Public Education is fundamental to our democracy. It affords people opportunities, access, and hope. With it, we can engage in dialogue and debate, make informed decisions, and work collectively to sustain our constitutional ideals. Quality public education makes possible the continuation of our most cherished values—life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness yet it also can inspire change. With new information come new ideas. New ideas encourage innovative thinking and innovative thinking pushes us to transform the way we live and work. I am committed to ensuring that all children have access to an education system that will prepare and equip them for this 21st Century economy.
PAICE
Public Education is fundamental to our democracy. It affords people opportunities, access,
It affords people opportunities, access, and hope. With it, we can engage in dialogue and debate, make informed decisions, and work collectively to sustain our constitutional ideals. Quality public education makes possible the continuation of our most cherished values—life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness yet it also can inspire change. With new information comes new ideas. New ideas encourage innovative
thinking and innovative thinking pushes us to transform the way we live and work.
Accountability includes us all—teachers, students, families, school leaders, and policy makers.
We are all responsible for ensuring that public schools meet the needs of the students who attend them and the communities they serve. Accountability cannot rely on a single measure nor can a single measure capture the sum of our efforts in teaching and learning. The work done in public schools is emotional, psychological, and cognitive. It is about more than just academic achievement. It is about developing individuals who can positively contribute to society. Our future depends on how we measure this work, how we account or tell the story of public education.
Inquiry-Based Curricula support the development of students who can problem solve, adapt, and make change.
These curricula emphasize process—how one arrives at a conclusion. They focus less on rote memorization of facts and more on how one generates questions, investigates those questions, and identifies possible solutions. Inquiry-based curricula require students to focus, to think, and to debate possibilities. In this way, students hone their creative abilities, their capacity to find multiple solutions to persistent problems. Our leaders must be good problem-solvers.
Creative Learning Spaces facilitate personalized learning and foster collaboration.
The integration of emerging technologies into education requires us to think differently about the design and structure of school buildings and classrooms. It forces us to consider the blending of virtual and physical spaces and the ways that learning can be supported in each. Blended classrooms invite connections across regions, states, and continents making cultural exchange an inherent part of the teaching and learning process. As our classrooms erase borders, we expand our knowledge of the world and our students develop the skills to lead in different social, political, and cultural contexts.
Excellent Teachers create educational spaces that nurture, motivate, and challenge.
They know their students, families, and content. They can adapt to changing environments yet question change that does not serve the best interests of students. Teachers who excel are driven to learn, they research new curricula and pedagogies, and they study. They use their experience to plan yet also prepare for the unpredictable. All students deserve excellent teachers and excellent teachers directly impact student achievement. If we invest in high quality teachers, we will strengthen our democracy and global competitiveness. This investment is not optional.