District superintendents around the country - who will be the first port of call for the education stimulus funds - seem to want more than what is already a pretty substantial influx of money.

They have their eyes set on the Education Secretary’s discretionary fund (his “Race to the Top Fund”), money that is supposed to be about innovation.

A D.C.-area superintendent is quoted in the Washington Post today as saying he might ask for money to boost AP placement among Latino kids. That of course, is a good idea, but one that doesn’t need money - it needs great educators pushing kids to succeed.

We’ll be watching for what qualifies as innovation, but for now, we’d humbly suggest a quick read of at least five big ideas that could transform education - ones that might be worthy of some of Duncan’s prize funds…

Mandate for Change - a bold agenda for the incoming government

The House today voted on and passed the $787 billion economic stimulus bill 246 - 183. The bill received no Republican support and goes to the Senate (presumably) this evening.

Many in the education world remain negative about the cuts made to Title VIII and other “education”-related funding throughout the compromise bill, but as we’ve pointed out several times, the stimulus bill (both the House and Senate versions) is nothing more than additional funding for the education programs and structures that already exist, regardless of efficacy, and that consideration of whether or not our current education programs work is missing from the creation of this bill altogether.

After all of our schools are shiny and green, what’s the DOE to do with all of this new found funding? Checker Finn and Mike Petrilli have some great advice for Arne Duncan.

Stay tuned…

All stimulus—all the time. There is nothing like a raucous action film filled with exploding cars and high-powered weaponry to distract you from your troubles and take your mind off your real obligations back home. Like it or not, this is the net effect of the Stimulus package now furiously hurdling through Congress like some action hero implausibly decimating everything in his way while the world around watches in awe—numb, but invigorated by the spectacle—waiting to be rescued.

Has Obama gone Rambo? Or has Washington become a Hollywood set—a gleaming fasçade, supported by nothing, but intentionally built to allow our superhero to shine?

For those in need of a tonic from so much stimulus—still reeling from the whiplash of the high-speed chase with stolen dollars flying everywhere—read Michael Gerson’s magisterial treatment of how real education reform signaled by the Obama campaign has already been abandoned in exchange for Obama’s empty pragmatism.

No purple pill or action hero bravado for him. Gerson is a real man, a man of principle, who reminds us what is required to effect fundamental reform. Among the remedies are test-based accountability and merit pay to drive improved teacher quality—not payola stolen from children yet born to buy off one’s political supporters.

Gerson writes, “It is still early in the Obama era. But it is already evident that pragmatism without a guiding vision or a fighting faith can become little more than the service of insistent political interests.” It is precisely for this reason that Mandate for Change was recently sent to every state and federal legislator in the land.

Got Mandate?

Seemingly always the last question asked in the political arena, President Obama was queried by 9-year-old James earlier during his Elkhart, IN town hall meeting.

James asked how the President planned to help our schools.

His laundry list of solutions:

- Rebuild schools to be state-of-the-art
- Train new teachers (and re-train existing ones)
- Reform how we do business
- High standards
- Better assessment
- NCLB needs to be re-worked in a more effective way

And last, he said, was to engage parents, noting that all the money in the world wouldn’t help education in this country until parents step up to the plate.

Greening our schools, building new facilities where none are needed and bailing out the teaching industry are supposed to lead to educational success?

How much do higher standards and student achievement cost?

How about focusing on what works:

- Federal accountability
- Transparency
- Charter schools
- School choice
- Teacher quality

Got Mandate?

At least two legislators on The Hill are keeping their wits about them during the current Congressional spending spree.  Sens. Ben Nelson (D-NE) and Susan Collins (R-ME) have been working to trim the fat from their colleagues’ massive economic stimulus proposal.  The recommended DOE cuts alone would save taxpayers almost $15 billion (more than 10% of the current proposal) - and this doesn’t even take into account the State Stabilization Fund, which also includes money for education:

Elimination of Disability Research - $610,000,000
Reduction of IDEA - $6,750,000,000
Reduction of Title I Funding - $6,500,000,000
Reduction of Head Start - $1,050,000,000
Reduction of Teacher Quality Partnership Grants - $50,000,000
TOTAL - $14,960,000,000

At least it’s a start.

On the other hand, folks are already salivating over the myriad ways to get their hands on some of the stimulus cashola.  Lining up at the trough before it is filled seems to be a sport of sorts, and Thompson Publishing is fanning the flames of desire with School Grants 2009, their guide to the education money and how to get it.  The amazing thing is that a subscription to School Grants 2009 even pays for itself.  Thomson reminds prospective clients that:

“Don’t forget, your federal grant money can be used to pay for this product.”

Priceless.