Hunt Institute Continues Push for Systemic Education Reform
Receive Article Updates (RSS)April 16, 2009
DURHAM, N.C. – Building on a history of educating leaders across the nation about the key components of an effective education system, the James B. Hunt, Jr. Institute for Educational Leadership and Policy is now encouraging state and local leaders to think strategically as they develop plans for an unprecedented amount of federal funding for education. The Hunt Institute has joined the newly-formed Coalition for Student Achievement, calling on federal, state, and local leaders to use American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds to promote long-term, dramatic gains in student achievement.
“This is a unique opportunity in the face of immense budget challenges,” said Judith Rizzo, executive director of the Hunt Institute. “By focusing energy and critical resources on the federal stimulus assurances, state and local leaders can promote significant gains in learning. Together, we can build the public and political will to support leaders who want to advance reform. It is incumbent upon all of us to take the funding and opportunity seriously.”
In a letter sent today to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, the Coalition, which represents a growing list of more than 30 diverse education, business, civil rights, and philanthropic organizations emphasized that “speed and efficiency must not trump reform and improvement.” The Coalition pledged its commitment to working with the Obama administration, states, and school districts to strengthen America’s schools, improve teacher effectiveness, boost standards, and better prepare young people for college and work. The coalition also pledged to closely monitor state and district progress on allocating the funds and implementing the reforms.
Through a recent study commissioned by the Hunt Institute, the National Research Council of the National Academies concluded that the current system of standards-based reform is not working as intended. State standards do not provide educators with clear priorities for instruction and state assessments have remained ineffective instruments for measuring student progress. In addition, the NRC found that standards-based reform efforts have largely ignored classroom instruction and the need to build political will to address disparities in educational opportunity.
For years, the Hunt Institute has striven to help policymakers understand the components of a strong foundation for student learning: high expectations, clear standards, robust data systems, and effective teachers and school leaders. These key elements are included in the provisions of the Recovery Act:
- Creating a robust P-16 data system that tracks individual student performance and fosters continuous improvement;
- Developing college and career-ready standards;
- Designing and implementing high-quality assessments of student learning;
- Improving teacher effectiveness and placing our best teachers in our most challenging schools;
- Intervening effectively in chronically low-performing schools.
“We cannot be satisfied with business as usual – it’s clear that we need urgent transformation of American education,” said James B. Hunt, Jr., chairman of the Hunt Institute and former governor of North Carolina. “Despite wide agreement that all high school graduates should be prepared to pursue a college education and to successfully enter the workforce, we continue to fall short of this goal.”
Signed by President Obama in February, the Recovery Act includes approximately $100 billion in new federal education spending. Earlier this month, the first round of funding was made available to states. To receive these funds, states must agree to implement evidence-based reforms and the states must provide more details around these reforms to receive additional funding later this summer. Later this year, states and districts will be eligible for several competitive grant programs—including “Race to the Top” and “Invest in What Works and Innovation.” The Department of Education has issued guidance to state and local officials regarding these funds, and additional guidance is expected.
The Coalition for Student Achievement includes:
Alliance for Excellent Education
America’s Promise Alliance
American Youth Policy Forum
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
The Business Coalition for Education Excellence at the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce
Business Roundtable
Campaign for High School Equity
Carnegie Corporation of New York
Center for American Progress
The Center for Reinventing Public Education
Citizens’ Commission on Civil Rights
The Commission on No Child Left Behind
ConnCAN
Council of the Great City Schools
Democrats for Education Reform
Education Equality Project
Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation
Hope Street Group
The James B. Hunt, Jr. Institute for Educational Leadership and Policy
The Joyce Foundation
League of United Latin American Citizens
Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education
Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
National Council of La Raza
National Public Education Support Fund
Partnership for Learning
The Policy Innovation Education Network
The Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence
The Rodel Foundation of Delaware
Texas Institute for Education Reform
Thomas B. Fordham Institute
United States Chamber of Commerce
For more information about the Coalition for Student Achievement, please visit coalitionforstudentachievment.org.