Opinion
Education Letter to the Editor

To Department: ‘Get Serious’ About Funding Ed. Schools

November 16, 2009 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

To the Editor:

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan’s recent remarks at Teachers College, Columbia University, on teacher preparation were indeed more conciliatory than those he made at the University of Virginia two weeks earlier, to the relief of many of us who have worked to strengthen teacher education (“Duncan Shares Concerns Over Teacher Prep,” Oct. 28, 2009).

Many university-led efforts already encompass the reforms Mr. Duncan advocates, including more-frequent and longer opportunities for fieldwork, evidence of subject-matter knowledge, and use of data to improve instruction. Mr. Duncan also rightly acknowledged the need for other players, including universities and the states, to step up their own commitment to improving K-12 education through better teaching.

For its part, the Department of Education should not wait for the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to get serious about financial support for education schools’ reform initiatives. In particular, more research funding is needed to refine our knowledge of what works to prepare effective teachers, and to conduct research about emerging models that fall outside traditional avenues.

Camilla P. Benbow

Dean of Education and Human Development

Peabody College

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tenn.

A version of this article appeared in the November 18, 2009 edition of Education Week as To Department: ‘Get Serious’ About Funding Ed. Schools

Events

Student Well-Being Webinar After-School Learning Top Priority: Academics or Fun?
Join our expert panel to discuss how after-school programs and schools can work together to help students recover from pandemic-related learning loss.
Budget & Finance Webinar Leverage New Funding Sources with Data-Informed Practices
Address the whole child using data-informed practices, gain valuable insights, and learn strategies that can benefit your district.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Classroom Technology Webinar
ChatGPT & Education: 8 Ways AI Improves Student Outcomes
Revolutionize student success! Don't miss our expert-led webinar demonstrating practical ways AI tools will elevate learning experiences.
Content provided by Inzata

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: May 3, 2023
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Briefly Stated: April 26, 2023
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Briefly Stated: March 29, 2023
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Quiz Quiz: Test Your Knowledge of Trending Education News
How well do you know the trending news in education? Test your knowledge by taking our quiz.