U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan Calls for Education Reform (Includes VIDEO)

When Arne Duncan arrived in Washington D.C. in 2009 and heard that some states had laws banning the evaluation of teachers on the basis of student performance, he thought it was a joke.

It wasn’t.

Those laws are now gone, but the U.S. public education system has miles to go, the U.S. Secretary of Education told an audience of more than 400 people in the Richardson Auditorium at Alexander Hall at Princeton University on Wednesday.

“Much of what we have to do is work together in ways we haven’t historically done and move outside our comfort zone,” Duncan said.

One million students, 25 percent, drop out of school each year, a number that rises to near 50 percent for African Americans and Hispanic students.

“We as educators need to look in the mirror and say, ‘we need to do much better,’” Duncan said.

A CALL FOR CHANGE

Since assuming the nation’s top education position under U.S. President Barack Obama, Duncan has called for reform of No Child Left Behind and introduced the Race to the Top initiative which will $4.35 billion in competitive funding to states that adopted ambitious but achievable education reform.

Duncan said the U.S. public education system needs to change to compete with countries like India, China and Singapore.

American education hasn’t been quick to embrace change, but there are examples, he said.

New Orleans, home to what Duncan called a dysfunctional education system before Hurricane Katrina hit in 2004, had a wake up call in the face of crisis and improved more than any other district in the state in the ensuring years.

“My question is how do we get that sense of urgency, drive that kind of change to wake us up to huge dysfunction in our school districts without a natural disaster,” Duncan said.

He wants parents to drive that change.

“I wish we had more parents beating down Rep. Rush Holt’s (D-NJ), door, beating down my door, asking us to get better faster,” he said.

CIVIL RIGHTS, ECONOMICS AND NATIONAL SECURITY

Duncan, who called education the “most pressing issue facing America” during his confirmation hearings, believes that education is the path out of poverty and the way to achieve a more equal and just society. 

He told the audience in Princeton that employers complain they are unable to fill high-paying jobs because there simply are not enough skilled workers, despite high unemployment.

And with the U.S. engaged in military action on several fronts, a lack of education is hurting our national security, Duncan said.

Nearly 25 percent of young people are unqualified for military service because they don’t have enough education, are not physically fit or have a criminal record, he said.

THE CHALLENGE

As baby-boomers retire, the U.S. must recruit one million public teachers over the next four to six years, Duncan said.

Duncan wants to put money and talent towards poorly performing schools, embrace technology and shine a spotlight on successful schools.

Most of all, he wants to give local districts more flexibility in how they achieve education goals.

“I’d like the federal government to get out of the way for the most part,” Duncan said.

A HISTORY OF RESULTS

Before moving to Washington, Duncan headed the Chicago Public Schools from June, 2001 through the end of 2008.

During his tenure in Chicago, Duncan opened more than 100 new schools, expanding after-school and summer learning programs, shuttered underperforming schools and oversaw record student achievement on the state’s reading and math tests.

A BLUEPRINT FOR AMERICA?

Duncan points to pending legislation in Illinois that makes teacher tenure requirements more stringent and allows school districts to lay off teachers based on performance. Teachers who receive two unsatisfactory ratings in a seven-year span would lose their teaching certification.

“This bill could be a blueprint for the country,” said Duncan.

The bill unanimously passed the Illinois Senate is will soon go before the state House of Representatives, he said. 

PRINCETON’S ROLE

Duncan said the university’s commitment to service has produced pioneers in public education including Wendy Copp, founder of Teach for America.

“Thank you to this community for producing so many leaders who are in the nations service leading us to where we want to go,” Duncan said.

Princeton University President Shirley Tilghman, who introduced Duncan on Wednesday, said Duncan has a challenge ahead of him.

“Revitalizing American education will not be easy,” Tilghman said. “But if anyone can work his magic, it’s our speaker.”