9486 in the collection
What 'Yes, We Can' Should Mean for Our Schools
Think about how hard it is
for a public school teacher to get even a
letter to the editor into the paper, never mind
an article.
By Mike Feinberg and Dave Levin
In 1994, we founded KIPP, the Knowledge Is
Power Program, by starting one middle school in
the South Bronx and one in Houston. Today, KIPP
is a growing network of 66 public charter
schools serving 17,000 children in 19 states
and the District. Eighty percent of our alumni
from those first two schools have now gone on
to college. More than 90 percent of KIPP
students are children of color, and 80 percent
qualify for the federal free or reduced-price
meal program.
At KIPP, we believe that "the actual proves the
possible." Barack Obama's election embodies
this credo.
As Obama and Education Secretary-designate Arne
Duncan begin to shape the policies that will
drive the new administration, we would like to
offer five concrete thoughts from the field on
how to channel Obama's "yes, we can" spirit
into substantive education reform:
· First, Obama should use his ability to
inspire Americans to set a goal for our
educational system akin to putting a man on the
moon. Much as President John F. Kennedy did
with the space program in the 1960s, Obama
could establish a paradigm-shifting goal --
ensuring that within 10 years every child in
America will be on track to earning a college
degree or completing a meaningful career
training program. Achieving this goal would
significantly enhance the opportunities our
children will have over their lifetimes,
especially in our new global economy.
· Second, perhaps the single greatest lever for
raising expectations and achievement for all
children in America would be the creation of
national learning standards and assessments.
With KIPP schools operating in 19 states, we
have seen how the maze of state standards and
tests keeps great teachers from sharing ideas,
inhibits innovation, and prevents meaningful
comparison of student, teacher and school
performance. Rather than there being 50
different standards, Obama could unify the
country around a common vision for the kind of
teaching and learning we need to prepare our
children for the future.
· Third, as president, Obama could help build
enthusiasm and respect for all who enter the
teaching profession. Obama could sound a
clarion call about the crucial role that
teachers play in the nation's economic and
social well-being; he could raise awareness,
alter public perceptions, and motivate
countless people to become and remain teachers.
Alternative programs for recruiting and
training teachers, such as Teach for America,
have already begun to generate tremendous
interest in teaching among top college
graduates. We need to build on this momentum to
attract an ever-growing number of talented
people to this important profession.
· Fourth, we should assess teachers on their
demonstrated impact on student learning, not
whether they hold a traditional teacher
certifications. At KIPP, we have the ability to
hire, fire and reward principals and teachers
based on their students' progress and
achievement. If we are going to hold all public
schools accountable for their results -- and we
should -- we need to grant this same power to
all public schools. Otherwise, public schools
will not meet the goal of providing a world-
class education to every child.
· Finally, we urge Obama to follow through on
his campaign pledge to double federal funding
for public charter schools with proven results.
Because of technicalities in state laws,
successful charter schools looking to open new
campuses are often ineligible for federal money
set aside for new charter schools. Along with
granting successful charter schools access to
federal funds, we should provide these schools
with the space to operate. If Obama includes
funds for infrastructure projects in his
economic stimulus package, we hope that charter
schools will be given the same access to
facilities funding as any other public schools.
Our students are full of hope for the future.
They see in Barack Obama the embodiment of the
opportunities and change they aspire to in
their own lives. We believe that this new
administration can shift the priorities and
practices in our public schools so that the
next generation of young people will build a
better tomorrow for themselves and for us all.
Mike Feinberg and Dave Levin, both alumni of
the Teach for America program, co-founded the
Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) in 1994. The
Agenda is an occasional series on policy issues
facing the Obama administration.
— Mike Feinberg and Dave Levin
Washington Post
2009-01-09
INDEX OF OUTRAGES
Pages: 380
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