Four things you are guaranteed not to hear in Wednesday night’s SOTU:

• “While a little nerve-wracking for us around the White House, November elections by the people of New Jersey and Virginia solidified what will be an exciting opportunity for those states to break from the status quo and embrace the education reforms of their new governors and the incredibly bold leaders they have chosen to steer schools in their states. At the very least, McDonnell has kept Gerard so busy he hasn’t been able to bother me about DC scholarships.”

• “Frankly, my Education Secretary and I were disappointed with the results of special legislative sessions and bill proposals regarding charter schools. Our crack public affairs team spun things so R2TT would come out smelling like a rose, but, come on. Caps lifted when states weren’t even near them, Louisiana? Strengthening collective bargaining, Illinois? And two little guys out of New England - I’m talking to you Rhode Island and Connecticut - giving charter schools money you had already promised then taken away? Really? I hope that wasn’t used to support your applications. We went to Harvard, you know.”

• “The one real win in R2TT goes on the scoreboard for teachers. Check this out. In addition to $100 billion dollars to keep them employed through the stimulus, we figured out a way to take it a step further with R2TT and teacher evaluation methodology. You could drive a truck through the holes in state proposals regarding teachers. You should see some of the emails Arne sends me late at night with examples cut straight from the applications. It’s all I can do to keep from falling out of bed. I can’t wait for round two.”

• “I won’t be using a teleprompter this evening.”

In my junior year of high school, I was caught red handed not signed up for a Fall sports team (we were required to participate in one every season). I was guilty, had no defense, was unceremoniously marched over to the cross-country team and “volunteered”. For the record, this was and remains the harshest punishment ever exacted upon my person.

I showed up every day and did only that which was required, nothing more (sometimes less).

When we competed in a race, though I usually came in last, (I thought) I crossed each finish line in style, sprinting with my last reserves of energy. But it was all for show. Those who stuck around to actually see me finish saw only this explosion of effort and quite rightly wondered why I had not doled it out over the entire course.

It was a sad display of ego and false enthusiasm.

And I am reminded almost daily of this as states rush education legislation through their political machines. One by one, Illinois, Massachusetts, Kentucky, Delaware, Tennessee and their neighbors sprint across the finish line just in time for their ‘Race to the Top’ applications to have a little more content to accompany their creative writing.

What if they had been working on these education efforts over time, with focus and determination? What if they had trained a little harder in order to move beyond the superficial? What if they had made changes to their schools just because it was necessary and right, rather than lucrative?

I was never going to be a cross-country runner, and my finish line sprints proved that. Will the same be true of states in the ‘Race to the Top’?

Oh gosh. I’m “outdated”.

I think that means I’m old. (Or was it a statement about my clothes??)

Wait a minute. Was it an anti-woman comment?? How many times does a man get called outdated? Maybe I need to call the National Organization for Women. I’ve never felt discriminated against before, but wow, maybe this is what the feminist fuss is all about!

Let me explain. I’ve been focused on the education field for more than 25 years. Exclusively. In other words, for 25 years I’ve woken up every day (and also many a time never went to bed until the light was out) and did nothing but read, study, write and manage education reform outcomes. That is, besides raising my kids. I know. Boring, right? It’s true. Just ask my kids, who say I have to move my chin from my computer to look in their eyes when they talk! (I thank God for kids like that, who have helped me keep a bigger focus on them!)

The organization I founded has been around 16 of those 25 years. And one of the group’s main accomplishments has been not just the advocacy, but the creation of a majority of the nation’s charter school laws. From that exercise we’ve learned what works and what doesn’t. From that exercise we’ve interviewed, studied, and communicated with literally tens of thousand of people engaged in the process who have shown us first hand how policy effects people and process, how policy works (and how it doesn’t). And from all these activities, we’ve created and sustained a darn good ranking system of the nation’s charter laws that has informed and galvanized thousands more in pursuit of great charter laws - laws that put control and accountability back into the hands of people who are most closely affected by our schools. That’s why, more than just charters, CER focuses on engaging and enlightening parents, policymakers and the media to appreciate and advance all education reforms.

More “Outdated?”

Today’s speech by Randi Weingarten of the AFT exemplifies what’s wrong with teachers unions and their control over America’s education system. Randi made news today by announcing that she’d be willing to incorporate student test data in teacher evaluations-but she also listed a litany of other things (including “portfolios”) that should be included.

I’m not impressed.

I simply don’t see why the concept of putting student learning first is so challenging for Ms. Weingarten. Her attempts to pacify those who want to see bad teachers removed from the classroom and off of the public payroll lack specifics. What will she do to remove the stranglehold that her union has over principals across America when it comes to terminating the employment of people who cannot teach - so that we can rightly elevate and compensate those teachers who can? What I see is an ‘our way or no way’ approach by the AFT that neither benefits children to the fullest nor serves the best interests of her members.

Finally, any speech on “reform” by Ms. Weingarten is specious, given that her union claims to want the “best” schools for children. This can’t be true, or else she and her allies would be fighting for school choice programs, not standing in the schoolhouse doors blocking the exits for low-income children.

Randi Weingarten fails to impress once again.

Today’s headline:

Federal cash spurs Michigan lawmakers on education reforms
- The Detroit News

The headline we’d like to see:

A more hopeful future for Michigan’s kids spurs lawmakers on education reforms
Lawmakers pull heads out of sand and make long overdue changes for schools

Imaginary money quote:

“Ignoring the problem just didn’t make it go away like we hoped it would.”