Department of Education

Blogging For Education Reform
November 22 was named a National Day of Blogging for Real Education Reform, sparking much online conversation and debate on the current hot-topic of Education Reform. U.S. schools of all levels have faced reform efforts recently. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan joined the conversation himself, and assured bloggers that the U.S. Department of Education has been listening to their ideas and suggestions.

Duncan said that during his tenure as Secretary of Education, he has met outstanding teachers who enrich the lives of children each day, even under seemingly impossible circumstances. One such example, as Duncan points out, is George C. Hall Elementary School in Mobile, Ala., a school which "has transformed from being one of the lowest-performing schools in Alabama into a national model for achieving success in challenging circumstances."

Duncan summarized the day of discussion with four key points that were common ideas shared among he and other bloggers:

1) Our students need to be challenged. We must raise the standards that we hold students to, as well as the academic expectations we have of them in order to help motivate them toward success.

2) We must provide teachers with the tools necessary to not only do their jobs, but to excel, and we must increase our current level of respect for those in the teaching profession.

3) To create a "real" education reform, we must agree on a universal way to evaluate students and measure their progress. We must also assume responsibility for either hindered or advanced progress.

4) Parents must take an active role in their child'seducation in order to proactively encourage and complement the work that teachers do in the classroom.