In this issue I would like to share
correspondence that was recently sent to public school superintendents by John
King, Jr., Secretary of Education at the U.S. Department of Education. I think that this correspondence speaks for
itself about what is expected of us at the federal level.
“I want to talk
to you today about the importance of a genuinely well-rounded education – the
kind of education that engages and intrigues kids, and allows them to discover
their interests in the arts, in science, in the world languages, and so much
else.
I grew up in
Brooklyn and went to New York City public schools. My mom passed away when I was in the 4th
grade. While living with my dad, who suffered from then undiagnosed Alzheimer's
disease, things at home were often unpredictable and scary. My dad died when I
was 12. After that, I moved between
family members and schools.
Things could have gone in very different directions for me, but my
teachers at P.S. 276 and Mark Twain Junior High School made school a place that
was compelling, engaging, and safe. I was
blessed to have a teacher, Mr. Osterweil, who created a space that countered
the chaos in life outside of school with amazing experiences in the classroom.
We read the New York Times every day. We did productions of Midsummer Night’s Dream
and Alice in Wonderland; we went to the zoo, the Museum of Natural history and
the ballet. He opened up to us a world
far beyond Canarsie, Brooklyn.
But today, far
too many of our students don’t have access to those life-changing experiences. I hear frequently and passionately from
educators and families who believe that the elements of a great well-rounded
education are being neglected because of a too tight focus on reading and math.
Sometimes, that's because of constraints
on resources, time, and money. Often,
teachers and administrators describe how No Child Left Behind and its intense
focus on English and math performance left other subjects under-attended to or even
ignored.
I’ve been clear,
as has the President and my predecessor, Arne Duncan, that in many places in
the country, testing has become excessive, redundant, and overemphasized. We’re committed at the Department of
Education to changing that reality, but we need your help. We need to work together to make well-rounded
education a priority for the benefit of our students.
Done well and
thoughtfully, assessments provide vital information to educators and families,
but this shouldn’t come at the cost of those subjects that spark passion and
inspire the joy of learning.
The good news here is that, with the passage of the bipartisan Every
Student Succeeds Act - the welcome replacement for No Child Left Behind - there
is now an opportunity for states and districts to broaden the definition of an
excellent education. Music, art,
world languages; physics, chemistry, and biology; social studies, civics,
geography and government; physical education and health; coding and computer
science – these aren’t luxuries that are just ‘nice to have’. They’re what it means to be ready for today’s
world, and they must start early.
Unfortunately,
far too often, it is kids from low-income families, and students of color, who
don’t have these experiences - the chance to go to a museum, to travel beyond
their immediate neighborhood, access to the arts, science, social studies or
advanced coursework.
I became a
teacher and a principal because I wanted to try to do for other kids what my
teachers did for me. They created
experiences that were compelling and engaging, and for me, that made all the
difference. They saved my life, and they
are the reason I’m reaching out to you today. That's what a well-rounded education is all
about: that inextricable intersection between what our kids learn and who they
become. I am who I am because a teacher
and a school believed in me and believed it was worth the time and effort to
widen my horizons. That's the kind of experience every student in this country
deserves. Let's make that possible.”
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