• Christian Leaders Unveil "Call To Faith...  
  
• Senate Ethics Committee Admonishes Burr...  
  
• Senate Democrats Fault GOP For Failing ...  
  
• Sen. Nelson Says He Will Vote To Procee...  
  
• Sen. Gregg Calls Ron Paul's Fed Audit A...  
  
• Feingold Critical Of FEC's Decision To ...  
  
• Republicans Voice Concern Over Napolita...  
  
• Sen. Levin Introduces Resolution Condem...  
  
• House Passes Bill To Stop Reduction In ...  
  
• Ron Paul's Fed Audit Proposal Passes Fi...  
  

Latest Forex TV Video »

The Recession continues as Geithner takes heat - November 20, 2009 11/20/09 08:38 AM - Jobless Claims are still at Recessionary levels. Geithner takes Congressional Heat. The FDIC Quarterly Banking Profile will be released next Tuesday. More Treasury supply before Turkey Day and the Daily stock charts

PM Exchange - BONY Mellon's Woolfolk comments on central banks' remarks 11/19/09 06:27 PM - Forex TV - Michael Woolfolk discusses Geithner hearing and leading indicators. JPY rose to a two-week high vs. EUR.

Forex TV's Equities & Commodities - Nov 19 11/19/09 06:23 PM - Forex TV - Stocks lose for a 2nd day on recovery concerns and profit taking. Oil eases off on USD strengthening in intraday action.

Forex TV's Markets Review - Nov 19 11/19/09 06:21 PM - Forex TV - ValuEngine's Richard Suttmeier responds to Geithner's testimony and discusses "The Great Credit Crunch" and equity key levels.

Forex TV's Markets Review - Nov 19 11/19/09 06:21 PM - Forex TV - ValuEngine's Richard Suttmeier responds to Geithner's testimony and discusses "The Great Credit Crunch" and equity key levels.

New York Forex Market Buzz - Nov 19 11/19/09 06:12 PM - Forex TV - Host Tim Kelly interviews BMO Capital Markets' Global FX Strategist, Andy Busch. Busch recaps the economics events of the week, and looks ahead to next week.

Obama Offers States Incentives For Education Reforms
11/04/09 05:46 pm (EST)

(RTTNews) - President Barack Obama Wednesday outlined plans to improve the quality of education in America.

Central to Obama's plans is a series of "Race to the Top" grants designed to reward innovative schools and school systems for finding ways of improving student performance.

"We're putting over $4 billion on the table -- $4 billion with a 'b' -- one of the largest investments that the federal government has ever made in education reform," Obama said. "But we're not just handing it out to states because they want it. We're not just handing it out based on population. It's not just going through the usual political formulas."

He added, "We're challenging states to compete for it."

But Obama cautioned that any state that wanted to compete for the grants would have to repeal so called "firewall" laws that bar using student performance for teacher evaluation.

"We're saying to states, if you are committed to real change in the way you educate your children, if you're willing to hold yourselves more accountable, and if you develop a strong plan to improve the quality of education in your state, then we'll offer you a big grant to help you make that plan a reality," he said.

He added, "I'm proud to say that already a number of states have taken us up on this challenge. Across the country, different groups are coming together to bring about change in our schools -- teachers unions and parents groups, businesses and community organizations."

Obama said the first criteria for competing for the grants as setting high standards for student achievement.

"I also challenge states to align their assessments with high standards, because ? we should not just raise the bar, we should prepare our kids to meet it," he said. "There's no point in having really high standards but we're not doing what it takes to meet those standards."

Obama added that setting and achieving high standards was about more than teaching to tests, which he said was the last thing he wanted to see.

"It's not about more tests, it's about being smarter about our assessments," he said. "It's about measuring not only whether our kids can master the basics, but whether they can solve challenging tasks, do they have the skills like critical thinking and teamwork and entrepreneurship. ? a big picture look at how they're learning overall and assessments that will help tell us if our kids have the knowledge and the skills to thrive when they graduate."

The grants will also be awarded based on states' ability to put effective teachers in the classroom, which Obama said was one of the most important elements of effective education.

"We've got to give them some incentives to stay so that the kids who need the most help are getting some of the best teachers," he said. "It means improving instruction in science, technology, reading, math, and ensuring that more women and people of color are doing well in those subjects."

Obama also called for better assessments of student performance, delivered in a timely fashion so teachers and principals can make better use of the data.

But he also acknowledged that there would be challenges.

"Even with stronger standards, better assessments, outstanding teachers, some schools will still be difficult to turn around. I want us to be honest about this," he said. "There are some schools that are starting in a tough position -- a lot of kids coming from impoverished backgrounds, a lot of kids coming in that may have not gotten the kind of head start that they needed; they start school already behind."

He added, "Even though there are heroic teachers and principals in many of these schools, the fact is that they need some extra help."

Obama said the Department of Education would look to see what states were doing to reform the under-performing schools in awarding the grants, noting that there were always excuses for failure.

"Part of what we want is an environment in which everybody agrees -- from the governor to the school superintendent, teachers, principals, and most importantly parents and students -- that there's no excuse for mediocrity," he said. "And we will take drastic steps when schools aren't working."

Obama said he hoped to enlist the common spirit of Americans in his drive for educational reforms that will make America more competitive in the coming years and decades.

"I'm absolutely confident that if we're all willing to come together and embrace that spirit -- in the living room, in the classroom, and the State House, on Capitol Hill -- then not only will we see our students reaching farther, not only will we see our schools performing better, not only are we going to help ensure our children outcompete workers abroad and that America outcompetes nations, but we're going to protect the dream of our founding and give all of our children, every last one of them, a fair chance and an equal start in the race to life," he said.