McCain Hot for Teachers?
The Trail reports that Sen. John McCain is interested in reforming President George W. Bush's signature domestic achievement, the No Child Left Behind Act, according to an adviser. The 2002 legislation sought to improve poorly performing public school systems in many states by mandating national performance standards.
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) hasn't said much about how to fix America's schools. But an adviser yesterday said the presumptive Republican presidential nominee supports using federal dollars for teacher merit pay and wants to change the No Child Left Behind law championed by President Bush.
Lisa Graham Keegan, former Arizona superintendent of public instruction and a McCain education policy adviser, said McCain wants annual testing to stay, and that schools would continue to be required to report those scores. But she said he wants educators to have more say in how to fix struggling schools...
McCain envisions a system in which students have access to tutoring and choice long before their school is labeled as failing, Keegan said. States also could pitch innovative reforms.
The law has been criticized in many state legislatures for wresting control over public education away from the states. Many teachers have also opposed the measure because they say it forces them to tailor their curriculum to standardized tests. The National Education Association, the country's largest teacher's union, opposes performance-based merit pay but has long supported reforming NCLB to put more control for school improvement in the hands of states, school districts and teachers.
While the Arizona senator has not yet formally rolled out his education proposals, this early statement from the campaign could represent another effort to reach out to women -- and more specifically to supporters of Sen. Hillary Clinton. According to 2004 figures from the U.S. Census Bureau, 71 percent of the nation's approximately 6.2 million teachers are women. Teacher's unions have long been a core constituency of the Democratic Party. The 1.4 million-strong American Federation of Teachers endorsed Clinton in October. The NEA, which represents 3.2 million teachers, has yet to officially endorse a candidate.
One stumbling block could be McCain's vaguely-worded support for "school choice" on his campaign Website -- a hot-button issue for conservatives. The NEA also opposes voucher programs that would allow parents to send their children -- along with federal dollars that otherwise would go to public schools -- to private schools.
Comments:
Posted 06/15/2008 05:12pm with
MATTHEW DELONG! Certainly you cannot claim McCain is gainst teachers!
Look at the 3R plan and say that again with a straight face! Stand in the corner with the other bad liberals! Oh wait… you side with him on this one?
We have a nation to save.
Progressive Candidate John McCain comes through for America with his 3R economic plan. In the aura of Theodore Roosevelt, McCain’s plan just makes sense.
1. RETHINK: America must rethink the global views on what America is capable of in our current state of technology, engineering and the demands that face the world.
“RETHINK” in terms of re-action means to set forth this plan.
Most Americans know where the USA falls short in the ways of manufacturing and valuable jobs.
It’s time to meet the change of global demands with Made in USA quality and a new American workforce. Oddly enough, the framework is ready and waiting for this plan and active participation. The Progressive attitude of John McCain to get things done will resurrect America.
2. REFORM: America must rise to these demands and compete aggressively in a global economy. We must demand higher quality products and less restricted trade routes for Made in USA components.
“RE-FORM” is simple to comprehend as through John McCain’s Progressive attitudes, the USA will reform our manufacturing and hit it full steam ahead!
Made in USA has always meant highest quality products at moderate prices. The difference today is, we save loose change with Imported Chinese junk products, but few high paying jobs exist to do anything except buy the cheaper foreign-made products.
3. REINVENT: America and Americans must reinvent themselves to reach and maintain these standards and by sheer American ingenuity, control the world’s marketplace in the competitive manner, as we have always been proud to rule. Can you hear Theodore Roosevelt shouting this?
“RE-INVENT” is the exciting part of McCain’s 3R plan.
Americans in need of a future and without the desire, funding or free time to spend 2 to 8 years in college can go back to a re-invented manufacturing education. McCain’s formula allows these new students, young and old, to be paid a moderate paycheck while learning their new skills and leadership roles in hands on classrooms! Without costing taxpayers or the US government additional funds, we can literally change the face of America and the world.
Learning the skills required in order to become the American driving force behind new USA manufacturing boom, many Americans will also gain the skills to become the CEOs and leaders of their own USA Mfg arenas. Leading a group of people who love their new lifestyle is not difficult and Americans have been proving American ingenuity and leadership since Theodore Roosevelt’s Progressive Republican era.
Initial estimates of 1 in 5 students will go on to begin his or her own company and drive even more Americans into a viable lifestyle with real jobs, real benefits and a retirement to look forward to. Many students will combine forces and create successful joint ventures.
America has the means to follow through with John McCain’s 3R plan, ready and in place across the USA. The buildings we need sit vacant for the most part. America has millions of people screaming for new and improved jobs.
Senator McCain has provided the new guard for Social Security, the promise of retirement and the dreams that can be realized by Americans who would otherwise be lost or at the mercy of a dying workforce. This is the new workforce for American’s future.
By assuming leases on abandoned stores and factories across America with MC-3R schools and mini-manufacturing training centers, the USA made products can be sold and support the stores. Building owners write off the loss in taxes over a few years!
Although the thousands of new businesses manufacturing USA Made products is exciting enough, the real excitement comes from the massive amount of additional jobs that will be created to provide the new housing, new buildings, new parks, shopping, grocery stores, schools, government outlets and so much more.
The Key PROBLEM with the housing slump and the huge crude oil buy-out is not from greedy developers or greedy oil companies, but from the desire to locate and invest in the era’s best investments. Housing was #1 until the investment funds were pulled and crude oil took its place as a commodity. McCain will get us out of the mess that threatens the world’s economy.
These three R’s will be accomplished by the McCain express and through wealthy American entrepreneurs who were once able to invest in America’s manufacturing capabilities but have since fallen into investments that have caused catastrophic world economy failure.
McCain’s Progressive nature embodies Theodore Roosevelt more than any other US presidential candidate in history since.
We need John McCain to lead our nation.