This morning, Barack Obama performed his first act on education as president-elect: He attended a parent-teacher conference at his daughters’ school, the University of Chicago Lab School. (No word on yet where Sasha and Malia will be attending school in D.C., although a number of folks have noted that Vice President-elect Joe Biden’s granddaughter goes to Sidwell Friends, Chelsea Clinton’s alma mater).

And yesterday, Obama tapped Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., a former Clinton aide and an architect of the Democrats’ congressional victory in 2006, as his chief of staff. Some have described the position as deputy president.

His appointment may be good news for charter school advocates. Earlier this year, Emanuel introduced a charter school bill as an alternative to President Bush’s $300 million school choice program.