Miller: Stimulus Changes the Conversation on NCLB

This from Politics K-12:

The $100 billion for education programs in the federal economic-stimulus bill gives the new administration and the secretary of education "credibility" with the public and with educators, just as Congress is gearing up to reauthorize the No Child Left Behind Act, Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., the
chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, [said] today.

"I really think this changes the conversation dramatically," Miller said. "I think it makes things a lot easier." Miller said he'd like to reauthorize the law, which many educators have criticized as underfunded, this calendar year.

The unprecedented boost for education in the stimulus "tells the country and the education world where the administration would like to go" on K-12 policy, he said. "They would really like to make a substantial change." ...

... Miller fully expects Congress to continue increased support for programs like the Teacher Incentive Fund, state data systems, and probably even Secretary Duncan's new "race to the top fund," which is aimed at rewarding states and districts who are boosting student achievement...

...Miller really stressed the importance of state data systems, and emphasized that they're also a big priority for Duncan. Some educators, including in Miller's home state of California, are wary that state data systems could be used to tie teacher pay to student progress, but it sounds like the education chairman views them as a good way to measure student learning and wants to press full steam ahead.