During the campaign, Joe Biden made clear commitments to support community public schools. He promised transparency and accountability for privately managed charter schools, as well as a ban on federal funding for charters operated for profit. He also unequivocally took a stand against standardized testing in a public meeting with hundreds of educators in Pittsburgh. NPE board member Denisha Jones asked him at that time if he would commit to ending standardized testing in the schools. He unequivocally said yes.
The Network for Public Education, joined by dozens of other groups, calls on President-Elect Biden to keep his promises.
To add your group’s name, contact NPE.
https://networkforpubliceducation.org/about-npe/
I am glad NPE names both Chiefs for Change and DFER as DOE candidates to avoid as they will not move public schools forward. We been living under their agenda for twenty years, and all they do is test and close public schools.
I also shared on social media and hope others will do the same.
I added my name and a comment. Hope it makes a difference.
The Education Department should be run by professionals who have worked in the classroom of public schools.
I saw the number of organizations signed on for this much needed heads-up, red flag to the Biden campaign. I am not an organization but I do wonder if national professional organizations in the various subjects have been asked, invited to join.
We now have over 60 organizations. Yes, Laura, we have asked national professional organizations and will continue to do so.
Thanks Diane! Here is a link where individuals can generate an email to the campaign.
https://actionnetwork.org/letters/we-need-pro-public-education-leadership-in-the-department-of-education/
I love the fact that you used “community public schools”. I wish many more would begin and continue using that phrase!
Thanks! Glad you noticed.
So what exactly can Biden do? He can make sure that no federal funding is tied to high stakes testing. I’m not quite sure what he can do about charters. No funding for charters that aren’t governed by the same rules and regulations as public schools if they want to claim public status? I have a feeling that a lot of work is going to have to take place on the state level but just setting a public education agenda will help.
He can defund the charter schools program which will cut off federal grants to start new schools. And by renewing ESSA, he can eliminate or diminish that program and get rid of federal testing mandates. He can also fully fund IDEA. Lots he can do…. but yes, state level reforms are key.
Thanks for some of the specifics. I worry that he will be blamed for the failure to enact reforms that need to be enacted at the state level. Perhaps he can build some incentives for states to change policy for those who might be slow to act.
Reblogged this on Crazy Normal – the Classroom Exposé and commented:
President-Elect Biden MUST keep all of his campaign promises about public education?
The White House has been so cruel to us in the entire 21st century. Time to change.