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SUPERINTENDENT CARVALHO TALKS EDUCATION AT THE WHITE HOUSE Superintendent of Schools Alberto M. Carvalho met at the White House today with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President Valerie Jarrett, for a roundtable discussion on education. Topics included how education stimulus funds will be spent and the timing of when the funds will be received. “It’s clear that the funds must be earmarked in such a way as to save jobs and educational programs,” said Carvalho. “The Department of Education is urging states to use the funds quickly and wisely. They are very concerned that funds be used to improve student achievement by leveraging reform, similar to the way Miami-Dade County Public Schools has done with nine of its lowest performing schools, by bringing in the best teachers and providing an extended educational year through the Success Academy model. This District has given these schools strong executive leadership, while targeting student needs and providing effective time-on-task.” “The Department is also very concerned with transparency and accountability in the use of stimulus funds,” Carvalho added. “The funds must be used efficiently and effectively, because they will only be in place for two years.” Last fall, when the federal government was discussing “bailouts” of the financial and automobile industries, Carvalho initiated a discussion of a stimulus package for K-12 education with Florida’s Congressional delegates. The idea developed under the administration of President Barack Obama and has resulted in a stimulus package worth more than $98 billion for education nationwide. # # # 09-JJS/414 /DF |
