catalyst-chicago.org

Our nation is making unprecedented investments in supporting young children’s development and well-being. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provides more than $2 billion in one-time funding to expand and improve Head Start and Early Head Start; more than $2 billion for high-quality child care for parents seeking employment or pursuing higher education; and a significant earmark for early intervention and special education services for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. States are also eligible to receive additional stimulus dollars for early childhood education.

There are many parts of President Barack Obama’s March 10 speech on education to applaud, though some of it will make education leaders uncomfortable.

Obama’s call to the nation’s youth to enter teaching is certainly laudable. The president’s remark that “the most important factor (to a student’s) success... (is) the person standing in front of the classroom” echoes the sentiments Golden Apple has proclaimed for decades, and we hail those that heed his call.

Quick, name three of the last seven secretaries of education (not including Margaret Spellings).

Outside the world of education, most people probably can’t—which says something about the level of attention the general public typically pays to the job, despite poll after poll that says we rank education as one of our top priorities.