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Secretary Cardona Introduces “Raise the Bar: Lead the World”

U.S. Department of Education. Raise the Bar: Lead the World Priorities

In an event delivered on January 24th, both in person and live streamed, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona began a conversation about what it will take to raise the bar in education so that students are prepared for a world of global competitiveness. He stated, “That means putting the era of fiscal neglect in education firmly in the rear-view mirror – mustering the collective will to act boldly and unapologetically to address student underperformance and the decades of underinvestment in education.”

Cardona identified the policy need to refocus on what Elmore, Cohen, and Ball refer to as the Instructional Core and stressed that achieving success requires a bipartisan effort. He emphasized that standardized tests “work best when they serve as a flashlight on what works and what needs our attention – not as hammers to drive the outcomes we want in education from the top down, often pointing fingers to those with greater needs and less resources.” To help students gain an early start, the educational system must begin by expanding preschool in Title I schools. Student well-being and school discipline procedures must also be improved to stop exclusionary disciplinary practices being disproportionately meted on black and brown students, and refocusing reactive approaches to mental health in favor of adopting a proactive model of overall student well-being which will lead to safer school climates.

To support ongoing efforts, Secretary Cardona announced that the Biden-Harris Administration will be pushing to double Title I funding and to increase IDEA funding. 

Read a transcript of the entire remarks here.

Posted:  27 January, 2023
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