Obama's Choice for Education Secretary, Arne Duncan, Seen as Compromise Between Divided Strands

President-elect Obama.

As chief executive officer of the Chicago public school system, the third-largest in the country, Arne Duncan expanded charter schools and launched a performance-pay plan for teachers. In 2006, he called on Congress to double funding for the No Child Left Behind Act. At the news conference Tuesday, Obama praised Duncan as a reformer.
President-elect Obama.

Duncan served as Obama’s education adviser during his presidential campaign and helped shape his education platform. After Obama formally named him, Duncan outlined part of his vision for the coming four years.

Michael Klonsky is a professor of education and a longtime school reform activist in Chicago. He is the director of the Small Schools Workshop and author of of “Small Schools: Public School Reform Meets the Ownership Society.” He joins us from Washington DC. We are also joined on the telephone by Deborah Meier. She’s spent more than four decades working in public education as a teacher, writer and public advocate. She is currently senior scholar at the Steinhardt School of Education at New York University.

Michael Klonsky, professor of education and a longtime school reform activist in Chicago. He is the director of the Small Schools Workshop and author of of “Small Schools: Public School Reform Meets the Ownership Society.”

Deborah Meier, spent more than four decades working in public education as a teacher, writer and public advocate. She is currently senior scholar at the Steinhardt School of Education at New York University.