Yesterday, President Barack Obama outlined his five-point plan for education–the “five pillars,” as the White House blog called it. They merit closer inspection:
1) “Investing in early childhood initiatives” like Head Start;2) “Encouraging better standards and assessments” by focusing on testing itineraries that better fit our kids and the world they live in;3) “Recruiting, preparing, and rewarding outstanding teachers” by giving incentives for a new generation of teachers and for new levels of excellence from all of our teachers.4) “Promoting innovation and excellence in America’s schools” by supporting charter schools, reforming the school calendar and the structure of the school day.5) “Providing every American with a quality higher education–whether it’s college or technical training.”
The President’s plan is remarkably similar to the one laid out by Governor Ted Strickland in his State of the State Address in January, which highlighted the governor’s desire to concentrate on early education programs, utilize proven best practices from across the country, recruit and train new teachers with a residency program, supporting successful not-for-profit charter schools, and by expanding access to higher education to all citizens.
