APPOINTMENTS

Tuesday, December 16, 2008 1:21 PM

Obama Takes Middle Path With Education Pick

By AMY HARDER

At a press conference today in Chicago, President-elect Obama named the city's public schools chief, Arne Duncan, as his choice to be the next secretary of Education. Obama touted Duncan's efforts to reform schools, rooted in his experience leading Chicago's school system for the last seven years. Duncan and Vice President-elect Joe Biden also spoke at the presser, which was held at the Dodge Renaissance Academy, a school that Obama said has improved dramatically under Duncan's leadership.

"When Arne speaks to educators across America, it won't be from up in some ivory tower, but from the lessons he's learned during his years changing our schools from the bottom up," Obama said, with Duncan standing nearby.

Obama also put to rest some "rumors" he said he'd heard floating around as to why he chose Duncan, a longtime basketball buddy, as his next Education secretary. "I did not select Arne because he's one of the best basketball players I know," Obama quipped. "But I will say that we're putting together the best basketball-playing Cabinet in American history. And I think that's worth noting."

To many in education, Obama's choice of leadership in this department represented a stark contrast: He could either choose someone like New York City Public School Chancellor Joel Klein, known for his reform efforts and views that differ greatly from teachers unions; or someone more traditional, like Obama's education transition chief, Linda Darling-Hammond. But many are already calling Duncan a middle-of-the-road pick -- a reformer who has kept in the good graces of the unions.

In his remarks, Obama touted some possible school reforms the federal government could implement, such as rewarding students who get good grades with money. "If pay-for-performance works, and we can work with teachers so they don't feel like it's being imposed on them... then that's something we can explore," Obama said. He mentioned the possibility of implementing charter schools on a more nationwide scale as well.

The president-elect also used the presser to make a pitch for his economic stimulus plan, saying that, in the short term, actions taken by the federal government such as his infrastructure stimulus plan will be what most affects people's everyday lives.

Looking further into the future at the country's place in the global economy, however, he stressed that change needs to occur in the classroom and with the nation's children. "If we can get young people focused on education, if we can change our culture so we are once again valuing intellectual achievement, if we pull together in making our schools better, that is going to be the single biggest determinant in how our economy does long-term," Obama said.

When probed about whether he thinks a special election should be held to determine the fate of his vacant Senate seat -- and what role, if any, his team played in the Rod Blagojevich debacle -- Obama didn't comment, stressing that the full review will be released at the discretion of the U.S. Attorney's Office. Repeatedly refusing to answer a reporter's questions on this topic, Obama did address an unrelated point when asked who has the better jump shot between him and Duncan.

Duncan, definitely, the president-elect said.

In Other Education News

Hear what D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee had to say about the Democratic Party's education agenda and what qualities the next secretary of Education should have, in NationalJournal.com's Insider Interviews.