Arne Duncan pressures state law makers for charter school reform or face losing funding

May 30, 3:15 PMEducation in the News ExaminerEricha Parks

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With the Obama administration came the prospect of change for public education in America.  Indeed, vital federal stimulus money for reforming and repairing our nation's public schools was announced and tied to Obama's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. 

Few states need this stimulus money more than California.  However, along with the stimulus money and the stabilization money, comes much scrutiny of state's education reform plans.  The president has called for states to implement  "innovative"  programs to reform and reward schools for performance.  

Arne Duncan, Secretary of Education for the United States Department of Education, has made it clear that the federal stimulus money for education has strict guidelines.  In fact, Duncan has decided to require states to apply for the money and restrict the money flow over time in order to control the usage.   

With the failures of propositions 1a and 1b in California, which would have helped fund public education programs in jeopardy of cuts, this stimulus money is more important than ever.  Granted the federal money is a one-time bail out which would not solve California's budget crisis in the long run, but nevertheless it would help balance the budget for this year, 2009-2010.  

On Thursday, May 28th, Arne Duncan, at a press conference, announced that certain states were in danger of being denied the federal stimulus money.  Duncan admonished states and enforced spending  guidelines as prescribed by Obama's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Arne Duncan specifically focused on one of the goals in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the implementation of charter schools.  Tennessee was the subject of Arne Duncan's scrutiny this time. State lawmakers in Tennessee recently voted against a measure that would let more students into charter schools.  Arne Duncan, on Thursday, warned that states, "would not be helping their chances" when speaking of Tennessee's grant of the stimulus money.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act enumerates goals for the usage of the stimulus money.  The problem with implementing more charter schools, one of Obama's goals, is some states have laws limiting charter schools.   This problem has been addressed by President Obama who has initiated an incentive for states to adopt the goals of the national education reform, including charter schools. This incentive is further funding for charter schools, which fund is a part of the $100 billion budget allocated for education over the next two years.

The concept of charter schools has become a controversial topic with many different groups and for many different reasons.  The unions strongly oppose charter schools as they will operate and employ teachers without the union's collective bargaining contracts.  Many teachers oppose charter schools because the public funding of charter schools would take funds away from the traditional public schools.  Many parents oppose charter schools due to the increasing fraud involved in start-up charter schools.

The Congress has been backing the president's restrictions on usage of federal stimulus money. On March 17, 2009, The Congress of the United States warned California governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, to properly distribute the money.  Governor Schwarzenegger had earlier threatened to use the stimulus money and stabilization money to backfill the fund for California education, proposition 98, instead of distributing the money to local school districts to help prevent lay offs.

Luckily, California has managed to stay out of the hot seat in this latest round of scolding involving education funding and reform. So far, Jack O'Connell, California State Superintendent, has not announced any plans to open more charter schools in California.  However, in a letter dated April 9, 2009, Jack O'Connell assured Arne Duncan that "California shares President Obama’s goals of improving student achievement by ensuring access to effective teachers, enhancing our longitudinal student data system, maintaining our high standards and focusing data driven reforms to help struggling schools."   California was the first state to receive the phase-one federal fund for education.