Education Summit In DC Fuels High-Tech Ideas For Reform

Politicians, entrepreneurs and education professionals from across the country convened in Washington, DC for a two-day education summit that ended Wednesday.

The National Summit on Education Reform, an annual convention hosted by former Fla. Gov. Jeb Bush's Foundation for Excellence in Education, offered a venue for state education secretaries, superintendents, university professors and business execs to share ideas.

As keynote speakers, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and NJ Gov. Chris Christie extolled the strides made on local and national levels by reformers.

As The Washington Post reports, charter schools, technology, and the re-authorization by Congress of No Child Left Behind were the leading topics of conversation.

The Post reports:

Both [Arne Duncan and Gov. Jeb Bush] called for the next Congress to quickly reauthorize No Child Left Behind, but Duncan urged changes to the law, noting that it was too inflexible and had led to the narrowing of curriculum in public schools as well as to lower academic standards as states struggled to meet unreasonable targets set by the law.

Though attendees will probably leave with something else on their minds: Digital learning.

Bush told MSNBC Wednesday:

"We hope to get to a point where digital learning becomes a non-political issue, becomes the core way that we educate children. It's not ideological. It's really focused on customizing learning towards children and away from the systemic elements where the adults dominate education."

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Though the idea of learning via Internet is controversial for many, W. Va.'s former Gov. Bob Wise argues that students will learn at their own pace through the power of digital learning:

"One major state for instance has 440 high schools and only 88 certified physics teacher. We are not going to be able to get a certified physics teacher in every one of those other high schools. But what we can do through technology is bring in high quality physics content. We combine that with an effective teacher in the classroom to truly get the maximum student outcome."

Read more about the conference at MSNBC or peruse the summit's line-up on its official site.

Comments

[KelaMa]

07:36 AM on 12/07/2010

Our kids have enough digital saturation in their lives. Read Lowell Monke's article on why we need to stop racing towards technological saturation in schools. There is a direct correlation between computer access and lower test scores. I'm not saying we need to create Luddites, but there are a lot of other skills we need to focus on in the classroom. Let me guess though, J. Bush will be selling a lot of technology to schools after he convinces states to push through initiatives, just like his family made a ton on for-profit educational providers that got foisted on to schools after the ridiculous NCLB "reforms." That man is an opportunist just like the rest of his clan and he is going to funnel tax payers' money into his own bank account one more time.

[ralvarez114]

03:05 PM on 12/06/2010

In the current global economic environment America needs all home-educated individuals. The contributions of all "cream of the crop" graduates, regardless of ethnicity, are required for success and will likely generate more high-wage jobs for all Americans in the 21st Century, particularly in the areas of green technology and scientific biomedical research.

[boscobear]

10:43 AM on 12/05/2010

Before making any more public appearances, he needs to either lose weight or buy larger shirts/suits. Instead of a possible presidential candidate, he looks likes a possible candidate for a Macy's holiday parade ballon.

[Neaguy]

02:18 PM on 12/04/2010

Get the maximum student outcome? What are students to Bob Wise? Machines? Robots?

This guy is clueless about teaching and learning?

He doesn't want to solve to real problem: why there are only 88 qualified physics teachers who want to be in these buildings do the kinds of things they are asked to do for the kind of money they are paid.

[cjaco]

01:55 PM on 12/04/2010

Considering the major testing companies are owned by the Bush family, it is no surprise Jeb is pushing the family business. These people couldn't care less about public education, they prefer the peasant classes enrich them both through curriculum and low paying jobs.

[Angie Sullivan]

01:41 PM on 12/04/2010

The Bushes have destroyed public education systems in Florida and Texas with testing. Then GW Bush implemented unfunded mandates to the entire nation with No Child Left Behind and it's test laden atmosphere. We now know who exactly can take a multiple choice test in our nation - so what? I'm tired of these people who glory in their own stupidity influencing education in America. Why aren't we listening to someone valuable who actually used public education? I don't want to listen to anyone else who went to private schools and believes in using schools to make money for testing corporations and privatizing companies. The public education system is based on improving life for entire communities - not lining the pockets of snake oil salesmen claiming to have the solution for everything.

[genrel1248]

11:16 AM on 12/04/2010

I wonder how much of this technology is provided by Bush owned businesses.

[Criticallthinker1974]

02:17 PM on 12/03/2010

Let me get this straight. Arne Duncan criticizes NCLB for narrowing the curriculum, but then uses the same faulty standardized tests to justify firing teachers, closing schools, and opening more privately "managed" schools. Who is narrowing the curriculum? Race From the Top is NCLB on steroids!

[teacher39years]

10:35 AM on 12/04/2010

The Department of Education started out on the Left to equalize Education, but was taken over by the Right when they realized it was possible to mainipulate the money and treat it like a cash cow. I wish that Arne Duncan realized this. He is proud that his Program is "Bipartisan". He was the Keynote Speaker at Bush's Summit, but wasn't invited to speak at the NEA convention for fear that people would "Boo" him.

[Neaguy]

02:20 PM on 12/04/2010

Good call.

Duncan's whole plan contradicts itself. That should be no surprise. Having Arne Duncan in charge of education is like putting a plumber in charge of the Defense Department. Oh, wait, I insult the plumber.

[Kiffanik]

01:54 PM on 12/03/2010

I live in Florida and considering what Jebbie did to the educational system here I wouldn't let him make any decisions. Have we not yet learned the Bush's aren't known for their intellect or academic curiosity and just because Jeb is the smartest of them doesn't mean much.

[Colmore]

01:39 PM on 12/03/2010

Doesn't Jeb's brother, Neil, have a company that provides computer based learning tools? Seems to me that it was thoughly panned as being useless when it was implemented at some schools. Barbara Bush donated to NOLA schools, stipulating that her donation was to be used towards her son Neil's company. ALWAYS search in the weeds whenever anyone in this family promotes something.

[teacher39years]

10:11 PM on 12/03/2010

Yes. Rupert Murdoch just bought one last week, too.

[farmilyman]

12:26 PM on 12/03/2010

Bush and education. Isn't that an oxymoron.

[brianteachingsince78]

08:33 AM on 12/03/2010

Jeb & Bob: I get the idea that you're all excited about the cost savings - but, you're missing the point. I'm all for increasing the availability of digital tools available to my students, but high quality education is going to require a high quality teacher in EACH classroom; there is no opportunity for cost savings here! Only someone who's never been in charge of a classroom would say class size doesn't affect the quality of the education.
I'm excited about the potential changes in the world of education; I recognize the need for many changes in our system, probably better than most politicians. BUT, this change is not about saving money - not if the goal is a better educational experience for our children.
Here's a math questions for the governors: if there are 88 physics teachers to serve 400+ schools in a particular state, each making $50-60K, how many physics teachers would there be if each was making $120k instead? The money spent recruiting more qualified teachers would be well spent, probably a better expenditure than millions of dollars on equipment put in schools with no training and support to make sure the equipment is used!
I hope some of the vast quantity of experts that are a part of this reform are teachers with decades of classroom experience to assist the politicos with an understanding of what needs to happen in a classroom in order for learning to take place.

[Lake Saganaga]

11:43 PM on 12/02/2010

The truth be told :

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/school-turnaroundsreform/sponsors-tell-story-of-jeb-bus.html#more

[teacher39years]

09:52 PM on 12/02/2010

The Educational Summit is a way to kick off Bush's presidential campaign. Rick Scott, Florida's Governor, has hired Michelle Rhee for his Educational Transition Team. Scott admitted to 14 counts of Medicare fraud and paid the federal government more than $600 million dollars in fines for his fraudulent billing practices. No wonder Arne Duncan was the Keynote Speaker.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/rhee-agrees-to-join-florida-go.html#more

[traceydouglas]

11:18 AM on 12/04/2010

Poor poor Florida. :(

[teacher39years]

12:45 PM on 12/04/2010

It's about what you can expect after the 2000 election.

[researcher]

08:09 PM on 12/02/2010

another bush as pres.

this has got to be good.

three bush's. one wonders what nation he will invade to be a war president.

it can happen here this is america. spend some time in a mall or wal mart find out how much americans know about economics, history, etc.

one senior in high school I talked to did not know the capital of her state.

hey we are a super power we dont have to know that stuff do we????????

[corwin]

08:24 PM on 12/02/2010

Diffidently I inform you the lower the SAT of a major field,the higher proportion of students who vote DEM (or DIM).The lowest in both rankings by fellow students ,and SAT scores are education and social (chuckle0 sciences.
But,you obviously think you're bright.tell me about your major field.

[Kiffanik]

01:58 PM on 12/03/2010

Was any of the above statement meant to make sense? Ooohhh, you call them DIM's, aren't you clever. I work in higher education and most American children are ill-prepared, regardless of their families' political affiliation (since 1/2 of Americans don't even vote). The difference is that wealthy Republicans can buy their child's way into college despite the fact that they don't deserve to be there.

PS. You should sue your English teacher.

[traceydouglas]

11:20 AM on 12/04/2010

Huh?????

[Bev DeVore]

07:37 AM on 12/03/2010

Not saying I support another Bush but at least there is someone else out there for the people besides Palin to help divide the GOP vote.