Obama's pick for Education Secretary

[Guest guest]

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20081216/D953GUP81.html

Obama Selects Chicago Schools Chief As New Education Secretary.

The AP (12/16) reports, "President-elect Barack Obama has chosen Chicago schools chief Arne Duncan to serve as education secretary, people with knowledge of the decision said Monday. Obama planned to announce his choice Tuesday morning." Duncan "has run the country's third-biggest school district for the past seven years. He has focused on improving struggling schools, closing those that fail." The AP adds "Obama's choice has been anticipated, and argued about." Obama "managed throughout his campaign to avoid taking sides in the contentious debate between reform advocates and teachers' unions over the direction of education and the fate of President Bush's No Child Left Behind

accountability law," and "Duncan's selection may satisfy both factions. Reform advocates wanted a big-city school superintendent who, like Duncan, has sought accountability for schools and teachers. And teachers' unions, an influential segment of the party base, wanted an advocate for their members; they have said they believe Duncan is willing to work with them."

The New York Times (12/16, A1, Dillon, 1.12M) calls Duncan "a compromise choice in the debate that has divided Democrats in recent months over the proper course for public-school policy after the Bush years."

Spellings Called Duncan "A Kindred Spirit." The Washington Post (12/16, A1, Kornblut, Rucker, 696K) notes that "Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, who visited a Chicago elementary school last week to highlight Duncan's pay-for-performance program, showered praise on the executive in an interview with The Washington Post last week. Spellings called him 'a really good school leader.'" Said Spellings, "I do think he's a reform-oriented school leader who has been a supporter of No Child Left Behind and accountability concepts and

teacher quality. ... He's a kindred spirit."