Teachers hope for change with Obama presidency

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Published: December 17, 2008

MCT REGIONAL NEWS

By Emily Guevara

The Beaumont Enterprise, Texas

(MCT)

Dec. 17--Local teachers are telling President-elect Barack Obama loudly and clearly to change the way student achievement is measured.

Kelsey Eshliman, a third-grade teacher at Martin Elementary School in Beaumont, said she would like to see the government do away with, or at least amend, the No Child Left Behind Act. The act created a federal evaluation system that has been the foundation of President Bush's education policy.

''I would like to see it go away," Eshliman said "I think it's actually leaving more kids behind than it's helping."

Christina Herring is a fifth-grade teacher at Martin. She said school now focuses entirely on the standardized tests and that removes the fun from the classroom.

''Teachers enjoy teaching because that's what we wanted to do, to teach," she said. "A lot of teachers are getting frustrated."

With Obama's pick Tuesday of Arne Duncan as secretary of education, he chose a man who has led the Chicago public school system for seven years and reached out to educators on opposing sides of the policy spectrum, according to the Associated Press.

But the selection leaves ambiguous the impact on educators, said Neal McCluskey, an education analyst with the Washington, D.C.-based Cato Institute.

''What I don't know and I don't think anybody knows is where they are going to stand, especially on No Child Left Behind," McCluskey said by phone Tuesday.

McCluskey said he expects any significant action changing federal educational laws to take at least two years.

Education is not a top-tier issue on Obama's agenda, McCluskey said. The economy and the war in Iraq will take precedence, he said.

Obama has said he plans to increase funding to schools, reform accountability and provide support and incentives to draw professionals to the teaching field.

According to the Obama-Biden Transition Team Web site, Obama would like to move states toward universal preschool.

He supports increased funding for the creation of successful charter schools, but wants tough standards to hold those schools accountable. If a school is repeatedly not making the grade, states should create clear processes to close them, the Web site states.

For college students, he plans to create a tax credit that would make the first $4,000 of college education free for most students. And for teachers, he plans to create several financial incentives and offer staff support for those who agree to teach in high-need areas or serve as mentors to new teachers.

''There will be an expanded role in the federal oversight and expanded federal funding," said David Bradley, Southeast Texas' representative to the State Board of Education. "Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing, that's debatable."

Herring, the Martin Elementary School teacher, said she was encouraged by Obama's apparent desire to assist schools.

''He talked about improving public education, making improvements," she said. "Being an educator that's what you want to hear that things are going to get better not worse."

Secretary Duncan brings to the table his experience as administrator of the third-largest school district in the nation.

During his leadership, elementary test scores increased from 38 percent of students passing to 67 percent, according to the AP.

''He's not beholden to any one ideology, and he's worked tirelessly to improve teacher quality," Obama said.

Mark Porterie, assistant superintendent for the Port Arthur ISD, said he trusts that whomever is in office desires the best for the nation's students.

''I'm sure that President Obama will do his very, very best in order to reach his goals and the children of this nation will be better when he enacts his policies."

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