Tag: Obama

  • Batuta — Columbia’s El Sistema. An Essay by Eric Booth and Tricia Tunstall

    As I write, I am staring out the window on the 7:00 Acela heading to DC from New York Penn Station. I have a board meeting of Common Core, for which I am board treasurer. What was a sunny day in New York, has turned into a deep fog. The train moves through the fog…

  • What Does President Obama Want For His Kids?

    A few weeks ago, President Obama offered some inspiring remarks about what he wants for his kids, the sort of remarks we heard on during the ’08 primaries, but sadly, not much since. Nevertheless, I am glad to see this voice return on this, and other important issues such as the social safety net. Maybe…

  • The Shanghaiing of Arts Education Part Two: All is Not What Meets The Eye

    As a follow-up to The Shanghaiing of Arts Education, I am happy to direct you to a very interesting blog by Yong Zhao: “It Makes No Sense,” Puzzling Over Obama’s State of the Union Address. It’s a very important read, as it tackles the emerging mythology on how China goes about educating its students: Is…

  • Arts Education and the USDOE i3: Who, What, and How Much Requested

    As an quick update: this just in via email from the USDOE i3 Team: Thank you for your participation in the Investing in Innovation (i3) program and for your efforts to improve public education. The U.S. Department of Education (Department) received nearly 1,700 applications for the i3 competition. We are pleased to share that we…

  • A Rapidly Growing Concern about Arts Education at the USDOE: Part Two

    As part of the president’s FY2011 budget request, the range of content and discipline-specific funding programs, including those for arts education, would be streamlined into three new categories: literacy, STEM, “what makes a well rounded education,” where presumably arts education would be situated. This is a follow-up to my entry from last week: A Rapidly…

  • College and Career Ready: A Possible Major Goal for the new NCLB

    Oops, I did it again. NCLB is out! We’re talking about the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. A front page piece appeared in today’s Times about where ESEA is headed. Annual Yearly Progress (AYP), the engine of NCLB, appears to be heading for the hills, to be replaced by a broader measurement of progress, and…

  • The USDOE Consults with the Arts Education Field on NCLB

    Okay, we’re not using the name NCLB anymore, and you might think this is a bait and switch, but if I used its formal name, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), you might not know what this blog is all about. A couple of weeks ago I blogged about an invitation that was extended…

  • Reflections on Arts Education and the USDOE

    It’s interesting to see the fairly predictable responses to Arne Duncan’s letter and web conference, where he articulated support for arts education on behalf of the USDOE and the White House. There is and should be a fair amount of gratitude across the field when a US Secretary of Education affirms the importance of the…

  • Six Key Quotes from Arne Duncan’s Web Conference on Arts Education

    I know, I know, the full transcript and audio is coming. In the meantime, here are a few quotes. But before that, here’s my headline: US Education Secretary Affirms the Importance of Parents in Ensuring Arts Education Here are the highlights: 1.”The elementary and secondary education act defines arts education as a core subject.” 2.…

  • A Good Read on Obama’s Education Agenda

    It’s still very early, and our President has a thing or two to deal with. So, like many, I am still giving him the benefit of the doubt on education (as well as the banks), while liking some of what he’s doing in other areas. I know at least one person who has the viewpoint…