While I agree that private funding would be more appropriate, I’m having trouble understanding why a proposed program targeting certain high poverty urban neighborhoods is more threatening than an existing program targeting our entire state.

Do you agree that some parents need to take more responsibility for the education and rearing of their children, and that this is particularly a problem in some high poverty urban neighborhoods? If so, what would you propose as an alternative solution?

This is a Federal proposal. It is the next step. It is not aimed at just individuals, but entire neighborhoods. The model school in Harlem is run with private funding and is led by Mr. Canada, who genuinely has the kid’s interests at heart. But once this model is taken over and duplicated and funded by taxes, IT WILL BECOME A DIFFERENT AND DANGEROUS BEAST! Here is what Obama had to say about it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xh5QRMaa_KE

Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (Bright from the Start) is responsible for meeting the child care and early education needs of Georgia’s children and their families. Bright from the Start oversees a wide range of programs focused primarily on children ages birth to school age and their families.

***Note: if the formatting goes weird on this, I apologize…I’m trying to find out if the new format supports HTML or not…

It may be true that the Singapore ministry of education is studying the US system, but they certainly do not look at the US as the solution. US happens to be one of many systems they examine to learn from. I think that disposition (willing to learn from others) is another significant difference between our systems, perhaps.

no need to remain PC–hell he’s lied about so many other things, why should he stop now?

I concur with Tony’s comments….

“Singapore beats us 3 to 1 in math.” Completely false because Singapore does not even attempt to educate all its children. The children of emigrants are not included in the public education system. During the last two to three years, the Singapore minister of education has been getting advice from US educators on how to improve creative thinking in its classrooms.

“Only one-third of US children read at an adequate level.” This is based on the NAEP scores and is very misleading because of how the test scores are reported. If you consult the rubric for this test you will find that the 1/3 he is talking about excels in reading. Another 50% score in the range generally considered to be adequate. Here is the definition of proficient: “Solid academic performance for each grade assessed. Students reaching this level have demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter, including subject-matter knowledge, application of such knowledge to real-world situations, and analytical skills appropriate to the subject matter.” In the use of these data, here is another caution from the NCES, “The Panel concluded that “NAEP’s current achievement level setting procedures remain fundamentally flawed. The judgment tasks are difficult and confusing; raters’ judgments of different item types are internally inconsistent; appropriate validity evidence for the cut scores is lacking; and the process has produced unreasonable results.”

I would support merit pay for teachers as long as the selection included multiple criteria and not just student test scores. It is still too easy for favored staff members to have hand-picked rosters that skew the performance data.

Universal PreK? Most middle class families should object strenuously to having young children required to be placed in school. PreK can be very important for some children, but should not be required.

You’re kidding me when you imply that schools should be responsible for children from birth to career, right? The American dream becomes a reality for people once they realize they have to work to earn that dream. It can not be guaranteed to anyone. Opportunities about in the US for anyone willing to do the work to get the education they need to succeed.