Education uber-blogger Alexander Russo asks “can we please stop talking about national standards for the rest of the race” now that Chris Dodd is out. Please stop? When did we start??
Archive for January 6th, 2008
The world’s richest man plans to make education the No. 1 domestic priority with voters, reports Bloomberg News. Bill Gates, who has pumped billions of dollars into education reform has given $30 million to Strong American Schools, which has launched the bipartisan “Ed in ’08,” led by former Democratic Governor Roy Romer of Colorado. The Broad Foundation has kicked in another $30 million for the effort, which is pushing for national standards, increased pay and training for teachers, and extended class days and school years.
Strong American Schools “has 125 staffers and consultants working in four early-voting states, according to organizers,” reports Bloomberg. “They’ve attended more than 675 forums, posted an 87-page so- called toolkit for reform on the Internet and met with advisers for the major candidates.”
So what are they getting for all that money and effort? Not much, alas. Other than a few references by distant fourth place candidate Bill Richardson to scrapping No Child Left Behind, not even the Democrats made more than a passing reference to education in last night’s twin New Hampshire debates.
Told you so, says Liam Julian of the Fordham Foundation. Or at least he should after noting in the Education Gadfly that “education is not, nor will it be, a top priority in 2008, despite any organization’s efforts.”
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