A senior House Democrat proposed Wednesday to slice President Obama's Race to the Top fund and other school reform initiatives to help pay for a $10 billion measure to save education jobs.
The proposal by Rep. David R. Obey (Wis.), chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, would eliminate about $500 million from the $4.35 billion Race to the Top fund and another $300 million in other education programs through an amendment to a supplemental war spending bill.
The amendment, pending in the House Rules Committee, is still a long way from becoming law. But Obey's proposal crystallized a debate among Democrats about federal aid to schools. Some say it should be spread as widely as possible to alleviate local budget cuts. Others argue that a significant portion should be set aside for states and schools that are the most innovative.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/30/AR2010063002732.htm----------------------------------------
I'm glad house Democrats are taking action against this divisive program that pits states and school districts against each other and requires the implementation of untested and unproven reforms, inclusing merit pay, and more charter schools. According to the article Arne Duncan's spokesman as well as the pro-charter New Teacher Project are blasting this proposal. However, I believe it just makes more sense to spread the money widely so the jobs can be saved this coming school-year.
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