| We've seen over and over again that the | | | | performance-based education, Bill Gates |
| current political atmosphere is one of | | | | told congress that the education system |
| accountability and transparency: this is | | | | of the united states still needs to |
| just as apparent in Education as it is | | | | address fundamental problems in k-12 |
| in the debate over the appropriation of | | | | education . In an effort to double the |
| earmarked funds. As a result of the push | | | | high school graduation rate, Gates is |
| towards a measurable pedagogic system, | | | | offering incentives for students to |
| the Department of Education increased | | | | study math and science. In a much quoted |
| the qualifying questions on its annual | | | | sound bite, Gates stated: "We cannot |
| survey of colleges. However, by | | | | sustain an economy based on innovation |
| attempting to gather more comprehensive | | | | unless our citizens are educated in |
| information on student performance at | | | | math, science, and engineering." Gates |
| specific colleges, it seems that the | | | | also noted two interesting things: |
| Department of Education has ruffled a | | | | * About 30% of 9th graders do not |
| few feathers. | | | | graduate high school on time |
| Because the pointed questions brought on | | | | * Microsoft has been unable to fill |
| such an enormous backlash, Grover | | | | about 3,000 tech related jobs in the USA |
| Whitehurst, (director of the Ed. Dept's | | | | due to a shortage of Workers |
| Institute of Education Sciences) said | | | | The adjective "lackluster" that Gates |
| that the Department will likely edit the | | | | applied to the countries public schools, |
| survey, and will probably remove a | | | | sounds a great deal like Mike |
| question that asks whether colleges used | | | | Bloomberg's Wall Street Journal |
| specific student-learning assessments | | | | editorial from December 14th, "Flabby, |
| and, if they did, to provide access to | | | | Inefficient, Outdated". |
| the results. | | | | Increasingly, performance markers are |
| As performance-based education is | | | | being sought and implemented in public |
| still the exception rather than the | | | | education; these top news stories |
| rule, it is not surprising that a | | | | testify to that. |
| request for this type of "proprietary" | | | | -Sources |
| information was received so critically. | | | | Associated Press; "Gates Voices Concerns |
| In a separate story that places just as | | | | about U.S. |
| much, if not more emphasis on | | | | |