In Naming John King To Replace Arne Duncan, Obama Doubles Down On Push To Renew No Child Left Behind

In naming John King to Replace Arne Duncan, Obama Doubles Down on Push to Renew No Child Left Behind

Arne Duncan, the Education Secretary, will resign from his position in December. Throughout his tenure, Duncan has focused on improving underperforming schools, raising educational standards, and reforming teacher evaluation systems.

John King, who currently advises on K-12 programs at the Education Department, will serve as acting secretary until the end of President Obama’s term. However, King will not be nominated as the permanent secretary. Prior to his role in the Education Department, King served as the education commissioner for the state of New York.

The decision to appoint King over Ted Mitchell, the Undersecretary focusing on higher education, indicates the administration’s commitment to revising the No Child Left Behind law. By appointing King in an acting capacity instead of undergoing a contentious Senate nomination process, the administration can conserve political capital for other education priorities.

Earlier in the week, Duncan expressed uncertainty about the chances of passing a No Child Left Behind reauthorization, attributing this uncertainty partly to the retirement of House Speaker John Boehner. Duncan acknowledged that whoever succeeds Boehner may have less flexibility in reaching bipartisan agreements on education bills.

The announcement of Duncan’s retirement was unexpected, particularly since he had recently dismissed inquiries about his anticipated tenure in the Obama administration. Duncan stated the need for continued hard work and focus on improving education for the nation’s youth.

President Obama commended Duncan’s achievements and expressed his pride in his accomplishments. Duncan has overseen influential education initiatives such as the School Improvement Grant program and the Race to the Top initiative. He has also advocated for charter schools, supported the Common Core, and offered states waivers from certain requirements of No Child Left Behind in exchange for implementing policies favored by the administration, including teacher evaluations based on student performance.

Duncan has also worked to reform school discipline procedures and address racial disparities in disciplinary actions. He recently gave a significant speech urging states to reform prison sentences for nonviolent offenders and allocate the saved funds to support the poorest schools in the country.

In the realm of higher education, Duncan has collaborated with Congress to eliminate private lenders from federal student loans, implemented regulations to regulate for-profit colleges, and promoted college accountability for addressing sexual assaults on campuses. However, some of these actions faced opposition from Congressional Republicans and Republican governors who challenged the department’s authority over education matters and criticized Duncan’s support for the Common Core State Standards.

Lamar Alexander, the chairman of the Senate education committee, expressed in a statement that Duncan was one of the President’s finest appointments and genuinely cares about the well-being of children. Alexander acknowledged that their disagreements stemmed from their differing views on whether more authority should be given to local officials or concentrated in the hands of the federal government.

John Kline, the chairman of the House education committee who is also retiring from public office, stated in a release that he never questioned Duncan’s dedication to the students of America. Despite the controversies surrounding some of Duncan’s decisions, Kline appreciated how he pushed for education reform to become a priority at a national level.

Duncan has faced criticism from both teachers’ unions as well. A few years ago, the American Federation of Teachers called for him to be placed on an improvement plan, while the National Education Association demanded his resignation.

The Presidents of both unions, Lily Eskelsen Garcia and Randi Weingarten, released statements wishing Duncan the best and recognizing their shared achievements. However, their statements were not entirely celebratory.

Weingarten stated in her statement that there is no doubt that the Department of Education’s focus on charter schools and high-stakes testing has not been successful.

The unions expressed disappointment upon hearing that King would be appointed to succeed Duncan, as they argue that his work in New York, particularly his emphasis on testing, led to significant polarization. Weingarten expressed hope that King has learned from his previous tenure in New York.