McCain pledging to NAACP more education options

[DaemonSeid]

CINCINNATI - John McCain is telling the NAACP he will expand education opportunities for children in failing schools.
McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, on Wednesday is addressing the annual convention of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the nation's oldest civil rights organization.

In excerpts released in advance of the speech, McCain says that the worst educational problems in the country are often found in schools in black communities and that as president he will provide greater school choices and scholarships for such students.

McCain also asks the group to excuse his absence from their convention last year, saying he was "a bit distracted" dealing with his then-faltering presidential campaign.

"If I am elected president, school choice for all who want it, an expansion of opportunity scholarships and alternative certification for teachers will all be part of a serious agenda of education reform," McCain said in the excerpts.

"After decades of hearing the same big promises from the public education establishment, and seeing the same poor results, it is surely time to shake off old ways and to demand new reforms," he said. "That isn't just my opinion. It is the conviction of parents in poor neighborhoods across this nation who want better lives for their children."

Ahead of the speech, campaign aides expected the Arizona senator to touch on his support for expanding merit-pay programs for teachers who improve students' performance and more money for tutoring poor kids.

The national teachers' unions oppose linking student test scores to teacher pay. McCain's rival for the presidency, Democrat Barack Obama, supports the idea when teachers help negotiate and craft the merit-pay plans.

Last week, aides to McCain said he would increase the choices kids have when they are in schools that are failing to meet academic benchmarks and that he would support a school voucher program for poor children in failing schools under some circumstances.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080716/...q.n6DzNfes0NUE



John, if you get elected, don't wait 2 terms before you decide to accept an invite to the convention....

[madmax]

It is a waste of money. Obama already addressed the problem. The bros need to do a better job taking care of their kids.

[MandyPepperidge]

Snaps to his plan.

Cindy McCain is a former special education teacher.

[Educatingblue]

I read the article and although it seems like a good idea, I'm not sure how the schools would get "better" if the majority of parents move their students to the "good" schools. Eventually, those schools will become overcrowded and just be average IF it is the student ability level and NOT the teachers' ability to teach....

Lets not mention the majority of parents at failing or low-performing schools rarely get involved...So I seriously don't see them getting their child to school on time to a school outside the local area.

[PeppyGPhiB]

This is a complete 180 for John McCain. Prior to this, he has said that education is not a priority to him. I guess "flip flop" isn't bad when it's a republican.

And considering that my state has voted down charter schools multiple times now, this won't really help him here. Not everyone likes the idea of giving up on public schools. What happens when half the people in, say, the Seattle School District, demand vouchers to go to school in the suburbs? What happens to the kids that transfer to schools that teach at a level too high for what they've been prepared for, and what happens to the schools that get an influx of kids that aren't prepared to be there?

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by Educatingblue

I read the article and although it seems like a good idea, I'm not sure how the schools would get "better" if the majority of parents move their students to the "good" schools. Eventually, those schools will become overcrowded and just be average IF it is the student ability level and NOT the teachers' ability to teach....

Lets not mention the majority of parents at failing or low-performing schools rarely get involved...So I seriously don't see them getting their child to school on time to a school outside the local area.

My wife teaches at an inner-city college preparatory charter school (Avid program if you're familiar with it).

What you say is often true, but not necessarily. There are quite a few kids who take public transportation to school.

Where there's a will, there's a way.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

This is a complete 180 for John McCain. Prior to this, he has said that education is not a priority to him. I guess "flip flop" isn't bad when it's a republican.

Flip flop has been used previously about Republicans. Let's not make that term into a party thing, both parties have been more than thrilled to use the term.

[AKA_Monet]

IDK... Sound a tad bit affirmative actiony to me... LOL.

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

Flip flop has been used previously about Republicans. Let's not make that term into a party thing, both parties have been more than thrilled to use the term.

I think the term's ridiculous, actually. Was only half-serious in using it.

[DeltAlum]

"Plans" always sound good during an election.

Follow-up and execution often leave a lot to be desired.

I suspect that our education problems are a lot deeper than a single "plan" can help very much.

I'm sure Senator Obama has a "plan" as well.

"No Child Left Behind" has (had?) a real nice ring to it, but my wife (a now former teacher) and almost all of her teacher and administrator friends think it is (was?) a disaster.

I'm not real impressed with comments made on the campaign trail.

Still, we've got to begin somewhere.

[nittanyalum]

Originally Posted by DeltAlum

I'm not real impressed with comments made on the campaign trail.

So I am not the only one with a feeling of ennui in regards to what this looming election is producing so far?

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by DeltAlum

"No Child Left Behind" has (had?) a real nice ring to it, but my wife (a now former teacher) and almost all of her teacher and administrator friends think it is (was?) a disaster.

The "all children left out" program instituted statewide testing in order to graduate high schools and in addition to being used as a tool for acceptance into college. The issue is that these tests (in my state) does not adequately test students knowledge in several areas, such as math and science. The other issue is several students who attend schools in disparate locales cannot pass this test because of ill-preparedness, and lack of command of the English language, etc. Some students have learning disabilities and right now the time and questions on the test do not allow them to be sufficient to pass in order to graduate.

And now, the military requires a high school diploma to enlist. A GED--so I heard--is no longer acceptable... Something to do with billion dollar training and equipment...

[DeltAlum]

Originally Posted by AKA_Monet

The "all children left out" program instituted statewide testing in order to graduate high schools and in addition to being used as a tool for acceptance into college.

It's my opinion that the best thing that can be said for standardized tests is that they're controversial -- and that's being real kind.

But hey, if a good percentage of students pass the tests, we're doing good -- whether or not they learn anything except how to pass the tests by rote and really don't gain any knowledge of the subject.

Right?

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by DeltAlum

"Plans" always sound good during an election.

Follow-up and execution often leave a lot to be desired.

I suspect that our education problems are a lot deeper than a single "plan" can help very much.

I'm sure Senator Obama has a "plan" as well.

"No Child Left Behind" has (had?) a real nice ring to it, but my wife (a now former teacher) and almost all of her teacher and administrator friends think it is (was?) a disaster.

I'm not real impressed with comments made on the campaign trail.

Still, we've got to begin somewhere.

That's interesting - I have relatives and friends who are teachers who think NCLB has had a positive impact, if for no other reason than to get discussion going on better teaching techniques.

I guess it depends on who you ask...

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

That's interesting - I have relatives and friends who are teachers who think NCLB has had a positive impact, if for no other reason than to get discussion going on better teaching techniques.

I guess it depends on who you ask...

It probably depends on the district/state the teacher is in. A poor performing school that could only go up has probably seen improvement due to state testing. On the other hand, a traditionally overachieving school that is now forced to "teach to the test" instead of its proven curriculum, probably won't feel as warm to it.