pre-
kindergarten through high school. Under new leadership, the multiplex
hosted a culture that embraced education. There was collaboration among
all stakeholders, small class sizes and an environment conducive for
learning. We partnered with Erikson Institute, world renown for early
childhood education to offer onsite professional development for all
staff. Funding was provided for an extended school day that afforded
more time on task in the academics and daily professional development.
Mr. Duncan embraced a culture that would concentrate on the entire
child. The Responsive Classroom curriculum was utilized to address both
social and emotional needs of our students. Various business and
community partnerships were established to offer expertise and to serve
as resources for our school.
As instructional leaders, we can testify that Mr. Duncan is
extremely committed in educating all children and seeking creative
opportunities for them to be engaged in the process of learning through
innovative programs during the day, after school programs and Saturday
school. Mr. Duncan has given us the autonomy to think ``outside of the
box,'' and we are now exploring the opportunity for Williams to become
a school with the focus on engineering. Williams has risen from a
school considered a failure, where little hope was seen for the future
of the students to a place that is now considered a ``diamond in the
rough.'' When Williams closed in 2002 data indicated that 17 percent of
the students were meeting or exceeding State standards. Today, because
of the support offered by Mr. Duncan and his team, 72 percent of the
students are meeting or exceeding State standards. Parents from across
the city are seeking to enroll their children in our school.
Former Secretary of Education, William Bennett, once referred to
Chicago Public Schools as ``the worse in the Nation.'' Under the
leadership of Mr. Arne Duncan, the Chicago Public Schools is now
considered as one of the models for the Nation when it comes to school
reform. We feel that Mr. Duncan will be able to change the direction of
education for all students.
Sincerely yours,
Kothyn Alexander,
Principal, Big Picture High School.
Theresa V. Rhea,
Principal, Williams Middle School.
Marlene Pollard Heath,
Principal, Williams Elementary School.
Frances M. Oden,
Williams Multiplex Senior Advisor.
______
Lester Crown,
Chicago, IL 60601,
January 7, 2009.
Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
428 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Re: Recommendation of Arne Duncan as Secretary of Education
Dear committee members: It is a privilege to have the opportunity
to recommend Arne Duncan to the all-important position of Secretary of
Education in President Obama's administration.
Nothing is more essential for the long-term position of the United
States in the complex world of today than a highly educated population.
Colleges and universities throughout our country provide superb college
and advanced education, but we must vastly improve education for all
U.S. citizens at the K-12 level. There are few people better equipped
to provide the leadership for this daunting task than Arne Duncan.
After graduating magna cum laude at Harvard in 1987, where he was
also co- captain of their basketball team and named to the Academic
All-American first team all 4 years of his college career, he then
played professional ball in Australia.
Arne comes from an academic environment--his father was a professor
at the University of Chicago and his mother ran tutoring programs for
inner-city children. After spending 3 years in the non-profit
educational world, Arne joined the Chicago Public School system as
chief of staff and 3 years later was appointed chief executive officer
succeeding Paul Vallas.
During his 7-year tenure, he has instituted dramatic and effective
improvements in the Chicago Public School system bucking entrenched
bureaucratic obstacles, an intransient teachers union and a non-
cooperative inner-city environment. He has accomplished a great deal
with ingenuity, thoughtful understanding of the complex problems,
personal persuasion, perseverance and a tremendous number of hours of
hard work.
The inner-city problems of Chicago mirror those of most large
cities in the country making the delivery of quality education
difficult. Over the past 7 years, Arne has presided over an improvement
in standard test scores at the elementary and high school level, the
percentage of high school graduates who go on to college, the
institution of a performance-based pay program for teachers and has
backed the establishment of charter schools to create competition in
the school system. He has opened a record number of new schools and
closed underperforming schools while negotiating a long-term contract
with the teachers union after many years of labor unrest and numerous
strikes. In addition, he has provided prudent fiscal management.
All told, I am convinced that Arne Duncan would make an excellent
Secretary of Education.
Sincerely,
Lester Crown.
______
Office of the Mayor,
City of Chicago,
January 9, 2009.
Hon. Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman,
Hon. Michael B. Enzi, Ranking Member,
Committee of Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Dirksen Senate Office Building SD-428,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Mr. Chairman and Senator Enzi: As Mayor and on behalf of the
city of Chicago, I write in support of the nomination of Arne Duncan to
be the next Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.
As Chief Executive Officer of the Chicago Public Schools for the
past 8 years, Arne Duncan has done a remarkable job improving the
quality of education offered to all of our students. He has shown an
openness to trying new, innovative approaches including closing
underachieving schools, expanding charter schools, and rewarding
teachers and principals for outstanding performance.
The results of his efforts are clear. Elementary test scores are at
an all-time high, our high school students' ACT scores have increased
at a rate that is triple the national average, and this year our
graduating seniors received a record $157 million in competitive
college scholarships.
Arne Duncan has brought a spirit of cooperation, achievement and
hope for the future to all of our residents. I know he will bring the
same spirit to the Department of Education and all Americans. I am
pleased to support his nomination for this critical position.
Sincerely,
Richard M. Daley,
Mayor.
______
Department of Education Recovery School District,
New Orleans, LA,
January 7, 2009.
Hon. Edward Kennedy,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator Kennedy: Arne Duncan is an outstanding choice to
become the next Secretary of Education. Not only is he one of the
Nation's premiere education reformers, he is a man of great
intelligence, compassion and common sense. He has initiated
comprehensive, aggressive reforms while not becoming a polarizing
figure--which is no easy feat. In Chicago, Arne closed failing schools,
dramatically expanded charter schools, and promoted school choice and
alternative certification programs that infused classrooms with the
best and the brightest young teachers. Other school superintendents who
have attempted these things have not done them nearly as well, while at
the same time antagonizing the traditional education establishment.
Arne is an education leader who supports No Child Left Behind and
understands its strengths and the areas that need improvement. He is an
individual who respects the traditional education establishment, but is
not afraid to rock the boat (without throwing people off).
I had the pleasure of working with Arne Duncan for 5 years in
Chicago and believe that his honesty, integrity, respectfulness, work
ethic and demeanor are ideally suited for the challenge ahead. While
there were superb choices for the job, you could not do better than
Arne Duncan.
Sincerely,
Paul G. Vallas,
Superintendent, Recovery School District.
______
Dodge Renaissance Academy,
Chicago, IL 60612.
Senator Edward Kennedy,
Senator Michael B. Enzi.
Dear Senators: Arne Duncan has been a champion for children in
Chicago. He has placed great emphasis on turning around failing schools
so that all children in Chicago can have a quality education,
regardless of their zip code. Without Arne Duncan's leadership Dodge
Renaissance Academy could not be the high performing school that it is
today. In addition Arne Duncan was instrumental in helping AUSL develop
the Urban Teacher Residency Model where Dodge Academy is now training
men and women in a year-long residency program to become the school
district's next generation of highly effective urban teachers. We are
proud that his work has been recognized at the national level and look
forward to his continued leadership. We think that Arne Duncan will be
a great innovative Secretary of Education and that he will ensure the
work towards bringing equity for children in education will continue in
our Nation.
Sincerely,
Edward Morris Jr.,
Principal.
Debra Moriarty,
Principal.
______
The Field Museum,
Chicago, IL 60605,
January 8, 2009.
Senator Edward M. Kennedy,
315 Russell Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Senator Michael B. Enzi,
379A Russell Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senators Kennedy and Enzi: I am honored to write you today to
endorse Mr. Arne Duncan as our new U.S. Secretary of Education. We need
a Secretary of Education who has first-hand experience dealing with the
challenges facing our schools. We need a leader who has a track record
of accomplishment in education reform. We need a visionary who has an
unwavering commitment to providing all of our citizens an equal
opportunity to participate in high-quality learning experiences. Mr.
Duncan has these qualities and qualifications. As Secretary of
Education, he will work tirelessly to ensure that the United States
regains its standing as the world's leader in providing exceptional
educational opportunities for students of all ages and circumstances.
As the CEO of one of the Nation's largest urban school systems, Mr.
Duncan has demonstrated exceptional leadership. During his tenure,
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has opened 76 new schools, including
charter and performance schools. These schools have provided Chicago
families with valuable alternatives and choices. Mr. Duncan has
initiated systemwide reforms, such as the Chicago Math and Science
Initiative, that have provided consistency and focus in curricular
choice and coordination across the system. His emphasis on teacher
quality and professional development has resulted in increases in the
number of highly qualified teachers and improvement in the quality of
instruction in CPS classrooms. Mr. Duncan has also demonstrated a
willingness to engage with and make tough decisions around hotly
contested issues, such as closing poorly performing schools and
implementing merit pay for teachers.
Under normal circumstances, the qualifications I've outlined above
would be sufficient to justify my endorsement of Mr. Duncan. However,
given the state of our economy and the systemic nature of our education
challenges, the next U.S. Secretary of Education must be committed to
innovation and non-traditional solutions. Arne Duncan is such a person.
During his tenure at CPS, he has consistently sought out advice from
leaders in other sectors, secured funding from non-traditional sources,
and established partnerships with a wide variety of organizations.
Chicago's philanthropic, business and non-profit communities have
rallied behind Mr. Duncan in a way that speaks volumes about his
ability to engender interest and commitment to education reform.
As a board member of the Chicago Public Education Fund, I can
testify to his effectiveness in building alliances between local
corporations and Chicago Public Schools. With his support, the Fund has
secured new investments totaling $20 million in venture capital to
build school leadership. Through Renaissance 2010, Mr. Duncan has
introduced competition and innovation in school design to CPS. This
initiative is supported by an alliance of grassroots organizations,
education reformers, academic institutions and corporate leaders.
Arne's commitment to diversity and quality in school choice has been
unwavering.
Mr. Duncan has also consistently encouraged Chicago's museum
community to work with him on education reform. The Field Museum's
partnership with CPS is extensive; we serve over 650,000 students,
teachers, and families each year through education programs. We
collaborate with Mr. Duncan on the High School Transformation Project
by training high school science teachers on museum-based science
curricular. We will launch an initiative next fall with the CPS Office
of Math and Science to train 750 K-3rd grade teachers in scientific
content and pedagogy using museum resources. Our partnership with the
CPS Office of Early Childhood Education trains community pre-K teachers
on early scientific skills. Mr. Duncan's success in securing diverse
community resources, including museums, will serve him well as he
develops an education strategy in these tough economic times.
President-elect Obama has outlined an aggressive education agenda
focused on learning outcomes, investment in teacher preparation and
performance, early childhood education and second choice. Mr. Duncan
has advocated successfully for similar reforms in Chicago, and has a
solid record of success. Together, President-elect Obama and Arne
Duncan will succeed in making dramatic improvements in educational
opportunities for all. The Field Museum is ready and willing to assist
in this work.
Thank you for the opportunity to write in support of Mr. Duncan's
appointment. If you should have questions or require additional
information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
John W. McCarter, Jr.,
President and CEO.
______
Financial Investments Corporation (FIC),
January 7, 2009.
Dear Senator Edward Kennedy and Senator Michael Enzi: It is with
great pleasure that I write this letter in support of Arne Duncan's
nomination to become Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.
Having known Mr. Duncan for some 20 years, I can attest to his keen
intellect, his unshakeable integrity and his unswerving dedication to
advancing the best interests of children.
I first met Mr. Duncan when he was heading the I Have A Dream
program for the Ariel Foundation, a job that involved shepherding a
group of children through school and into college. My family and I had
``adopted'' a group of students through the I Have A Dream program in
Chicago as well, and had the opportunity to collaborate with Arne on a
number of substantive projects, including starting a charter high
school on the city's west side. In tackling these efforts, as well as
in working with his Dreamers, Arne displayed quiet determination and a
willingness to find creative ways around entrenched problems.
After successfully supporting his Dreamers, Arne went on to serve
in various capacities at the Chicago Public Schools, including as Chief
Executive Officer of a system responsible for educating over 400,000
students. As a member of Chicago's business community and as the
chairman of a family foundation actively engaged in improving
educational outcomes for students on the west side of Chicago. I am
deeply invested in and committed to our public schools. Under Arne's
leadership, the business and philanthropic community has never been
more deeply and seriously engaged in working together with educators to
find new ways to strengthen teaching and learning. Arne's open and
honest willingness to listen to good ideas, to collaborate with people
across political and ideological lines, and his genuine focus on
students have earned him not only the respect and partnership of people
across the city, but have allowed him to lead the Nation's third
largest school system in a number of pivotal new directions.
Under Arne's steady hand the Chicago Public Schools have focused
more strategically on recruiting, supporting and retaining effective
teachers, working with the teachers' union, local foundations and
outside providers to implement programs as diverse as performance pay
initiatives, National Board Certification training, and the placement
of literacy coaches in schools across the district. Among other
encouraging results, a recent study demonstrated a marked improvement
in the caliber of teachers working in Chicago classrooms, and the city
now leads the Nation in master teachers.
Unwilling to allow chronically failing schools to remain in
business, Arne launched Renaissance 2010, an initiative that brought
civic leaders together with the public schools to close or
``turnaround'' chronically failing schools and replace them with more
effective programs and options. The net result is that Chicago families
now have more quality school choices than ever before, graduation rates
and dropout rates are moving in the right directions, and elementary
scores have been steadily rising. While no one, least of all Arne,
believes the work is complete, his legacy of focus and commitment is
clear and has redounded to the benefit of the city's students.
As a member of the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of
Chicago, as the head of a local foundation that has spent over a dozen
years and $20 million to help revitalize an isolated and impoverished
community in the city, I am sorry to see Arne leave his position as
head of the Chicago Public Schools. His quiet determination and child-
centered and bold leadership will be missed, as will his ability to
work collaboratively and respectfully with a wide array of community
and civic partners.
As a longtime friend and someone who cares about the future of our
economy and our citizenry, I applaud his nomination and think that
President-elect Obama could not have nominated someone with a stronger
skill set, a deeper commitment, or a more compelling vision to fill
this position.
I wholeheartedly support this nomination and am happy to provide
whatever further information or insight might be desired.
Sincerely,
Harrison I. Steans,
Chairman of the Executive Committee.
______
Office of the Illinois State Treasurer,
January 9, 2008.
Hon. Edward Kennedy,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate, Dirksen 428,
Washington, DC 20501.
Dear Senator Kennedy: It is my esteemed honor to formally and
enthusiastically support Arne Duncan's nomination to serve as the U.S.
Secretary of Education.
Since being appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Chicago Public
Schools in 2001, Mr. Duncan has utilized his experience in developing
exemplary educational opportunities for the inner-city children of
Chicago's south side with the Ariel Education Initiative to take on the
arduous task of ensuring that every child in the City of Chicago has
equal access to a quality education. In a city like Chicago, with its
religious, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity, this is not a simple
responsibility to assume. Nonetheless, in the past 7 years, Mr. Duncan
has successfully initiated structural improvement to dilapidated
schools, reduced the amount of overcrowded classrooms, recruited and
retained quality educators, increased community involvement in the
education system, and increased the amount of students who graduate
from high school and pursue higher education.
While I have no doubt that Mr. Duncan's experience and
accomplishments will make him an exceptional Secretary of Education, I
also believe his leadership abilities and passion for improving the
lives of children will make him one of the most outstanding public
servants to ever serve this country. I have had the privilege to know
Mr. Duncan personally and professionally and cannot think of another
public servant with the same conviction to ensure that every child has
access to a quality education. The dedication Mr. Duncan has to fulfill
the mission of Chicago Public Schools has transcended throughout the
entire agency, making it an example to all government agencies
throughout Chicago and the State of Illinois. Mr. Duncan is one of the
most committed, most intelligent, most passionate, and most effective
individuals I have ever met.
I recommend that Mr. Duncan be appointed the U.S. Secretary of
Education without reservation. I am certain that he will have an
extraordinary impact on the Department of Education and will redefine
the role of future administrations.
Sincerely,
Alexi Giannoulias,
Illinois State Treasurer.
______
George Westinghouse High School,
Chicago, IL 60624.
Edward Kennedy,
U.S. Senator for Massachusetts,
317 Russell Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Michael Enzi,
U.S. Senator for Wyoming,
379A Russell Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senators: I submit this letter to the Senate Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions to express my full support for
the confirmation of Mr. Arne Duncan as Secretary of Education for the
United States of America. Currently, I am principal of George
Westinghouse High School in Chicago, IL. I have 10 years experience in
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) as a teacher and administrator.
My support for Mr. Duncan is based on the leadership that he has
exhibited during his tenure as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CPS. I
have participated in the transformation of CPS from what former
Secretary of Education William Bennett called ``the worst in the
Nation,'' to one of the leading large urban school districts in the
country.
Educational reform is not merely a buzz word in Mr. Duncan's
administration; instead it is a theory of action. This is evidenced by
the many change-oriented initiatives that we have witnessed in CPS, the
strengthening of principal preparation requirements, teacher quality,
selection of high quality curriculum, and human resource development
which has resulted in a dramatic increase in National Board Certified
teachers in CPS. All of these initiatives led to improvements in
literacy and math instruction that resulted in increased student
achievement from approximately 40 percent of Chicago Public School
students meeting or exceeding State standards to 68 percent in 2008.
These improvements have also led to higher attendance rates, an
increase in the number of freshmen on-track to graduate, higher student
retention rates, and a decrease in the high school drop-out rate.
The most notable of Mr. Duncan's leadership was the unprecedented
and courageous step to close underperforming schools. During his tenure
he has closed many underperforming schools that have failed students,
families, and society for years and replaced them with viable education
options. For the first time in Chicago Public School history there is a
system of choice for poor and minority students. These choices include
CPS partnered chartered schools, contract schools, and small schools as
well as new neighborhood schools.
Mr. Duncan has been successful because of his unique ability to
engage all of the stakeholders involved in the educative process of
children. He successfully collaborates with parents, students,
teachers, administrators, politicians, and policymakers to ensure that
the Chicago Public School system continues to make substantive
improvements in teacher quality, human resource development, and
educational funding support and reform in Illinois.
I wholeheartedly recommend Mr. Duncan for the cabinet position of
Secretary of Education. I know that this will allow the entire country
to benefit from decisive policy improvements, post-modern strategic
thinking, and courageous leadership in the area of education.
Sincerely,
Janice K. Jackson,
Principal.
______
Harvard Business School,
January 7, 2009.
Dear Senators Kennedy and Enzi: I am writing to express my
enthusiastic support for the nomination of Arne Duncan as Secretary of
Education.
The Chicago Public School System (CPS) was an original participant
in the 7-year old Public Education Leadership Project (PELP), a
partnership among the Harvard Graduate School of Education, the Harvard
Business School and nine urban districts. As co-chair of this project,
I have worked closely with Mr. Duncan since its inception. The purpose
of the project was to build leadership and managerial capabilities in
urban districts that would focus all of their resources on improving
student performance. We adopted the best ideas from business and the
nonprofit sectors and then adapted them to the unique environment of
complex public education systems. The approach was based on the
hypothesis that this knowledge was essential for any organization to
attain high performance and that it did not exist in any coherent form
for the public education sector.
Mr. Duncan was highly engaged and a major contributor to every
aspect of the project from its design, to participating with his
leadership team in four on-campus executive education programs, to
planning how the ideas might be spread to other urban districts. Most
importantly, under Duncan's leadership, Chicago embraced and
implemented a number of organizational reforms that contributed to
material gains in student achievement. I have attached a November 2006
Harvard Business Review article that describes some of the significant
changes that the district implemented. (See pages 62-63.)*
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
* The article referred to may be found at http://hbr.org/2006/11/
how-to-manage-urban-school-districts/ar/1.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
I also had the opportunity to co-author two cases about the CPS. In
doing so, I interviewed dozens of people including teachers,
principals, regional managers and district personnel. A few themes were
common across all of my conversations.
The activities and projects that were being implemented
throughout the district evolved from a strategy of continuous
improvement with student learning at its core.
Despite continuing budget constraints and the difficulty
of implementing and sustaining improvement, the strategy in place would
not be compromised.
There was a sense of optimism and high expectations of
performance that permeated the district.
CPS, which had been considered by many as hopeless in the
past, was making major improvements and was capable of effectively
educating all of its 434,000 students.
There was no ideology behind decisions made by the
leadership of the district other than to improve teaching and learning.
This meant embracing any innovation that helped drive their strategy,
regardless of its origin, and included charters and a national
nonprofit organization that trained principals.
Arne Duncan was a strong and effective leader who could
make the needed tough decisions in a way that did not polarize the
factions that were usually at odds over change.
As our project evolved, we observed that, of the limited number of
urban districts in the country that had measurably turned the tide in
recent years and whose student performance was on an upward trajectory,
most of them had embraced concepts similar to those advocated by the
PELP project. In March 2006, Mr. Duncan hosted a dinner in Chicago for
some of the key leaders of the project to discuss ways to spread these
ideas to other districts around the country. We have undertaken
initiatives to impact other districts but have come to realize that in
order to have a more rapid and broad-based impact, a national platform
has to be in place.
Mr. Duncan understands what it takes to effect sustained change in
the classroom, the only place in the end that it really matters. Unlike
some in the field who advocate that we need to start from scratch and
redesign our public school systems, Mr. Duncan has proved that he can
effectively reframe both the dialogue and the reality of a school
district. I am confident that he has the capabilities, determination
and the care for the young people of this country to accomplish the
needed changes on a national level.
Please contact me if I can provide any additional information.
Yours truly,
Allen Grossman.
______
Harvard Graduate School of Education,
Cambridge, MA 02138.
Senator Edward Kennedy,
Senator Michael B. Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Dirksen 428,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator Kennedy and Senator Enzi: I write to endorse Arne
Duncan's appointment as U.S. Secretary of Education. I have known Arne
for the past 5 years, primarily through his involvement with the Public
Education Leadership Program (PELP), a joint initiative between the
Harvard Graduate School of Education and the Harvard Business School. I
co-direct this program and, for the past 5 years, have participated in
a week-long summer seminar with teams from urban school districts
across the country, including the Chicago Public Schools. The program
is intense and requires considerable preparation and participation by
all members of the districts' teams, especially the superintendents.
Arne Duncan has been a central contributor to the program and
served as a model for other school superintendents. He is deeply
committed to the education of all children, particularly low-income,
minority, and second-language learners, who are enrolled in the
Nation's large, urban school districts. Through participating in the
program, Arne has advanced the knowledge and understanding, not only of
himself and his team from Chicago, but also of superintendents and team
members from districts across the country.
Although I am not directly involved in the Chicago Public Schools,
I know that Arne has made important progress there in improving the
learning of students. I appreciate his readiness to draw upon a variety
of programs and approaches (charter schools, community schools,
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, Teach for America)
and to find ways of working constructively with leaders of the Chicago
teachers union on progressive reforms such as Peer Assistance and
Review.
From a national perspective, Arne Duncan has the capacity to bridge
differences between the two education interest groups that were
prominent throughout the election. He clearly believes that improving
student performance through improved teaching and accountability
remains the school district's primary responsibility. However, he is
not so single-minded in this regard as to discount the need for
students, families. and educators to have additional supports if
children are to truly learn.
I strongly support Arne Duncan's candidacy and would be happy to
respond to any questions.
Sincerely yours,
Susan Moore Johnson,
Pforzheimer Professor of Teaching and Learning;
Co-director of the Public Education Leadership Program.
______
Harvard Graduate School of Education,
Cambridge, MA 02138.
Dear Committee: I am writing this letter in strong support of Arne
Duncan's nomination to the position of U.S. Secretary of Education. I
am an Associate Professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education
and focus on the areas of leadership and organizational change. Prior
to joining Harvard's School of Education, I was on the faculty of
Harvard Business School (HBS) for 11 years. In both contexts, I have
worked with Arne and his senior leadership team when he participated in
the Public Education Leadership Program (PELP), a joint initiative
between Harvard Business School and Harvard Graduate School of
Education.
By way of background, the PELP program is one in which urban
districts bring senior leadership teams to Harvard for a week to work
on problems of strategic importance to their districts. In this
context, we engage in case discussions and group work in which the
district teams meet with a facilitator to work on their strategic
issues. Over the past 3 years, I have been the Harvard facilitator for
the Chicago team's work and in this context have seen Arne in action
with his team, in the larger collective context of the classroom, and
beyond--for example, at Chicago Public Schools (CPS) in their annual
leadership conferences (in which I was also a facilitator). I offer the
following observations based upon my interactions with Arne in these
contexts and also as a professor of leadership and organizational
behavior.
Several key leadership characteristics stand out that I believe
make Arne Duncan an excellent choice for Secretary of Education. First,
unlike many superintendents, Arne truly believes and practices
leadership that is based upon collective, rather than individual
authority. He is clearly ``the man'' and in charge at CPS, but at the
same time, he constantly pushes those around him to forward their best
thinking. He not only seeks out others' opinions, he expects and
invites challenge as well. I can hear the echo of Arne's voice in the
team meetings--``tell me, what do YOU [guys] think?'' This kind of
leadership, a style that balances top down with bottom up
decisionmaking, will serve him well as he tackles the large-scale
issues in education that this country faces.
Related to this, Arne is a leader who is passionate about pursuing
smart solutions that will help ``all kids.'' Period. I recall his own
presentation at the end of one week-long session where there was barely
a dry eye in the room; he moved all of us to want to help solve the
pressing problems of leadership and education in this country. Not just
for CPS, but for all districts. For all kids. If there is another
answer, a better answer, Arne is open to it. He understands the merits
of keeping what works in a system, which has been important in a strong
cultural context such as CPS. At the same time, Arne remains open to
new ideas and options. I saw this respect for history married with
respect for innovation alive and well in our discussions at Harvard.
For example, while discussing one of the Chicago cases that was
developed for PELP, Arne openly shared what his district had done and
learned--but not as a fait accompli; rather, he presented these ideas
as an ongoing learning process. That key insight--that having the right
answer is a moving target and can never be totally ``planned for in
advance''--remained with the group for the duration of our discussions.
Arne is persistent.
Finally, Arne is a leader who will lead by creating capacity in his
department so that others can do their best work. While charismatic, he
leads from a humble, honest stance. This engenders a tremendous amount
of respect for him. He draws others into his cause, rather than takes a
command and control stance from above. This leadership approach
inspires others to lead as well. It also resonates quite well with the
approach taken so far by President-elect Barack Obama as he seeks to
rebuild this country's infrastructure. And, given the extent and
severity of the problems facing our education sector today, this
approach to leadership is not only useful, it's appropriate. Arne
Duncan will not simply look for right answers; he will find ways to
make those answers right by focusing on implementation, too.
Thank you for your thoughtful consideration. I strongly support
Arne Duncan for the position of U.S. Secretary of Education, and if I
can provide additional information that would be helpful, I would be
happy to do so.
Sincerely yours,
Monica Higgins.
______
Harvard Graduate School of Education,
January 12, 2009.
Senator Edward M. Kennedy: It is with great pleasure and enthusiasm
that I write this letter of recommendation for Arne Duncan to support
his appointment and confirmation as the Secretary of Education for the
U.S. Department of Education. I have known Arne for 5 years through his
participation in the Public Education Leadership Project at Harvard
University (PELP). I serve as a faculty member for the PELP initiative.
I have been impressed with Arne's deep commitment to the delivery
of high quality education to all of America's children. He is
passionate about creating a U.S. education system where the color of
one's skin and/or their economic circumstance does not dictate the
level or quality of education they obtain. Arne has demonstrated,
through his words and deeds, his commitment to social justice, equity
and fairness.
I am most excited about his appointment because, in this secretary,
we will have someone who has done the hard work of improving schools in
one of the toughest environments in the country. Through his integrity,
his quiet but focused leadership, and his ability to reach across the
aisle and build partnerships with diverse stakeholder groups, Arne has
championed solid improvement in the Chicago Public Schools.
I can think of no better candidate for the position of Secretary of
Education in the Obama administration. I strongly endorse Arne Duncan's
confirmation.
Sincerely,
Karen L. Mapp, Ed.D.,
Lecturer on Education, Program Director,
Educational Policy and Management Master's Program.
______
Harvard Graduate School of Education,
January 8, 2009.
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Dirksen 428,
Washington, DC 20510.
Attention: Joe Kolinski
Dear Senator Kennedy: I am delighted to write this letter
supporting the confirmation of Mr. Arne Duncan for the position of
Secretary of Education. I have known Mr. Duncan since he began his work
as Superintendent of Chicago Public Schools. At that time I was the
Superintendent of the Boston Public Schools and welcomed Mr. Duncan as
a colleague engaged in the Council of Great City Schools and the Aspen
Urban Superintendents Network. Since retirement from the
superintendency in 2006, I have been at the Harvard Graduate School of
Education as a Professor of Practice. Mr. Duncan has invited me to do
some executive coaching with two of his Area Instructional Officers and
his Chief for the Office of High Schools. I also have participated in a
retreat for his senior leadership team and selected principals and
teacher leaders. This has provided me with the opportunity to observe
the amazing work he has done to reform and improve the Chicago Public
Schools.
Mr. Duncan will be an outstanding Secretary of Education. He has an
unwavering commitment to educating all children, to ensure that they
will graduate from high school ready without remediation for some type
of postsecondary education which is essential to access opportunity. He
is a leader who is a continuous learner and models the behavior he
expects those he leads to follow. He understands leaders must hold
accountable those they lead and provide them with the support necessary
to be effective in their work. He listens, observes, and asks probing
questions. He is not afraid to give others the permission to tell him
what he may not want to hear. He embraces data and understands the
importance of using data to make good decisions. He is not afraid to
make difficult decisions and he is willing to take calculated steps to
try new approaches to improve teaching and learning in schools and
classrooms.
Mr. Duncan has excellent political skills. His experience in
working at the State and local levels with the executive and
legislative branches of government have prepared him for his work with
the executive and legislative branches at the Federal level. As a
practitioner he will bring great insight to the impact of policy on
practice and will be able to make the connections for policymakers and
practitioners in school districts and schools.
I know that Mr. Duncan will select a talented group of people to
join his team of leaders in the Department of Education, will work with
the many constituent groups to build support for education in America,
and will be a champion for equity to ensure that those who need the
most support receive it.
Sincerely,
Thomas W. Payzant,
Professor of Practice.
______
Harvard Graduate School of Education,
Office of the Academic Dean,
January 7, 2009.
Dear Senators Kennedy and Enzi: I am writing in support of
President-elect Obama's nomination of Arne Duncan as the next Secretary
of Education. I have known Arne in two capacities: first, in my role as
co-chair of The Aspen Institute Program on Education and Society; and
second, as a faculty member and administrator at the Harvard Graduate
School of Education.
At Aspen I co-facilitate a small network of about a dozen urban
superintendents that has been meeting in semi-annual professional
development retreats for the last 8 years. Arne joined this network
shortly after his appointment as CEO of the Chicago schools and has
over the years become one of its leaders. He impressed me from the
outset by his eagerness to learn from others who had been at this work
for much longer, his openness to new ideas, and his thoughtfulness
about his own work.
In 2004 Arne and his senior leadership team joined a new executive
leadership program jointly sponsored by Harvard's Business and
Education Schools, and for the last five summers I have had the
opportunity to observe Arne in action with his own leadership team and
similar teams from several other large urban districts. Additionally,
over these last several years, I have periodically visited schools in
Chicago, met with his leadership team, and consulted with knowledgeable
foundation officials, university researchers, and other community
leaders in Chicago. As a consequence of these interactions, I have
developed an enormous respect for Arne's steady, thoughtful, committed
leadership style. He has somehow managed to initiate very bold,
potentially controversial initiatives while maintaining strong
political support in an education community that was intensely
polarized prior to his administration. I think the keys to his success
have been his unquestioned integrity, his relentless focus on data and
evidence, his willingness to listen to competing views, and--above
all--his insistence that the interests of the kids in his care must
take precedence over the interests of the adults in the system.
While there are no guarantees that people who have been effective
leaders at the district level will be equally successful in Washington,
I think Arne Duncan has the potential to be a great Education
Secretary. In addition to the personal qualities I just cited, he is a
fast learner, picks good people and gives them lots of running room, is
quick to take personal responsibility for mistakes, and could not have
survived and flourished in Chicago without very good political
instincts. While the press has in my view exaggerated the tensions in
the reform community among the different camps competing for the
President-elect's ear on education policy, a very significant benefit
of this appointment is that Duncan commands respect across the entire
reform spectrum, including the leadership of at least one of the
national teacher organizations. I might also note that Duncan's
personal relationship with the President-elect cannot help but enhance
the status of education in this administration. For all these reasons,
I strongly encourage you to confirm his appointment as the next
Secretary of Education.
Sincerely,
Robert Schwartz,
Academic Dean and
William Henry Bloomberg Professor of Practice.
______
Illinois Education Association--NEA,
Springfield, IL 62704-1999,
January 9, 2009.
Hon. Edward M. Kennedy,
U.S. Senate,
317 Russell Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Hon. Michael B. Enzi,
U.S. Senate,
379A Russell Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator Kennedy and Senator Enzi: I am writing in strong
support of the nomination of Arne Duncan as the next U.S. Secretary of
Education. As the executive director of the Illinois Education
Association--NEA, I have worked with Mr. Duncan on a number of
occasions in efforts to improve the public schools in Illinois.
Arne is particularly committed to high-quality education for all
students. He believes this is the civil rights issue of our generation.
He is extremely effective in bringing together people with various
expertise and points of view and forging strong working relationships
to try new ways to reach students we have not been effectively
educating. He is also committed to learning from these efforts and
understands the importance of research and evaluation as critical tools
in redesigning the entire public education system.
I believe that Arne Duncan's vision and passion, and his skill at
bringing people together around this vision of success for all
students, will make him an exceptional Secretary of Education.
I strongly endorse his nomination.
Sincerely,
Jo Anderson Jr.,
Executive Director.
______
Illinois Network of Charter Schools (INCS),
Chicago, IL 60604,
January 12, 2009.
Hon. Edward M. Kennedy,
2400 JFK Building,
Boston, MA 02203.
Dear Senator Kennedy: On behalf of over 20,000 public school
students, 3,000 public school teachers, 500 civic and community leaders
innovating and creating new models of public education, I write to
strongly recommend Arne Duncan as U.S. Secretary of Education. As the
Executive Director of the Illinois Network of Charter Schools (INCS), I
have had the honor of working with Mr. Duncan for the past 4 years. I
had the pleasure of going to elementary and high school with Arne, so
my knowledge of his character, judgment and values date back more than
30 years.
Mr. Duncan is rightly recognized as a courageous leader of
fundamental transformation of urban education in the Chicago Public
Schools. Widely recognized as the lowest performing urban school system
a decade and a half ago, Mr. Duncan has presided over an aggressive and
visionary transformation of the public schools. Mr. Duncan embraced a
vision of a system of schools that work for students rather than the
tired old model of a school system. In transforming Chicago's schools,
Mr. Duncan has made tough decisions, down to the ultimate decision of
refusing to tolerate low expectations and closing schools that are
failing. That decision is too often avoided, to the determent of
students and teachers.
Nevertheless, Mr. Duncan is especially skilled at recognizing the
viewpoints and needs of all public education stakeholders and has built
meaningful avenues of input for everyone. First and foremost, Mr.
Duncan is honest and rigorous about data. He is unfailing in expecting
and using objective and rigorous data to make decisions. His work
forging a strong, on-going and symbiotic relationship with the
University of Chicago's Consortium on Chicago School Research is an
excellent example of this intellectual rigor and honesty. Similarly,
Mr. Duncan has forged direct policy conversations with rank and file
teachers, students and parents so that he can make decisions with
maximum reliable information. He has a unique ability to synthesize
disparate viewpoints and move the policy agenda.
On a personal note, I have been especially moved by Mr. Duncan's
grace in addressing the terrible toll violence, in our society, is
taking on Chicago's students. Mr. Duncan goes above and beyond public
leadership and takes a personal interest in the loss of every single
child who was enrolled in a public school. His compassion to parents
and guardians is unparalleled and beyond any professional obligations.
At the same time, he has worked hard, and successfully, at
significantly reducing violence in Chicago's schools.
I am honored to have the opportunity to endorse Mr. Duncan as U.S.
Secretary of Education. I know he has all of the resources, talent,
experience and vision to be an exemplary Secretary of Education. His
leadership will undoubtedly bring exponential positive changes to the
students, teacher and American education system.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth A. Evans,
Executive Director.
______
Illinois State Board of Education,
Chicago, IL 60606-1698,
January 9, 2008.
Hon. Edward M. Kennedy,
U.S. Senate,
317 Russell Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Hon. Michael B. Enzi,
U.S. Senate,
279A Russell Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senators Kennedy and Enzi: As Chairman of the Illinois State
Board of Education, it has been my privilege and honor to work with
Arne Duncan for over 4 years, and I gladly write to you in support of
his nomination by President-elect Barack Obama to be the next U.S.
Secretary of Education.
Mr. Duncan has served as Chief Executive Officer of the Chicago
Public Schools since 2001. During this time he has worked diligently to
increase the level of student achievement in the Nation's third-largest
school district. Indeed, the standardized test scores of Chicago Public
School students have increased steadily during his tenure.
He has achieved these impressive results by taking bold steps, such
as closing failing schools, replacing ineffective teachers, and
launching a performance-based compensation plan for teachers. Mr.
Duncan understands the critical role teachers play in student learning
and development, and is a strong proponent of teacher training and
mentoring efforts, and supports programs designed to bring individuals
with strong academic records from non-traditional backgrounds into the
teaching profession. He has worked with colleges and universities to
help them better prepare the teachers our students need. Mr. Duncan
also understands when it comes to education, one-size-does-not-fit-all,
and has championed the creation of new charter schools and affinity
schools in Chicago, so that each and every child may find the
appropriate learning environment to help them all succeed.
Mr. Duncan supports accountability for our Nation's schools, but
also understands the effects that Federal laws, such as the No Child
Left Behind Act, have on schools, students and teachers. His experience
as the chief executive officer of a large urban school district has
given him unique insights that will serve him well as he leads the U.S.
Department of Education, and help our Nation's schools better serve all
our students.
Mr. Duncan knows that a child's learning begins at birth, and has
been very supportive of the Illinois State Board of Education's efforts
to expand our nationally-recognized Preschool for All program. He has
worked to expand early childhood education opportunities in the Chicago
Public Schools, by increasing the enrollment of preschool students by
over 1,000 students each year.
Mr. Duncan also understands all too well how socio-economic factors
impact student learning. He has attended the funerals of a number of
Chicago Public School students who were victims of violence, and has
personally visited the homes of countless students to implore them to
return to school. He has looked to ensure that his students who might
otherwise go hungry have three nutritious meals at school, and meals to
take home over the weekend. He has worked hard to find mentors for his
students, and patrons for his schools. He has also partnered with
nonprofits and foundations to provide additional after school programs
and resources for his students, teachers, and schools.
Arne has always been driven by his sincere desire to help children
and students achieve their full potential, and this motivation has
served the Chicago Public Schools extremely well. He understands that
providing all students in America with access to high quality
educational opportunities, from preschool to graduate school, is a
national imperative. For these reasons, his impeccable credentials and
qualifications, and the many other fine qualities that Arne possesses,
I wholeheartedly and enthusiastically support the nomination of Arne
Duncan to become our next U.S. Secretary of Education.
Very truly yours,
Jesse H. Ruiz,
Chairman, Illinois State Board of Education.
______
Jobs for America's Graduates,
January 8, 2009.
Hon. Edward M. Kennedy,
U.S. Senate,
317 Russell Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510-2101.
Hon. Michael B. Enzi,
U.S. Senate,
379A Russell Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510-2101.
Attn: Roberto Rodriguez; Beth Buehlman.
Dear Senator Kennedy and Senator Enzi: On behalf of our entire
Board of Directors and our Chairman, Governor John Baldacci, it is my
pleasure to write this letter of enthusiastic support for the
confirmation of Arne Duncan as Secretary of Education.
We have worked closely with Arne both in the highly successful
implementation of JAG in many of the Chicago high school and middle
schools, as well as at the national level on critical educational
issues.
In our view Arne has shown truly remarkable insights into both the
practical aspects of the effective delivery of education and, at the
same time, the design of the critical policies that support the
practical execution on the ground that result in real gains in academic
achievement. Those are very rare skills in our experience.
As important to us is his deep dedication to young people and, in
our case, those most at-risk. That is what attracted us to him to
partner in the implementation of JAG in the Chicago schools.
Finally, our experience demonstrates that Arne is a man of the
highest integrity and personal character. He is someone we believe our
country will be especially proud and grateful to have as Secretary of
Education in one of the most challenging times in our history.
We therefore urge your full support and that of your committee for
his confirmation.
Please don't hesitate to let us know of any questions.
Sincerely,
Kenneth M. Smith,
President.
______
Rainbow PUSH Coalition,
January 9, 2009.
Mr. Joe Kolinski,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate, Dirksen 428,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Mr. Kolinski: Providing a high-quality education for all
children is by far the pre-eminent, civil rights issue of our era.
Every year, more than 1 million students in this country drop out of
high school without a diploma and are subsequently ill-prepared for
work or postsecondary education. As I reflect on the great work of Arne
Duncan in the realm of education, I am reminded of a powerful quote
from my mentor, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.:
``The function of education is to teach one to think
intensively and to think critically . . . Intelligence plus
character--that is the goal of true education.''
Mr. Arne Duncan is best described through these four components: an
intensive thinker, a critical thinker, a man of intelligence, and a man
of character. Therefore, as President and Founder of the Rainbow PUSH
Coalition, it is with great honor that I write to support Mr. Arne
Duncan's nomination as U.S. Secretary of Education. During Mr. Duncan's
tenure as Chief Executive Officer of Chicago Public Schools, he has
been a social engineer for much-needed reform. His passion for
providing a high-quality education for all children has propelled him
to take risks and challenges and to think ``outside of the box'' to
close the achievement gap by improving teacher quality, closing failing
schools, increasing advance placement courses, and so much more.
He has demonstrated through his efforts of reform that he believes
that children have the inherent right to reach their full potential as
citizens. He has demonstrated through his mobilization efforts to
equalize funding for all students that it is morally wrong to have a
two-tiered education system. He has a record of putting students first
above politics. Arne has seen the impact and effect of education reform
firsthand and, under his leadership, he has demonstrated a keen ability
to do what is right and fair versus what is political and not.
Additionally, he has
proven, as a leader of the third largest school district in the United
States, that he has the right temperament to make effective change by
building bridges with unions, community organizations, foundations,
corporations, and parents.
During these times of uncertainty on every front, I am convinced
that the next Secretary of Education calls for a person of heroic
imagination and determination. I believe that Mr. Duncan is uniquely
qualified for this position because he has been on the ground level
fighting for equality and bringing change to its fruition. I am
confident that Mr. Duncan will continue to build bridges but, more
importantly, make significant change in education reform so that all
students' dreams can be actualized.
Keep Hope Alive!
Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.,
Founder and President.
______
The Joyce Foundation,
January 9, 2009.
U.S. Senator Mike Enzi,
379A Senate Russell Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
U.S. Senator Edward M. Kennedy,
317 Senate Russell Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senators Enzi and Kennedy: I am writing to support the
nomination of Arne Duncan as Secretary of the U.S. Department of
Education.
As president of a large nonpartisan foundation focused on public
policy, I have worked closely with many elected and appointed
officials. Arne is among the very finest public officials I have
encountered. I believe he will be an excellent Secretary for several
reasons:
He has a bedrock commitment to kids, and a relentless
focus on results. He believes in using data to track student and school
performance, and is not shy about reporting results to parents, to
educators, and to the community at-large.
Student performance in Chicago is up. Students have shown
improvements in both reading and math--elementary test scores have
risen to 67 percent of students meeting State standards up from only 38
percent 7 years ago. High school graduation is up from 47 to 55
percent, and more students are going to college.
He can change tough bureaucracies. For example, he
established systems to improve teacher and principal quality. He
increased teacher recruiting efforts so that there are now 10
applicants for every spot up from two a few years ago; he raised the
eligibility bar for principals; he expanded support for new teachers;
he increased the number of Nationally Board Certified Teachers from a
handful in 2001 to 1,160 in 2008; he introduced a new performance pay
system (made possible through the Federal Teacher Incentive Fund); he
overhauled teacher evaluation; and he worked for a teachers union
contract that preserves a principal's ability to hire the best
instructional team for that particular school.
He is an innovator:
Launched Renaissance 2010, an initiative to open 100
new, innovative schools in a 6-year period to replace low
performing schools.
Established a rigorous system for granting and
overseeing charter schools in the country. For example, a 2008
RAND study found that Chicago's charters have high school
graduation rates that are 7 percentage points higher than
regular public schools, and college-going rates that are 11
percentage points higher.
Pioneered what is perhaps the most ambitious approach
in the country to turning around failing schools with teams of
skilled principals and teachers.
In addition to these achievements, Arne's respectful, inclusive
style has made it possible to make changes without making enemies in a
highly politicized environment. He has the strong support of the
business and philanthropic community, and he has remarkable coalition-
building skills. Speaking for the Joyce Foundation, I believe he will
continue to attract support for his innovations and reform ideas in a
new position.
I urge you to support Arne's nomination, and would be pleased to
provide further information if it would be helpful.
Sincerely,
Ellen S. Alberding,
President.
______
Roberto Clemente High School,
Chicago, IL 60622,
January 9, 2009.
Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman,
Senator Michael B. Enzi, Ranking Member,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Dirksen 428,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senators Kennedy and Enzi: My name is Leonard Kenebrew,
Principal of Roberto Clemente Community Academy (RCCA) in Chicago
Public Schools (CPS). I am writing this letter of support for Mr. Arne
Duncan with whom I have had the honor of working with as his assistant.
I was appointed by Mr. Duncan as Principal of a Small Learning
Community school (South Shore Community Academy, Simeon Career Academy
and currently contracted at RCCA). His leadership and collaboration
creates opportunity for growth and shared leadership within the
organization. He is a forward thinker about improving academic
achievement for all students while connecting meaningful engaging
activities for all constituents. I believe the changes that have taken
place within the CPS system, are due to his proactive thinking and
evolving partnerships within the neighborhoods, the research community
and corporate America. I would define his leadership as
transformational, his character with full of integrity and
insightfulness, and his overall effectiveness with subtle dynamics and
humanitarianism.
I have become a better leader for being part of a variety of
initiatives during his tenure as CEO that have challenged and improved
the system. His appointment is appropriate and will transform the state
of education across the country.
Cordially,
Leonard Kenebrew.
______
Martin J. Koldyke,
Chicago, IL 60603-4131,
January 8, 2009.
Hon. Michael B. Enzi,
379A Senate Russell Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator Enzi: I am writing in support of the President-elect's
nomination of Arne Duncan for Secretary of Education. I have known Arne
for more than a decade, working closely with him and Mayor Daley on K-
12 school reform in Chicago where I have been active for more than 25
years.
Arne Duncan is an extraordinary school leader. As CEO of Chicago
Public Schools he created a remarkable assemblage of talented
individuals and organizations in a working unit, thus enabling
Chicago's 500 public schools to move forward in a positive way. For
example, for school principal selection and training, he involved New
Leaders for New Schools, an organization founded in New York by
Jonathan Schnur, and the Doctoral Program for School Leadership at the
University of Illinois at Chicago. Perhaps the most important
undertaking of Arne's stewardship has been to develop the brilliant,
two-pronged pincer movement in Chicago comprised of the charter schools
movement and AUSL (the Academy for Urban School Leadership). The
charter schools and the AUSL movement, made up of resident teacher
training for staffing turnaround schools, have together had a major
effect on radical school reform in Chicago's most demanding
neighborhoods. This two-pronged effort is transforming Chicago's worst
performing schools. It's only a matter of time. And, Arne Duncan is
responsible for making this possible.
One can only hope that he will find a way to replicate this dual
movement of charter schools coming from the outside and AUSL-like
models working within the system to turn American public schools into
models for improving student outcomes. Arne Duncan is a treasure. I
urge you to confirm his nomination with deliberate speed.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Martin J. Koldyke,
Founder and Chairman Emeritus,
Academy for Urban School Leadership.
______
Illinois State Senate,
January 9, 2009.
Hon. Edward Kennedy,
317 Russell Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 29510.
Hon. Michael B. Enzi,
379A Senate Russell Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senators Kennedy and Enzi: I take genuine pleasure in
providing a letter of recommendation for Arne Duncan as he seeks your
confirmation of his appointment as the next Secretary of Education. I
have known Arne for over 30 years personally and professionally. I have
watched him demonstrate his remarkable leadership skills as a
classmate, teammate, civic leader and friend.
As a classmate and teammate of Arne's at the University of Chicago
Laboratory Schools, I observed his unselfish leadership, as he always
strove to uplift the performance of other students or athletes in lieu
of simply displaying his superior skills and talent. As an advisory
board member and mentor at the Ariel Education Initiative (formerly the
Ariel Foundation), I witnessed Arne reveal his passion and desire to
educate disadvantaged students who faced complex challenges, as he
served as executive director. As a legislator, I was impressed at how
Arne, as Chief Executive Officer of the Chicago Public Schools, was
able to utilize his unique communication and motivation skills to bring
traditional adversaries to common ground and convince many resistant
parties to accept the innovative changes he has employed to
dramatically improve the quality of an otherwise troubled school
system.
Arne is an individual of irreproachable moral fiber and integrity.
Even those who might disagree with Arne's policy decisions would never
challenge his honesty or character. I know of nobody whom I would have
more confidence recommending to a position of such significant
responsibility than Arne Duncan.
If you should have any further questions regarding my knowledge of
Arne's reputation or qualifications, please feel free to contact me at
773-363-1996.
Very truly yours,
Kwame Raoul.
______
Leadership Conference on Civil Rights,
Washington, DC 20006,
January 13, 2009.
Hon. Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Hon. Michael Enzi, Ranking Member,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Chairman Kennedy and Ranking Member Enzi: On behalf of the
Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR), the Nation's oldest,
largest, and most diverse civil and human rights coalition, with nearly
200 member organizations, we are writing to express our strong support
for President-elect Obama's designee Arne Duncan for U.S. Secretary of
Education. As the long-tenured and widely respected Chief Executive
Officer of the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), the Nation's third largest
school district, Mr. Duncan is uniquely qualified to lead the
Department of Education.
During Mr. Duncan's 7 years leading CPS, the system made steady and
sustainable improvements by most academic measures, including both test
scores and graduation rates, while also laying the foundation for
continuing growth. It is clear from a review of his record and the wide
variety of programs implemented in Chicago, Mr. Duncan's approach to
improving schools was not driven by ideology, but rather by results.
With the magnitude of the task awaiting the new Secretary of Education,
no other approach is likely to succeed.
Among his achievements in Chicago, Mr. Duncan instituted
significant reforms for the Chicago teachers' corps, including pay-for-
performance salary incentives and increasing the number of master
teachers from 11 to over 1,100. Most notably, he implemented these
reforms in cooperation with the teachers union, rather than in combat
with it. Mr. Duncan and the Chicago Teachers Union have proven that an
inclusive approach to school reform works best to create well-designed
programs that will work when taken from the drawing board to the black
board. Mr. Duncan's track record at bridging the divide between so-
called ``reformers'' and ``traditionalists'' will serve the Department
well, especially during the upcoming reauthorization of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act.
As much of the Nation's attention is turned to the immediate
economic crisis, Congress cannot lose sight of the fact that there can
be no long-term solution to our economic problems without systemic
education reform. America's public education system has fallen far
behind our industrial competitors and without systemic reform and
significant increases in funding, our children will not be prepared to
compete in the 21st Century economy.
We urge you to support Arne Duncan for Secretary of Education and
to ensure that education reform and funding remain a priority issue in
Congress going forward. We thank you for considering our views. If you
have any questions, please contact David Goldberg, Senior Counsel, at
(202) 466-0087 or Goldberg@civil
rights.org, regarding this or any issue.
Sincerely,
Wade Henderson,
President & CEO.
Nancy Zirkin,
Executive Vice President.
______
The John D. and Catherine MacArthur Foundation,
January 8, 2009.
Hon. Edward Kennedy,
U.S. Senate,
317 Russell Senate Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator Kennedy: I write in connection with your consideration
of the confirmation of Arne Duncan as Secretary of the U.S. Department
of Education. While I make these comments in my personal capacity, my
experience with Mr. Duncan has been through my role as president of the
John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Foundation's
support of his efforts in Chicago as well as complementary investments
in community revitalization that support and increase the likelihood of
successful schools.
In my view, Arne Duncan is the right man at the right time for what
is certainly the most important issue for the long-term strength of
American society. The tasks before him are formidable: making
significant progress on closing the achievement gap; attracting and
retaining high-quality teachers; assuring the promise and addressing
the challenges in No Child Left Behind, and equipping graduates with
the 21st Century skills required for success in a global economy.
He is up to the task, and his successful--and long--tenure as
superintendent of the Chicago Public Schools is tangible evidence. He
is innovative, as the opening of close to 100 new schools offering a
wide range of choice and curriculum proves. He is bold and not afraid
to take on tough issues and critics. He closed underperforming schools
and reopened them in refreshed buildings with entirely new leadership
and faculty. He is experimental and has piloted pay-for-performance to
reward the best teachers and keep them in the schools that need them
the most. He has done all of this and more while working hard to keep
the teachers union a constructive partner and the business community an
avid and involved supporter.
Despite his success as a leader and the school district's progress,
he is humble about that progress and acknowledges how much further he
and others in education have to go to achieve the goal of truly every
child educated, productive and prepared for whatever the future brings.
If confirmed, President Obama will be able to put Arne Duncan's
considerable expertise, creativity, drive and integrity to work on
behalf of America's children.
Sincerely,
Jonathan F. Fanton,
President.
______
Mikva Challenge,
Chicago, IL 60602,
January 9, 2009.
Dear Senators Edward Kennedy and Michael Enzi: On behalf of Arne
Duncan's Student Advisory Council alumni, we are writing this letter to
support the nomination of Arne Duncan for Secretary of Education.
Where does one begin in attempting to list the contributions Arne
Duncan has made to the educational system in Chicago? Mr. Duncan is
truly a leader and is both known and respected for his original and
unparalleled approach to improving the Chicago Public Schools and
challenging the status quo.
Arne Duncan's appointment is truly exciting news for students like
us who embody the potential of all Chicago Public School students. As
Chicago Public School graduates and college students at various
universities across the Nation, we can attest to the difficulties
facing urban school districts, especially the Chicago Public School
system. However, we have also witnessed the courageous decisions that
Mr. Duncan made that not only improved our former high schools, but
schools all across Chicago. Mr. Duncan's common sense approach to
revamping the Chicago Public School system has fundamentally changed
the way administrators, principals, teachers and students approach
education.
The Chicago Public School's Educational Plan, ``Children First,''
could not have been better illustrated than through how Mr. Duncan
sought the collective counsel from teachers, parents and, most
importantly students. We were a part of a group of 20 students who had
the privilege to serve on Mr. Duncan's Student Advisory Council. With
the help and vision of the Mikva Challenge organization, Mr. Duncan
became the first superintendent of the Chicago Public School system to
establish a student advisory council. This council has been effective
in providing the ``inside the classroom'' perspective that Duncan was
unable to experience, but which we lived on a daily basis. Mr. Duncan
supported the highly controversial request from his Student Advisory
Council to allow students to train the 1,200 Chicago Public School
Security Officers. The student trainings proved to be highly
successful, so Duncan and the Chief of Security took the unprecedented
step of making the trainings annual. Mr. Duncan has also sought the
students' perspective on the best way the school district should tackle
other critical hurdles such as school funding reform, violence,
improving test scores and attendance rates, lowering dropout rates and
increasing graduation rates.
Mr. Duncan understands that there is no survey or any other
indicator of progress more valuable than the opinions of students, and
in our humble opinion, such commitment to student voice and engagement
is one of the many factors responsible for the school district's steady
progress in each of the aforementioned areas. Mr. Duncan even invited
students to address every high school principal in the district at a
conference during the past school year. This is but a taste of the many
core strategies and innovative approaches that Mr. Duncan utilized for
causes greater than himself.
Mr. Duncan understands that the challenges facing the educational
system in America are complex. Appointing Arne Duncan as the Secretary
of Education is an investment in our collective future, and we are
absolutely convinced that there is no one more competent to serve as
the Nation's Secretary of Education than Mr. Duncan.
Mr. Duncan's noteworthy commitment to education and service reveals
a tireless and exceptional energy, and for that Mr. Duncan has our
unqualified endorsement and the personal respect from Chicagoans and
educators across the country.
Best Regards,
Arne Duncan's
Student Advisory Council Alumni.
De'Rell Bonner,
Howard University.
Paul Krysik,
Oberlin College.
Jennifer Osagie,
Cleveland State University.
Samuel Ryan,
DePaul University.
______
Museum of Science and Industry,
January 12, 2009.
Hon. Edward Kennedy,
Hon. Michael B. Enzi.
Dear Senators Kennedy and Enzi: It is my great honor to support
Arne Duncan's nomination for the U.S. Secretary of Education. As the
President and CEO of the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, I have
had the pleasure of working closely with Arne on a variety of Museum
initiatives to inspire our Chicago Public School students and improve
the skills of our city's science teachers. In each and every case, Arne
has been an exceptional leader and innovator who is passionate about
our students' learning opportunities and our public school teachers.
Arne is singularly focused on the best interests of students and
has worked tirelessly to maximize their opportunities for achievement
in school as well as their daily lives outside of school. His hands-on
approach to management and his continuous push to improve the Chicago
Public School system, the country's third largest, makes him an
outstanding candidate to be our Secretary of Education. His
collaborative approach has proven how he can work with both teachers
and school administrators to drive improvements in learning outcomes,
finding creative solutions that all can support and that get results.
He is also one of the smartest, most thoughtful and most decent
public administrators you will ever meet. I urge the Senate to confirm
his nomination as quickly as possible.
Sincerely,
David R. Mosena,
President and CEO.
______
National Association of Elementary School
Principals (NAESP),
Alexandria, VA 22314,
January 9, 2009.
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator: On behalf of the National Association of Elementary
School Principals (NAESP), representing more than 28,000 elementary and
middle-level principals, I would like to extend our support for the
confirmation of Mr. Arne Duncan as U.S. Secretary of Education. Mr.
Duncan's commitment to education is to be applauded and NAESP looks
forward to working with him on issues of importance to principals and
children.
Mr. Duncan's recent hands-on experience dealing with issues facing
Pre-K-12 educators makes him an ideal candidate for Secretary of
Education. He's dealt with the implications of current Federal
education laws at the local level and has a broad understanding of
their successes and limitations. In testimony before the U.S. House
Education and Labor Committee regarding the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act (currently known as NCLB), Mr. Duncan asserted his
support for accountability but called on Congress to provide local
districts with greater flexibility in order to meet the individual
needs of the schools and students. NAESP was particularly grateful for
Mr. Duncan's call to double ESEA funding within 5 years and to shift
the law's focus to individual student achievement over time.
NAESP looks forward to working collaboratively with Congress and
the Secretary of Education in reauthorizing the ESEA and ensuring that
the voices of elementary and middle-level principals are represented.
We urge Congress to abandon the current law's overreliance on
standardized testing and instead focus on student growth over time with
the proper use of multiple measures. Additionally, NAESP calls on
Congress to prioritize its focus on serving the whole child, including
meeting the nutritional, academic, social, and emotional needs of
students. Principals understand that no child can be expected to learn
if their basic needs are not being met, and we will continue to work
with Congress to make this a priority in the reauthorization.
Should you have any questions or concerns about NAESP's position on
education-related issues, please do not hesitate to contact me or
members of our advocacy staff: Dr. Michael Schooley, Dr. Sally
McConnell and Abbie Evans. Educating all children to be highly adaptive
learners in a rapidly changing and highly complex world demands our
very best efforts as educators and legislators working together for the
greater good of our country.
Sincerely,
Gail Connelly,
Executive Director.
______
For Immediate Release--December 17, 2008.*
Obama Names Duncan as New Education Secretary
(Washington, DC).--Educators across the country are praising
President-elect Barack Obama's choice of Chicago public schools chief
Arne Duncan as his nominee for the Cabinet post of Secretary of
Education.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
* (For more information contact Bryan Jernigan, (202) 624-5455)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
``We're very excited about working with Mr. Duncan and continuing
our longstanding relationship with the Department of Education,'' said
John B. Forkenbrock, executive director of the National Association of
Federally Impacted Schools (NAFIS). ``Mr. Duncan has demonstrated his
ability to raise the standards of a large school district like Chicago,
and we're more than willing to help him reach out to rural schools as
well as he recognizes the needs of federally connected school districts
throughout this country.''
The 44-year-old Harvard graduate has been called a ``champion'' by
principals. Charter school leaders touted him as a ``national leader''
in innovation. And Rep. George Miller, D-CA, chairman of the committee
that will oversee reauthorization of No Child Left Behind next year,
called his track record ``bold''--the same word teachers and even a
former Bush administration education official used to praise his work
in Chicago.
``I am also eager to apply some of the lessons we have learned here
in Chicago to help school districts all across our country,'' Duncan
told reporters gathered at Dodge Renaissance Academy on December 16 in
Chicago for Obama's announcement. ``We have worked with a tremendous
sense of urgency because we can't wait.''
``Duncan has headed the Nation's third-largest school system for 7
years and, during his tenure, he has raised elementary school scores,
reduced dropouts and improved college-entry rates,'' Obama said.
According to Obama, ``He's worked tirelessly to improve teacher
quality, increasing the number of master teachers who've completed a
rigorous national certification process from just 11 to just shy of
1,200, rewarding school leaders and teachers for gains in student
achievement.''
``He's championed good charter schools, even when it was
controversial. He's shut down failing schools and replaced their entire
staffs, even when it was unpopular.''
Last July, Duncan testified to the Education and Labor Committee
that he had raised scores in Chicago using several strategies including
prohibiting the promotion of students who fail courses; making summer
school mandatory for those kids; aggressively closing failing schools;
investing more money in preschool, after-school and summer school
programs; raising standards for school principals; and assigning a
mentor to every new teacher.
However, teachers across the country have historically opposed an
approach touted by Duncan and Obama: pay-for-performance, sometimes
known as merit pay.
But Duncan told the congressional committee last summer that he had
created the bonus system in Chicago by working successfully with the
teachers union. And teachers apparently agree.
``Mr. Duncan has tremendous experience working with large public
school districts,'' said Dr. John Deegan, NAFIS President and
Superintendent of Bellevue Public Schools in Bellevue, Nebraska. ``I am
impressed that his first order of business is to travel the country to
meet with various stakeholders. It is important for him to listen to
various interests that provide educational services to our Nation's
children. I am more than willing to participate in any National
Advisory Boards or task forces on education that will be established by
the President-elect's administration.''
The National Association of Federally Impacted Schools looks
forward to working with the new Secretary of Education and his staff to
ensure federally impacted school districts nationwide continue to
receive adequate funding they need to operate their schools.
______
National Association of State Boards of Education
(NASBE),
Alexandria, VA 22314,
January 9, 2009.
Hon. Edward Kennedy, Chairman,
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Hon. Michael Enzi, Ranking Member,
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Chairman Kennedy and Senator Enzi: On behalf of the National
Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE), representing the
Nation's State and territorial boards of education, I want to commend
the nomination of Arne Duncan for Secretary of Education and to urge
his swift and unanimous confirmation for this critically important
cabinet position in the Obama administration.
Arne Duncan is a proven education reformer who has committed
himself to improving public schools and increasing the achievement of
all students. As Chicago superintendent for the past 7 years, Duncan
has seen firsthand the challenges facing public schools, particularly
those in urban settings, and understands the mix of policies,
resources, and effort necessary to overcome these problems.
Arne Duncan will bring a broad vision and practical experience to
the position of Education Secretary. His understanding of the No Child
Left Behind Act, which he was charged with implementing in Chicago,
will be invaluable in improving Federal education policies to align
with and complement State and local reforms while maintaining his long-
standing and absolute focus on doing what is in the best interests of
children.
As an organization in the vanguard of education reform, NASBE is
pleased that President-elect Obama has selected someone of Arne
Duncan's expertise and vision to help improve our schools at the
Federal level. And as the entities ultimately responsible for
establishing high academic standards and rigorous accountability
measures in the States, State board members applaud the high
expectations and impressive gains Arne Duncan created in Chicago and
look forward to a dynamic Federal-State-local partnership to make U.S.
schools the best in the world.
We commend President-elect Obama for his thoughtful choice as
America's ``top teacher.'' The future success of our Nation lies in our
ability to educate our children. In Arne Duncan, America's students,
teachers, and parents have a leader worthy of that responsibility.
Again, we strongly encourage the committee's unanimous endorsement
of Arne Duncan's nomination and his expeditious confirmation as the
next U.S. Secretary of Education.
Sincerely,
Brenda Lilienthal Welburn,
Executive Director.
______
New Life Covenant (NLC),
Chicago, IL 60647,
January 7, 2009.
Hon. Edward Kennedy,
Hon. Michael B. Enzi.
Dear Senator: It is my privilege to compose this correspondence in
support of Arne Duncan, President-elect Barack Obama's nominee for
Secretary of Education of the United States of America, for the Cabinet
position.
I commend the selection of the Chicago Public Schools' CEO for the
national position. I met Arne 10 years ago when we worked together at
the Board of Education. At the time, I served as Executive Assistant to
the former CPS-CEO and Arne as the Deputy to the CEO. We have
maintained our relationship since; working together on several city-
wide initiatives in Chicago.
Arne has supported New Life Covenant Ministries' efforts in
addressing educational concerns throughout the city's communities. He
has marched in anti-violence events to encourage safer environments for
our youth. Arne has demonstrated ongoing concern for the educational
welfare of the children of Chicago. His participation in various
incentive activities that reward our school children's efforts as they
pursue academic success is evident of Arne's heart. In addition, he has
donated school supplies and book bags showing children and families
that he truly cares about being equipped for educational achievement.
Arne Duncan has done a great job in working with communities of
faith in the city of Chicago. He demonstrates his support for unified
efforts in addressing concerns by meeting with religious community
leaders in response to public needs. I am certain that Arne will be
more than capable of imparting his vision regarding the education of
our children at the national level. I look forward to the impact Mr.
Arne Duncan will have on the educational system nationwide.
I sincerely appreciate the importance of the U.S. Senate's decision
and pray that it is one that will successfully address the needs
expressed across the country.
Sincerely,
Wilfredo De Jesus,
Pastor.
______
National School Boards Association (NSBA),
Alexandria, VA 22314,
January 7, 2009.
Hon. Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Re: Senate Confirmation Hearing on Mr. Arne Duncan as U.S. Secretary
of Education, January 13, 2009
Dear Chairman Kennedy: The National School Boards Association
(NSBA), representing 95,000 school board members through our State
school boards associations across the Nation, is pleased to support the
nomination of Mr. Arne Duncan as the next Secretary of the U.S.
Department of Education. In our view, Mr. Duncan has demonstrated
exemplary performance in addressing the many challenges facing local
school districts across the Nation.
As we have outlined in our paper ``A New Era in Education:
Redefining the Federal Role for the 21st Century,'' in selecting his
Education Secretary, President-elect Obama has chosen a leader who has
demonstrated expertise and effectiveness in managing and leading one of
the Nation's largest school districts; in addressing the challenges
facing America's public schools; and successfully leading initiatives
with demonstrated and significant increases in student achievement. We
believe that Mr. Duncan represents a realistic view about what is
possible in our schools and what will lead them into the future.
We expect that Mr. Duncan will depart from the Federal ``top-down
approach'' that has been the norm for most of the past decade, and
instead sustain a culture of partnership and support for States, as
well as local school districts. Further, we believe Mr. Duncan's
approach to improving public education is very much consistent with our
view that the Federal Government should ``facilitate, not dictate.''
This is particularly needed as we continue to improve the academic
achievement of all students, narrow the achievement gap among student
populations, increase our focus on improved professional development
for our educators, and increase our use of research in order to
identify ``best practices'' to strategically move our educational
systems forward. Clearly, Mr. Duncan and the Chicago Board of Education
have demonstrated that innovation can flourish when the school district
puts student achievement first.
We also recognize Mr. Duncan's outstanding leadership and
consistency in ensuring that Chicago Public Schools are held to a high
level of accountability for the academic performance of all students
regardless of socio-economic conditions, race, ethnicity, or
disability. Such demonstrated support has fostered renewed energy and
innovation among the Nation's public school systems in delivering
quality education to all students.
The National School Boards Association is familiar with Mr.
Duncan's accomplishments in leading the Chicago Public Schools, a
member of our own Council of Urban Boards of Education (CUBE). With a
solid background in public education and a commitment to improving
teacher quality, Mr. Duncan is a natural choice to support President-
elect Obama's goals of increasing school funding, creating assessments
that accurately measure student achievement, and recruiting, retaining,
and rewarding effective teachers.
We strongly urge Senate confirmation of Mr. Duncan's nomination and
enthusiastically look forward to working with him as he assumes his new
post in Washington.
Sincerely,
Anne L. Bryant,
Executive Director.
Barbara L. Bolas,
President.
______
New Teacher Center,
January 8, 2009.
Dear Chairman Kennedy and Ranking Member Enzi: I am pleased to
submit this letter of enthusiastic support for Arne Duncan's nomination
as U.S. Secretary of Education.
The next Secretary of Education will confront a host of complex
policy issues facing public education, including the reauthorization of
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and a focus on developing
our students with 21st-century skills. We need adroit leadership to
confront these challenges, and I believe Mr. Duncan is exactly the
right person to direct this effort.
The New Teacher Center has worked closely and collaboratively with
Mr. Duncan in a partnership that provides robust induction support for
beginning educators in some of the most challenging public schools in
Chicago. Our work at the Chicago New Teacher Center would not be
possible without his support and his very specific vision that focuses
the district on teacher quality as the key to improving teaching and
learning. As Chief Executive Officer of the Chicago Public Schools, we
find Mr. Duncan to hold a clear, student-focused reform vision and to
be a seeker of consensus-based solutions to vexing problems.
As the Washington Post recently noted, Chicago--the Nation's third
largest school district--has become ``a laboratory of reform during
Duncan's tenure.'' Importantly, however, as a reform-minded educational
leader, Mr. Duncan has not lost sight of the fact that quality teachers
must be at the heart of any successful reform effort. In addition, he
understands that the role of policy is not simply to identify the best
teachers but to provide opportunities for every single educator to
reach his or her fullest potential. That commitment and focus on human-
capital development explains a large part of the success of Chicago
Public Schools under Mr. Duncan's leadership.
I believe that Mr. Duncan has the expertise, the perspective, and
the temperament to be an outstanding Secretary of Education. As part of
his work in Chicago, he assembled a remarkable leadership team to
support his efforts. He also embraced collaboration with universities,
cultural institutions, foundations, entrepreneurial organizations, and
the business community, rallying a city around its responsibility to
improve schools. His eye for attracting and retaining innovative,
dedicated and talented educators and managers and his years of on-the-
ground experience will serve the President and the Nation well.
I am delighted that President-elect Barack Obama has nominated Mr.
Duncan to fill this important position, and I strongly encourage the
members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
to approve his nomination. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Ellen Moir.
______
The New York City Department of Education,
January 6, 2009.
Hon. Edward Kennedy,
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senators Kennedy and Enzi: I am pleased to write in support of
Arne Duncan's nomination to be Secretary of Education. I currently
serve as Chancellor of the New York City public schools and have been
in that position for the past 6\1/2\ years, since Mayor Michael
Bloomberg was granted control over the public school system and
appointed me to that post. During that time, I have worked with Arne on
numerous occasions, discussing policy, strategy and the challenges
faced in seeking to bring major reform to troubled urban schools. I
have come to know him well as a colleague and a friend and to admire
his service in Chicago. Based on my personal knowledge as well as
Arne's record of performance in Chicago, I have no doubt that he will
make an excellent Secretary of Education. While I will elaborate on my
reasons below, at its core my conclusion is based on the fact that, for
Arne, it's all about helping children to succeed. In particular, he is
a champion of the underprivileged and the underserved and, I have no
doubt, he is an outstanding choice to lead the fight for educational
excellence and equity in America.
As an initial matter, I think it was wise for the President-elect
to have selected a hands-on school superintendent, who has had lengthy
experience dealing with the real-world challenges of educating students
who come from every socio-economic background, many of whom are recent
immigrants to our country. This experience will not only provide a
future Secretary with the granular knowledge necessary to understand
the complexity of the issues, but it should also enable him to deal
with colleagues at the State and school district levels with the kind
of sophistication needed to make sure that Federal-State-school
district partnerships are positive and constructive. In my experience,
different levels of government too often end up in ``compliance-
driven'' or ``personality-driven'' relationships that dissipate energy
and resources. It doesn't have to be that way, and someone with Arne's
background--and keen sensitivity--is most likely to ensure that it
isn't that way.
I am also familiar with Arne's accomplishments in Chicago, which
should inspire anyone who cares deeply about urban school reform.
Transforming large, complex, often bureaucratic organizations is no
easy assignment. It requires leadership skills, management skills, the
ability to work cooperatively with other stakeholders, patience and a
willingness to accept the fact that, even as you make progress, there
is so much more that needs to be done, and that there will always be
those who are prepared to criticize virtually any bold decision, even
though we all know that, given the state of public education in
America, bold decisions are precisely what we need. Arne was able to
navigate these roiling waters with great skill and to great effect for
the students of Chicago's public schools. He made bold decisions, such
as closing under-performing schools and supporting charter schools,
even though these policies often provoked controversy. And he demanded
that everyone in the system be held accountable for student outcomes.
That sent a powerful and positive message to the entire school
district.
Most significantly, student performance in Chicago has improved
under Arne's leadership. And, while I am sure Arne would be the first
to say there is a lot more that needs to be done in Chicago, it's
important to recognize that, in many places throughout our country,
student achievement has stagnated. In fact, the sad story of school
reform in America has too often been one of more money invested but no
results to show for the investment. So, when one can honestly say that
the glass is half full--as one can in Chicago--that's a big deal.
Finally, let me say a word about the man and his values, the
consideration that I believe to be perhaps the most important in
evaluating this nominee. I have been privileged to serve in government
at the Federal and city levels for 15 years and have met many talented,
dedicated public servants. Few are as selfless as Arne Duncan or as
passionate as he is about helping those who are less fortunate. Arne
believes deeply that education changes lives, including--indeed,
especially--for those who grow up in disadvantaged circumstances. And
he is committed to making sure that the racial and ethnic achievement
gaps that have plagued our country are tackled and, finally,
eliminated. He knows how tough the challenges are but is not afraid of
calling them out or doing the hard, sometimes controversial, things
necessary to change a status quo that has disserved too many children.
To me, the greatest heroes in public education are those who are the
voice for the voiceless: those who will champion children who have no
other champion. Arne Duncan is one of those and our Nation would be
fortunate to have him as its Secretary of Education.
Sincerely,
Joel I. Klein.
______
City of Chicago,
City Council,
January 9, 2009.
Hon. Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman,
U.S. Senator (D-MA),
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee,
317 Russell Senate Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Hon. Michael B. Enzi, Ranking Member,
U.S. Senator (R-WY),
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee,
379A Russell Senate Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator Kennedy and Senator Enzi: I am honored to have been
asked to write a letter to you regarding the nomination of Arne Duncan,
who is being considered for the position of Secretary of Education by
your esteemed committee.
I have had the privilege of serving in the Chicago City Council for
the past 26 years and as Chairman of the Committee on Education and
Youth Services for 23 of those 26 years. I am keenly aware of the
challenges faced by urban, public educational systems at present and
can think of very few people as qualified as Arne Duncan to serve as
Secretary of Education for the United States of America.
There was a time in the history of the Chicago Public School system
where one would not believe the administration of that system if they
were reciting the Lord's Prayer. Through the efforts of Mayor Daley and
the administrations of Paul Vallas and then Arne Duncan, the system has
truly improved, existing for the benefit of the thousands of children
it serves and educates, rather than supporting the bureaucracy which
made up a large part of the system.
Arne's tenure as Chief Executive Officer of the public schools in
Chicago has been, in many ways, more difficult than his predecessor's
in that the ``low hanging fruit'' had all been picked and the
tightening economy threatened to bring our renovations and new school
programs to a halt. Arne's efforts focused on providing proper
educational environments and innovate school programs which, in my
opinion, has kept Chicago on the forefront of public education reform
in our Nation.
Arne has the unique qualification of having run one of the Nation's
largest school systems in the country, giving him a true appreciation
of the strengths and weaknesses of the Federal Government's educational
efforts as they affect students. He also has an appreciation of what
smaller, non-urban systems contend with as a result of his
groundbreaking efforts in Illinois to bring school administrators
together to petition our State to accept its responsibility to our
student population with regard to equitable funding, teacher pension
issues and student achievement gaps.
I do not believe that President-elect Obama could have made a
better choice for this all-important position than Arne Duncan.
Sincerely,
Patrick J. O'Connor,
Alderman (40th)--City of Chicago.
______
Walter Payton College Preparatory High School,
Chicago, IL 60610,
January 8, 2009.
Hon. Edward M. Kennedy,
U.S. Senate,
317 Russell Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510-2101.
Dear Senator Kennedy: It is my honor to recommend Arne Duncan to
serve as the Secretary of Education for the United States of America
under the leadership of President Barack Obama.
I have worked with Mr. Duncan for 6 years as an administrator in
Chicago Public Schools. Presently, I am the principal of Walter Payton
College Preparatory High School, the No. 2 ranked school in the State
of Illinois and noted as one of the 100 top high schools in the country
by US News and World Report. During this time, Mr. Duncan has been at
the helm of countless innovations in education for the city of Chicago.
One such initiative that positively impacted Payton High School was
the creation and development of the Post-Secondary Education
department. This program has appreciably increased the numbers of
students graduating from our city high schools by providing resources
and personnel to guide students into college and careers. By focusing
on increasing financial aid information to families, Payton students in
the Class of 2008 alone were able to garner over $17 million in
scholarships with the assistance of our postsecondary education coach.
Chicago saw an unprecedented era of labor peace under Mr. Duncan's
leadership. Due to his negotiating skills with the numerous unions
representing Chicago Public Schools employees, he worked as
collaborator, team player and modeled these skills to others. At the
same time, his bold moves to guarantee that all Chicago students attend
an effective school have led to courageous decisions from which he did
not retreat.
Offering options and opportunities to communities and families is a
focus of his plan, providing the most meaningful educational experience
possible to each individual Chicago student. Payton College Prep
continues to grow as one of these options for high achieving students
from across the city, drawing in over 7,000 applications per year for
our 200-seat freshman class. The level of economic, ethnic and cultural
diversity has been cited as one of the main reasons for our academic
success. Our students thrive in a learning environment of all honors
and advanced placement classes. Our math team placed first in the State
competitions for 4 consecutive years. Upon leaving Payton, our students
attend the top tier colleges and universities in the country. This year
alone four of our students were admitted to Yale.
As the CEO of the third largest public school system in the
country, a native Chicagoan and a globally-aware Harvard graduate, Mr.
Duncan combines a unique set of skills in his work with diverse groups
of constituents. While aware of the sweeping complexities of a large
urban district, he understands and responds at the local level. I am
impressed by Mr. Duncan's personal accessibility to parents and
students. Mr. Duncan not only listens; he builds effective teams to
respond to the practical needs of principals and teachers, students and
community members. He created the Office of Autonomous Schools, which
reduced bureaucratic red tape for the district's high performing
schools, such as Payton, and consequently freed up important resources
and personnel to focus on struggling schools. With local school
control, we are best able to meet the needs of our students and
families. Payton created a unique schedule and school calendar to
afford flexibility in our curriculum offerings.
Mr. Duncan has demonstrated his support and knowledge of the need
for students to be global citizens. Payton High School is proud to be
part of what has become, under Mr. Duncan's leadership, the largest
Chinese language program in the country. Walter Payton College Prep won
the prestigious Goldman-Sachs Foundation Prize for International
Education due to his support for innovative approaches to education at
our school and the use of advanced technology with our sister schools
around the world. The world is truly our classroom now!
In conclusion, we are poised at an original juncture in history;
2008 confirmed that America has come of age and the enduring hopes and
dreams of people for decades are being realized. These hopes and dreams
must now extend into our classrooms and far beyond as we prepare all
students to thrive in the 21st century. We currently have the practical
capability for students to teach and learn from each other around the
world. Technology and meaningful educational practices are evolving
past man-made boundaries and facilitating world-wide interaction in
daily instruction in American schools. This is the roadmap for success.
Mr. Duncan is prepared and able to guide our country in this new
role. I wholeheartedly urge Congress to move swiftly on his appointment
as Secretary of Education of the United States of America.
Thank you for your attention and consideration.
Respectfully submitted,
Ellen C. Estrada,
Principal, Walter Payton College Prep.
______
To: Senator Edward Kennedy (MA) and Senator Michael Enzi (WY)
I am writing this letter in support of Arne Duncan to be Secretary
of Education. I have known Arne Duncan for about 10 years and have
worked closely with him in his role as CEO of Chicago Public Schools. I
have continued to be impressed with his vision, integrity, and passion
in providing excellence in education to all children in the city of
Chicago. He has demonstrated a unique ability to set goals and
standards for teachers, parents and students and been able to work with
people in both the private and public school system.
Mr. Duncan has demonstrated an ability to think ``outside of the
box'' looking at new ways, ideas and possibilities to strengthen and
develop stronger education systems that resulted in increased test
scores and productivity. Mr. Duncan has shown a willingness to take on
the tough issues of closing schools and turning around schools, and he
has shown a commitment to dramatically improve education options for
all Chicago families by aggressively seeking quality, innovative
proposals for new schools, including charter and contract schools. Mr.
Duncan has also been an outspoken and passionate voice to fight for the
safety of children, not only in school but in coming to and returning
from school to their homes.
I believe Mr. Duncan's track record here in Chicago makes him an
excellent choice to tackle one of the most important issues in our
country and President Barack Obama's administration--education!
In the Pursuit of Justice,
Rev. Michael L. Pfleger,
Pastor.
______
Polk Bros. Foundation,
Chicago, IL 60654,
January 7, 2009.
Hon. Edward M. Kennedy,
317 Russell Senate Building,
Washington DC 20510.
Hon. Michael B. Enzi,
379A Senate Russell Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senators Kennedy and Enzi: It is with enthusiasm and
conviction that I write in support of the nomination of Arne Duncan to
the post of Secretary of Education--enthusiasm for his passionate
commitment to what is best for children and conviction that he has the
leadership skills to implement the best plans and programs to achieve
that goal.
The grant-making foundation that I lead as CEO is one of the three
largest private funders of public education in Chicago. In that role, I
have worked with Arne Duncan for 10 years, first when he was chief of
staff to then Chicago schools CEO Paul Vallas and for the more than 7
years he has led the Chicago public school system. Chicago has an
education funding community that is very collaborative, especially when
the leadership of the school system is open and transparent and willing
to work with external partners and listen to ``critical friends.'' Arne
Duncan has done all that and more. We have worked collaboratively on
reconstituting failing high schools, planning how to improve the
leadership skills of principals, improving teacher quality and
increasing the number of good school choices for Chicago parents and
children.
Mr. Duncan is not only passionate about improving education but has
the skills to implement what needs to be done to effect that
improvement. None of the projects mentioned above are small
experiments. They may have started small but, based on early success,
Arne Duncan has had the courage to take these successes to scale
quickly. He is ever mindful that we lose a generation of high school
students every 4 years. In Chicago's complex world of education, he has
been able to work with the school bureaucracy, the teachers' union, the
funding community, the business community and parents. His success
comes about because everyone in Chicago understands that he has no
hidden agenda, that in fact his only agenda is to make dramatic
improvement in the quality of education for the children of Chicago.
I am sure he will be no less passionate, courageous and strategic
on behalf of students across our country.
Yours truly,
Sandra P. Guthman,
Chair and CEO.
______
Penny Pritzker,
Chicago, IL 60606,
January 9, 2009.
Hon. Edward M. Kennedy,
317 Russell Senate Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Hon. Michael B. Enzi,
379A Senate Russell Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator Kennedy and Senator Enzi: It is with pleasure that I
write this letter in support of Arne Duncan's nomination as Secretary
of Education in President-elect Obama's new administration.
I have known Arne before and during his tenure as CEO of Chicago
Public Schools. As a Co-Chair of the Chicago Public Education Fund as
well as Chair of their Blue Ribbon Task Force, I have worked closely
with Arne to improve the quality of leadership in the Chicago Public
Schools. I was also a fellow member of the Board of Overseers for
Harvard University with Arne, and our families are good friends. I have
witnessed first hand his dedication to and success in improving the
education system of Chicago, always focused on bettering the
opportunities for the children of this city. With his education,
demonstrated leadership capabilities and his experience as an inner
city superintendent of a large, complex system, I can think of no one
better suited to fill this Cabinet position at this time in our
Nation's history.
I strongly urge you and the Senate committee to confirm Arne
Duncan's appointment as Secretary of Education.
Very truly yours,
Penny Pritzker.
______
Ariel Investments,
Chicago, IL,
January 12, 2009.
Dear Members of the HELP Committee: I am the founder, chairman and
CEO of Ariel Investments, a Chicago-based money management firm and
mutual fund company. Additionally, I serve as the board president of
the Ariel Education Initiative, an education foundation which serves
inner-city children. I am also a lifelong friend of Arne Duncan.
Two qualities define Arne Duncan: commitment to children and
dedication to teamwork. While still in grade school, Arne began working
with poor, neighborhood children at his mother's after-school tutoring
program. He took a year off from college to work with her and wrote his
Harvard senior thesis on the underclass. As a professional basketball
player in Australia after college, Arne spent his off-court time
working with underprivileged children and young people.
When he returned to Chicago from abroad, Arne became the driving
force behind the creation of Ariel Education Initiative which reflected
our firm's social mission to help low-income, children of color become
financially literate, build wealth and escape poverty. Initially, Arne
spearheaded our adoption of a 6the grade class through the ``I Have A
Dream'' program with the promise to make college affordable for those
who graduated from high school. In an effort to make a broader impact,
Arne next helped start an elementary school in Chicago, Ariel Community
Academy, which offers a unique financial literacy curriculum that
enables the children to manage real money--with each first grade class
receiving a $20,000 portfolio. Today, Ariel Community Academy ranks
among the top elementary schools in the city. As CEO of the Chicago
Public Schools, Arne has embraced and expanded programs like ours and
the system as a whole has improved dramatically under his leadership,
earning Chicago a national reputation as a center of educational
innovation.
More than anyone I have ever known--whether in business or in
basketball--Arne Duncan is a team player. Like all great athletes and
leaders, he brings out the best in others. He gives credit generously
to teammates and never seeks credit for himself. He believes deep down
every challenge can be more easily overcome by working together instead
of alone. He has the integrity, the discipline, the mental toughness
and the insight to be a national leader and a partner with President-
elect Obama and Congress in reforming public education in America. He
also has the experience and wherewithal to develop the right policies
that will offer real and meaningful opportunities to children of every
race and background.
I offer my unqualified endorsement for my lifelong friend and
teammate, Arne Duncan. No one will work harder and no one will work
smarter.
Sincerely,
John W. Rogers, Jr.,
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
______
Service Employees International Union (SEIU) CTW,
CLC,
Washington, DC 20036,
January 12, 2009.
Hon. Edward Kennedy,
Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
644 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
835 Hart Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Chairman Kennedy and Ranking Member Enzi: The Service
Employees International Union (SEIU), on behalf of our 2 million
members, is writing to express our strong support for the nomination of
Arne Duncan to the position of U.S. Secretary of Education, and to urge
you to swiftly vote for his confirmation.
In SEIU's representation of thousands of school district employees
in the city of Chicago, we have found Superintendent Duncan and his
team to be both fair negotiators and strong partners for the delivery
of quality public services in the city's schools. Duncan has shown
himself to be a hands-on practitioner who will shape his strategy for
change from lessons learned during his years of improving schools at
the local level in one of the largest and most dynamic school systems
in the United States. In his tenure as Superintendent, Duncan has been
willing to take unpopular steps to identify and transform weak schools
and improve teaching quality. While SEIU hasn't always agreed with
every step taken in this process, we have never once doubted that
Duncan was motivated by his drive to improve the city's schools.
Duncan has clearly demonstrated his commitment to developing
children's potential. This is crucial to SEIU because, in addition to
representing many school employees, we represent hundreds of thousands
of working people who are parents and grandparents of children in
public schools. The children of our members frequently fall into the
groups of children that our public schools are failing. In poll after
poll, SEIU members rank the desire for a quality education for their
children as one of their highest concerns. They know how important it
is for their children to succeed in school. And they know that too many
of them don't. The education and income level of a child's parents
should not determine their success in school. Right now, it too
frequently does. For that to change, we need visionary leadership
rooted in day-to-day experience. We believe that Arne Duncan is a
person who can lead that change.
The Service Employees International Union urges you to vote for
Secretary-Designate Duncan's swift confirmation as our country's
Secretary of Education.
Sincerely,
Andrew L. Stern,
International President.
______
Sonnenschein,
Chicago, IL 60606-6404,
January 9, 2009.
Hon. Edward Kennedy,
Hon. Michael B. Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate, Dirksen 428,
Washington, DC 20510.
Gentlemen: I am pleased to endorse the nomination of Arne Duncan as
Secretary of Education.
Five years ago Mayor Richard M. Daley and Arne Duncan announced the
Renaissance 2010 Program--an initiative to open 100 new charter,
contract and performance schools in Chicago's underserved communities
by the year 2010. The Mayor and Mr. Duncan turned to the Civic
Committee, an organization of the CEOs of
Chicago's leading business enterprises, to help raise the funds to
finance the start up of these new schools. Thus was born the
Renaissance Schools Fund, of which I am privileged to serve as Chairman
and on whose board Arne has served since its inception.
In this capacity and as a founder of a charter school, I have had
the opportunity to work closely with Arne and observe his outstanding
abilities and work ethic, as well as his devotion and dedication to the
school children of Chicago. Largely through his leadership, a school
system which not too long ago was considered one of the worst in the
Nation, has begun a significant turnaround and is showing marked
improvement.
The Renaissance 2010 effort has already resulted in the creation of
80 new schools and is well on its way to its goal of 100 new schools by
2010. On the theory that ``one-size-does-not-fit-all,'' Arne has
encouraged the development of schools of all types to meet the needs
and interests of students, from science and math academies to a music
and arts school, as well as single sex schools and schools with a
vocational focus. New schools are being operated by national
educational organizations, local charter operators and leading private
institutions, creating a portfolio of schools which the district
oversees. Arne's efforts have fostered a substantial number of
collaborative relationships between the business community, foundations
and universities on one hand and the school district and individual
schools on the other. With Arne's active participation, more than $70
million of private funding has been generated for our school district
and our new schools.
Arne was the first superintendent in Chicago to have the courage to
face up to the problem of persistent seriously underperforming schools,
and despite strong community and political opposition, close them and
give their students the opportunity to attend better performing
schools. He has also undertaken the difficult process of reconstituting
a failing school by replacing its administration and faculty. He
constantly pushes for new ideas and encourages innovative approaches
both within and outside the system.
The accomplishments of the Chicago Public School System have been
many during his tenure:
Elementary test scores hit an all time high with more than
65 percent of students meeting or exceeding State standards--Chicago's
seventh consecutive gain.
Over the past 5 years, Chicago high school students gained
twice as much as the State and three times as much as the Nation on the
ACT test.
Over the past 5 years, the number of CPS high school
students taking advanced placement classes more than doubled.
The graduating class of 2008 received a record $157
million in competitive college scholarships.
The number of teacher vacancies at the start of the school
year hit an all-time low of 3 percent.
Arne is smart, thoughtful, effective and dedicated to our students
and to the improvement of our education system. His loss to Chicago
will be a gain to the Nation.
Sincerely,
Donald G. Lubin.
______
UNO,
Chicago, IL 60607,
January 7, 2009.
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Dirksen 428,
Washington, DC 20510.
Attention: Joe Kolinski
To the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions:
As Chief Executive Officer of Chicago Public Schools for the past 7
years, Arne Duncan and his vision have been instrumental in this city's
ongoing process of school reform. Under Mr. Duncan's direction,
Chicago's education system has undergone a significant transformation
which promotes accountability, transparency, and data-driven
decisionmaking in our schools.
His innovative decisions to support community and charter schools,
such as the UNO Charter School Network, have resulted in the creation
of higher-quality educational options while alleviating overcrowding in
neighborhood schools for tens of thousands of students across Chicago.
I am honored to extend my support of Arne Duncan's appointment to
Secretary of Education based on his demonstration of leadership and an
innovative revitalization of our schools. I know he will only continue
to succeed in education reform at the national level.
Sincerely,
Juan Rangel,
Board President, UNO Charter School Network.
______
Williams Multiplex Local School Council,
Chicago, IL 60616,
January 9, 2009.
Hon. Michael B. Enzi,
379A Russell Senate Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator Enzi: The parents of Williams Multiplex had the
opportunity to work closely with Mr. Arne Duncan when it was announced
that Williams would close under the Renaissance Initiative. Initially
we were very upset and felt that our school was selected to close
because we were in a socially, economically deprived community adjacent
to a public housing complex. We began to rally and even made a human
chain around the school to protest its closing. There were public
hearings, marches and rallies at Chicago Public Schools board meetings.
Mr. Duncan assured us that when Williams reopened we would have a
new school that would provide a quality education for our students
while promoting community and business partnerships. Mr. Duncan kept
his word and worked diligently with parents and community to create our
model school. When Williams reopened our children had new books,
computers, a brighter building, a longer school day, a parent center,
dedicated teachers and an atmosphere that embraced parental
involvement. Workshops provided opportunities to bridge the gap between
home and school. Mr. Duncan has been accessible to parents and
community members on a consistent basis.
We are happy, yet saddened to see Mr. Duncan leave Chicago Public
Schools, but we will remember what he has taught us, to always strive
for excellence and in order for our children to compete globally we
must continue to take it to the next level.
Sincerely yours,
Valorie Wright, Chair,
Williams Elementary School LSC.
Dianna Smith Phillips, Chair,
Williams Middle School LSC.
Kim Davis-Ambrose,
Parent Coordinator.
Alexander Hall,
Parent.
[Whereupon, at 12:04 p.m., the hearing was adjourned.]