McDonnell Calls on NEA and VEA to Drop Opposition to President’s Education Reform Efforts
NEA Submits Formal Comments Opposing President Obama’s Charter School and Performance Pay Initiatives
McDonnell Sends Formal Letter Supporting President; Asks Deeds to Join Him
MARION - Bob McDonnell, Republican gubernatorial nominee and former Attorney General of Virginia, today called on the National Education Association, and the group’s state affiliate, the Virginia Education Association, to drop their strident opposition to President Barack Obama’s effort to enact real education reform, expand charter schools nationwide and implement performance pay for teachers and principals.
McDonnell’s action follows the NEA’s submission on Friday of a formal letter opposing the important charter school and performance pay components of the President’s “Race to the Top” competitive grant program. The group’s letter was submitted during the public comment period of the program. The public comment period concludes this Friday. The Administration’s “Race to the Top” program will tie a state’s eligibility for a portion of $4.35 billion in federal education funding to its commitment to enacting innovative education reform measures. Chief among those are expanding charter schools and implementing performance pay in public education systems. McDonnell has supported these initiatives well before the President’s announcement, and will strongly pursue the tens of millions of dollars Virginia will be eligible for in this program.
To learn more about the NEA’s opposition please visit: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/08/21/nea_breaks_with_administration.html?hpid=news-col-blog
Speaking about the obstructive actions of the NEA and VEA, McDonnell noted, “It is very unfortunate that the union leadership at both the NEA and VEA remains so hostile to the President’s education reform efforts. The head of the Virginia Education Association wrote in The Washington Post just a few weeks ago that “...charters do not make sense for Virginia.” Now, the group’s parent organization has gone on record with strong formal opposition to the President’s charter school expansion effort, as well as the President’s support for performance pay for our hard working teachers and principals. Improving our public schools should not be a partisan issue. It should only be about making sure that our children get the education they need, our teachers get the recognition we owe them, and our parents get the educational choices they deserve.”
McDonnell continued, “As a co-patron of Virginia’s initial charter school legislation, I am particularly perplexed that the leadership of the VEA, and their candidate Creigh Deeds, would risk costing the Commonwealth’s schools their fair share of the $4.35 billion in new federal funding that is dependent upon the willingness of states to implement strong charter school programs. Virginia has one of the weakest charter school laws in the U.S. and I have previously called for stronger laws and expanded charter schools to help young people in our state. Opening just four charter schools in eleven years is unacceptable. The agenda of the NEA and VEA leadership to maintain the education status quo should not be placed ahead of the best interests of Virginia’s students, teachers and parents. As Governor I will not let the Commonwealth lose out on this federal funding. I will work across partisan lines to help the President implement his ‘Race to the Top’ initiative to the fullest extent possible here in Virginia. My opponent, Creigh Deeds, voted against the legislation establishing charter schools in the Commonwealth, and then was one of only seven senators to vote against the Charter School Excellence and Accountability Act which eliminated the authority for school boards to limit the number of charter schools within a division. Earlier this month, Senator Deeds stood by nodding approval while the head of the Virginia Education Association made clear her determination to work to apparently water down or impede the President’s efforts to expand the number of charter schools nationwide and provide performance pay for teachers and principals. Now the opposition of the NEA and VEA is public and vocal. I hope my opponent will publically renounce the recent actions of the union that has endorsed his candidacy and helps us get this needed federal money. I call on him today to also send a letter in support of the President’s reforms.”
McDonnell is participating in the public comment period regarding the “Race to the Top” program. Below is a copy of McDonnell’s formal letter to the Department of Education, mailed today.
- August 24, 2009
Secretary of Education Arne Duncan
c/o Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
Attn: Race to the Top Comments
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Room 3W329
Washington, DC 20202
Race to the Top Fund [Docket ID ED-2009-OESE-0006]
As the Republican nominee for Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, I appreciate this opportunity to provide comments on the Administration’s proposed “Race to the Top” competitive grant program for the states. If I am fortunate enough to be elected this November, I look forward to working with the Administration to ensure that Virginia is a partner in this innovative and long overdue effort to greatly expand choice and accountability in our public education system. Specifically, I wish to comment on two of the most integral components of the overall program: charter school expansion and the implementation of performance pay.
For too long Virginia has lagged far behind in the movement to create and expand high quality charter schools. In 1998 we passed into law a measure allowing charter schools in the state. As a state legislator at the time, I was a co-patron of this legislation. However, 11 years have gone by following passage of the bill, and only four charter schools are currently in operation in our borders. This is out of the approximately 4,600 charter schools currently operation nationwide, serving 1.4 million students.
Several specific factors limit charter school expansion in the Commonwealth. In our system, as currently constituted, only local school boards can approve charters, and many have been rejected. We must broaden the approval process, and strengthen the appeals process when charters are denied. We also lack a significant number of charter school experts in Richmond to craft and implement quality charter schools. For that reason I will create the Virginia Educational Opportunity Advisory Panel to bring experts in charter school creation and operation into our state government. Charters in Virginia also have limited operational autonomy, further limiting the ability of these schools to truly operate as intended.
As Governor I will introduce legislation in this upcoming session of the General Assembly, to remove these barriers to the expansion of high quality charter schools. Working across party lines I am certain we can get these measures passed, making Virginia a more attractive target for federal funding available through the “Race to the Top” program.
I also share the Administration’s commitment to bringing performance pay to our schools. High-performing teachers and principals should be rewarded for the positive impact they have on our future leaders. As Governor I will examine best practices in other states for performance pay and evaluate the systems that have been put in place in Virginia to determine the best method to encourage and reward excellence. Then we will implement the most effective and innovative ideas in the 2nd year of my administration.
Education reform is not a partisan issue. New good ideas that promote excellence in our schools and help our children get the educations they must have to compete in the global marketplace should be embraced and implemented. I look forward to partnering with the Administration in the years ahead to put Virginia in the vanguard of the national charter school movement. I further look forward to working with the Administration to institute a true performance pay system that rewards our teachers and principals. These reform measures will benefit students in every region of our state, and in every state in the nation. I commend the Administration for its “Race to the Top” program and the significant new federal money available to implement these initiatives. I am certain that the students, teachers and parents of Virginia will benefit from a close working relationship in this endeavor.
With great respect,
Robert F. McDonnell