[Okgrantsmanship] McCain and Obama on Education

Mon Jul 28 15:14:29 CDT 2008

McCain, Obama float education plans 
Candidates' proposals reveal very different ideas about public schooling

By Maya T. Prabhu, Assistant Editor, eSchool News 

Primary Topic Channel:  Federal Policy
<http://www.eschoolnews.com/search/?tid=147>  

Both presidential candidates address educational technology, but in very
different ways.

Presumptive presidential nominees Barack Obama (D) and John McCain (R)
have released more details about their education platforms in recent
days, with both candidates making technology a focal point of their
plans. However, there are stark differences in their proposals that
reflect deeply different philosophies about the government's role in
education. McCain favors federal funding for virtual schools and online
courses as part of a larger focus on school-choice initiatives-including
private school vouchers for low-income families. Obama, on the other
hand, wants to invest more federal money into research and education for
science, math, and technology.

McCain revealed details of his education plan in a speech before the
NAACP, the nation's oldest civil rights organization, on July 16. He
said his plan focuses on strengthening the country's schools through
empowering parents and teachers and providing equality of school choice.
"For all the best efforts of teachers and administrators, the worst
problems of our public school system are often found in black
communities," he told the NAACP. McCain added that he supports the
Opportunity Scholarship that is offered in Washington, D.C., and uses
public money to give private school vouchers to low-income families.
Obama opposes private school vouchers. "Too many of our children are
trapped by geography and by economics in failing schools," states the
McCain campaign's web site. Details of the Arizona senator's education
plan appeared on his campaign web site in conjunction with his July 16
speech. According to the site, McCain plans to target $500 million in
existing federal funds to build new virtual schools and support the
development of online course offerings for students. The plan allots
$250 million for states to build virtual math and science academies and
another $250 million for digital-passport scholarships. "Low-income
students will be eligible to receive up to $4,000 to enroll in an online
course, SAT/ACT prep course, credit recovery, or tutoring services
offered by a virtual provider," the plan states.

Obama also recently posted more details about his education policies on
his campaign web site, outlining his plan to invest in the research and
development of science, math, and technology education. "We currently
make inadequate investments into researching and developing better
educational tools and methods," the plan states, noting that less then
seven-tenths of one percent of the $400 billion spent on education
annually is spent on research and development. "As president, Barack
Obama will double our investment in early education and educational
[research and development] by the end of his first term in office. Part
of this investment will involve [a research and development] program for
improving science education." The plan also notes that while jobs in
science, math, engineering, and technology fields have increased, the
number of students receiving higher-education degrees in those fields
has declined. "In the 21st century, everyone needs to know science and
math, not only to find employment, but also to be healthy and
well-informed citizens," Obama's plan states. "Moreover, over 80 percent
of the fastest growing occupations are dependent upon a knowledge base
in science and math." At the Association of Educational Publishers'
Great American Education Forum held June 6, Obama's education advisor,
Jeanne Century, said Obama also intends to push for broadband internet
access in all K-12 schools and classrooms. But no mention of this idea
appeared in the plan that was posted to Obama's web site as of press
time. According to the plan, Obama also intends to focus on recruiting
high-quality math and science teachers through a scholarship program.
"Barack Obama's Teaching Service Scholarship program will prioritize
recruiting math, science, and technology degree graduates. Additionally,
Obama's Teacher Residency Program can also supply teachers in these
high-needs subject areas," the plan states. Obama expanded on his
teacher service scholarship plan during a July 5 speech to delegates
from the National Education Association (NEA), the country's largest
teacher union. "My plan includes service scholarships to recruit top
teachers and residency programs to prepare them to serve in high-need
schools," he said to the group via satellite, in accepting its
endorsement. "And because too often undergraduate debt discourages our
young people from choosing education as a profession, I will make this
pledge to all who sign up-if you commit your life to teaching, America
will commit to paying for your education." Obama's plan also focuses on
ensuring that all children have access to high-quality early childhood
education programs and child care, closing the achievement gap, and
rewarding expert, accomplished teachers for taking on challenging
assignments and helping students succeed. "When our educators succeed, I
will not just talk about how great they are, I will reward them for
their greatness with better pay across the board and more support," he
told the NEA representatives.

Supporting higher pay for exemplary performance is one area where the
two candidates appear to share common ground, as McCain also called for
merit pay for teachers in his speech to the NAACP. It's time to use
vouchers and other tools such as merit pay for teachers to break from
conventional thinking on educational policy, McCain told the
civil-rights group. Noting that Obama has dismissed support for private
school vouchers for low-income Americans, McCain added: "All of that
went over well with the teachers union, but where does it leave families
and their children who are stuck in failing schools? No entrenched
bureaucracy or union should deny parents that choice and children that
opportunity." 

Obama has spoken in favor of performance-based merit pay for individual
public school teachers before, even telling the NEA the idea should be
considered in a speech last year. However, in his July 5 speech to the
organization, Obama said he doesn't support merit pay as it is commonly
understood-where teachers are rewarded based on how their students
perform on standardized tests. "Under my plan, districts will be able to
design programs to give educators who serve them as mentors to new
teachers the salary increases they've earned. [Districts will] be able
to reward those who teach in underserved areas or take on added
responsibility. And if teachers learn new skills or serve their students
better, or if they consistently excel in the classroom, that work can be
valued and rewarded as well," he said. "Now in some places, we've
already seen that it's possible to find new ways to increase teacher pay
that are developed with teachers, not imposed on teachers," Obama
continued, to boos from the audience. "I know this wasn't necessarily
the most popular part of my speech last year, but I said it then and I
say it again today-because it's what I believe."

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.

Links:

John McCain's education policy
<http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/b9a7c28f-141c-40
08-b724-debd2df51642.htm>  -
http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/b9a7c28f-141c-400
8-b724-debd2df51642.htm

Barack Obama's education policy
<http://www.barackobama.com/issues/education>  -
http://origin.barackobama.com/issues/education/

John McCain's NAACP speech
<http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/Speeches/Read.aspx?guid=611f71
e>  - 
http://www.johnmccain.com/informing/news/Speeches/611f71e5-0d16-49da-914
a-d741646fa1e2.htm

Barack Obama's NEA speech <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQRGpAPnfjE>
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQRGpAPnfjE

eSN TechWatch newscast with Obama/McCain education advisors
<http://www.eschoolnews.com/tw708>  -
http://www.eschoolnews.tv/Esntv.aspx?Filename=TechWatch708entire_e37fbc7
6-0544-4a90-8366-3880be83a5ab.flv

Linda Mason, Ed.D.

Coordinator for Grant Writing and External Funding

Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education

655 Research Parkway, Suite 200

Oklahoma City, OK 73104

405-225-9486

lmason at osrhe.edu

IP: 164.58.250.178

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