The Secretary in the United States of Education, Linda McMahon, who dismantles the department she directs, said on Tuesday that she supported the national national students’ tests and a role for the federal government in education research – but that he has offered few details on the threats of the Trump administration which are far from schools and universities in the country, including massive funding reductions if the diversity programs are not eliminated.
Since she took the bar in early March, the workforce of the education department has been reduced in two, almost eliminating the research unit and greatly reducing the division of civil rights. Functions, including student loans and financial assistance, should be transferred to other agencies.
In an interview that lasted just over 30 minutes, the educational entrepreneur Phyllis Lockett interviewed McMahon during a star session of ASU + GSV, a conference on education and technology that takes place in San Diego. McMahon defended aggressive actions to eliminate the department, saying that despite large sums spent, the US public school system continued to decrease.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon speaks at the ASU + GSV summit in San Diego.
(Sandy Huffaker / For Times)
“We have just arrived at a point that we simply cannot continue to do what we do,” said McMahon, who has made a fortune as a commercial business transport entrepreneur and also served a year at Connecticut Board of Education. “Brémoussons. Let’s do something different. And it is not by bureaucracy in Washington. This is not that it happens. ”
With the Ministry of Education considerably reduced, more money would be available to go to States, she said. But McMahon did not provide a direct response when Lockett asked her which guard, she would set up to ensure that money was spent correctly and effectively, because the historic role of the federal government in education was to meet inequalities and help students with special needs.
Dei must be eliminated
McMahon did not say how education institutions should promote diversity when the playground is not level for women or people of color. The ministry puts pressure on all educational entities to eliminate the efforts of diversity, equity and inclusion, known as Dei.
“We know that there is a persistent success gap among black and brown and low -income students,” said Lockett. “And so there have been a lot of resources directed following this. So … when we hear that:” Oh, Dei … is a bad thing, “it’s confusing. And, then help us understand. … What are we trying to accomplish here?”
In response, McMahon focused on opposition to discrimination in any form against anyone.
“I think discrimination is the bad thing,” said McMahon. “We should not have discrimination anywhere. … We do not delete human rights to serve the rights of another.”
McMahon also did not respond directly to a question on the letter of his department last week, school districts and states certifying that they got rid of all the programs of diversity, equity and inclusion. The administration characterized these programs as discriminants on the basis of the race.
Schools pursuing such practices are in violation of federal laws on civil rights and could face the termination of federal subsidies and contracts, according to the letter. The letter initially gave the States for 10 days to subject certification. The Department of Education extended the deadline until April 24, reported the Associated Press.
The heads of state of Minnesota and New York declared that they would not comply with the order of the Department of Education, which requires the collection of signatures of local school systems. California education officials said they could challenge order, claiming that they are already certifying regularly that they comply with federal laws.
On another subject during the interview, McMahon promised continuous support for historically black colleges and universities, generally called HBCU, stressing that these schools do not limit their registration for black students.
She also targeted President Trump’s criticism.
“I heard a negative commentary on the abandonment of the Ministry of Education,” she said, “but the words that were used were:” the president wants to get rid of education “. I say, well, I don’t think.
Support national tests
McMahon said that it supported the national assessment of educational progress, or NAEP – also known as the Bulletin de la Nation – which tests samples of fourth and eighth year from across the country. The tests are largely considered to be the best criterion available to measure academic results through state lines, because the test programs adopted by each state may vary considerably.
At the end of February, the Trump administration placed Peggy Carr, the head of the NAEP program and a career employee at the agency, on leave without explanation. The administration also canceled the long -term trend exam for 17 -year -olds. The research branch of the department, the Institute of Education Sciences, or IES, was cut off from staff from more than 175 to less than 20, according to the Hechinger report.
IES was created in 2002 during the administration of the Republican President George W. Bush to finance innovations and identify effective teaching practices. Its greatest division is a statistical agency which dates back to 1867.
Most of the ministry’s research and data collections are carried out by external entrepreneurs and nearly 90 of these contracts have been canceled, Hechinger reported.
“How will you help to use the data correctly, in a transparent way, to understand where we should invest our resources?” Lockett asked McMahon.
McMahon suggested that the Institute of Education Sciences should be redesigned and would benefit from the contribution of technology experts such as those of the conference.
“I would like to continue working with certain technological advisers, and perhaps some people in this room could really give us good advice on this subject,” said McMahon. “As with any program, money continues to grow. I always call it mission creep, but suddenly you look around and you are going:” Why do we do that? Why are we looking for this and we do not know that here? “”
“There is a lot to look at with IES,” said McMahon, adding that she had spoken to support research and tests with Trump.
“I said,” Listen, that’s what keeps us honest, because it compares apples “,” she said. “Especially for Naep. … We will keep Naep absolutely, yes.” She said she wanted to keep national tests because “if we don’t do it, states can … be a little manipulative with their own results and their own tests.”
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