Eric W. Waldo U.S. Department of Education Deputy Chief of Staff July 2012 U.S. Department of Education Policy Overview

Overarching Goal “By 2020, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world.” President Barack Obama, February 24, 2009 Elementary (grades K-5) Secondary (grades 6-12) Post- Secondary (certificates and degrees) Early Learning (birth-grade 3) Comprehensive, Cradle-to-Career Agenda 2

Building Blocks of Our Agenda 3 High Quality Early Learning College Affordability, Access, and Completion Standards & Assessments Teachers & Leaders Data Systems School Turnaround

In the Service of Student Outcomes 4 Kindergarten Readiness Achievement Gains (Growth) Achievement Gaps High School Graduation College without Remediation Degree/Certificate Completion

Consistency Across Signature Initiatives Race to the Top – Early Learning Investing in Innovation (i3) School Improvement Grants Teacher Incentive Fund ESEA Flexibility Program Race to the Top Student Lending Reform & Increased Financial Aid 5

Levers for Reform Formula Grants – Protect Underserved Students & Ensure Equity Low-income students Students with disabilities English learners Other underserved students Competitive Grants – Spur Innovation Investing in Innovation Race to the Top Teacher Incentive School Improvement 6 Transform the U.S. Department of Education Focus on outcomes Fuel reform and innovation Identify and scale effective state practices Build State and Local Capacity for Continuous Improvement Focus on outcomes Identify and scale effective local practices Encourage innovation

Positive Indicators… 7 Turning around the nation’s lowest performing schools Teaching and assessing against college- and career-ready standards Improving teacher and principal effectiveness Providing more low-income students with Pell grants and loans for college States driving comprehensive education agendas

Much Still to be Done… Showing results from P-20 reform investments Driving educational equity Developing a vision for the teaching profession of the 21 st century Promoting college affordability and completion Reauthorizing education laws that are due or overdue: ESEA, IDEA, HEA, WIA, Perkins Reinventing ED: from compliance to innovation

Eric W. Waldo U.S. Department of Education Deputy Chief of Staff July 2012 U.S. Department of Education

Reauthorize ESEA Respond to greatest challenges Provide flexibility in return for results Recognize & reward success Fair – Use growth and progress to measure schools. Focused – Intervene only in the chronically lowest performing schools and those with persistent achievement gaps. Flexible – Differentiate interventions and support. Lowest performing schools & schools with largest achievement gaps Most schools Schools making greatest gains, all students on track 10

Strengthen and Renew the Teaching Profession Recruit top talent & improve preparation programs Provide meaningful feedback & support Professional development Induction Recognition and rewards Advancement opportunities (1) Teachers and leaders matter. (2) Focus on outcomes. (3) Every teacher deserves feedback and support. (4) Every student deserves effective teachers & leaders. Overarching Principles 11 Support reform-oriented labor/management agreements

Boost College Completion Improve college access and affordability Drive college completion Build pK-12 college-going culture 12 8 million more college graduates by 2020