Education Week - October 31, 2012 - 11

STANDARDS
OBAMA: Has encouraged states to adopt rigorous, common standards using the Race to the Top competitive-grant program and the NCLB waiver process as incentives. Has steered $360 million in Race to the Top money to help states develop assessments that align with the standards.

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For the first time in a generation, nearly every state has answered our call to raise their standards for teaching and learning.”
—Speech accepting the Democratic nomination, Sept. 6, 2012

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I don’t subscribe to the idea of the federal government trying to push a common core on various states. It’s one thing to put it out as a model and let people adopt it as they will, but to financially reward states based upon accepting the federal government’s idea of a curriculum, I think, is a mistake.”
—Appearance at NBC’s “Education Nation,” Sept. 25, 2012

The Republican presidential nominee, former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, greets well-wishers during a campaign appearance at D’Evelyn High School in Denver in September.

COLLEGE ACCESS
OBAMA: Got rid of subsidized student college loans offered by private banks, in favor of having all such loans originate with the federal government. Had pushed to tie some federal student aid to college outcomes. ROMNEY: Has criticized the Obama administration’s

When kids do graduate, the most daunting challenge can be the cost of college. At a time when Americans owe more in tuition debt than credit-card debt, this Congress needs to stop the interest rates on student loans from doubling in July.”
—State of the Union Address, Jan. 24, 2012

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student-loan overhaul. Would beef up the role of the private sector in administering student loans and overhaul the Pell Grant program. We must stop fueling skyrocketing tuition prices that put higher education out of reach for some and leave others with crushing debt.”
—2012 speech to the Latino Coalition

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CHARTERS AND CHOICE
OBAMA: Encouraged states to raise their caps on charter schools in the $4 billion Race to the Top competition, and urged districts to convert low-performing schools to charters. Has supported closing the District of Columbia’s voucher program to new students.

EARLY CHILDHOOD
OBAMA: Imposed rules requiring low-performing providers of Head Start preschool services for lowincome children to recompete for their grants. Created a $500 million Race to the Top competition to reward states that revamp their early-childhood-education programs.

FUNDING
OBAMA: Steered some $100 billion to education through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, including nearly $50 billion to help prevent teacher layoffs. Has consistently requested budget increases for the U.S. Department of Education.

One of the places where much … innovation occurs is in our most effective charter schools. … But right now, there are many caps on how many charter schools are allowed in some states, no matter how well they’re preparing our students. That isn’t good for our children, our economy, or our country.”
—Speech to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, March 2009 ROMNEY: Would allow parents of low-income

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Studies show that children in early-childhood-education programs are more likely to score higher in reading and math, more likely to graduate from high school and attend college, more likely to hold a job, and more likely to earn more in that job.”
—2009 speech to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

ROMNEY: As governor of Massachusetts, vetoed as too costly a bill to create a universal-

prekindergarten program. Has yet to spell out a detailed early-childhood-education plan, but adviser F. Philip Handy has criticized Head Start as not putting enough of a focus on learning outcomes. To have one parent that stays closely involved with the education of the child and can be at home in those early years of education can be extraordinarily important.”
—In 2012 NBC “Education Nation” interview

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We can gut education, or we can decide that in the United States of America, no child should have her dreams deferred because of a crowded classroom or a crumbling school.”
—2012 nomination acceptance speech

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and special education students to take their share of federal education funding in those areas to the public, charter, or private school of their choice. Students also could use the funds for tutoring or online coursework. Students would still have to take federally mandated tests. Supports expanding charter schools.

TEACHER QUALITY
OBAMA: Through the NCLB waiver process and Race to the Top, has encouraged states to evaluate teacher effectiveness by looking at student outcomes, among other factors. Has expanded the federal Teacher Incentive Fund, which awards grants to districts to create pay-for-performance programs. ROMNEY: Would make federal funding for teacher

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ROMNEY: Has said he would not cut education funding, but hasn’t been specific about what that would mean. A budget blueprint crafted by his running mate, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, calls for a nearly 20 percent cut to domestic discretionary spending.

As president, I will give the parents of every low-income and special-needs student the chance to choose where their child goes to school. For the first time in history, federal education funds will be linked to a student, so that parents can send their child to any public or charter school, or to a private school, where permitted.”
—2012 speech to the Latino Coalition

quality into a block-grant program and tie the funds to states’ adoption of evaluation systems that take educator effectiveness into account. Supports elimination or overhaul of teacher tenure and elimination of “last-in, first-out” dismissal rules. The teachers’ unions are the clearest example of a group that has lost its way. Whenever anyone dares to offer a new idea, the unions protest the loudest.”
—2012 speech to the Latino Coalition

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It’s time to start rewarding good teachers, stop making excuses for bad ones.”
—2009 speech to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

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I’m not going to cut education funding. I don’t have any plan to cut education funding and grants that go to people going to college. I’m planning on continuing to grow [education], so I’m not planning on making changes there.”
—Debate with President Obama, Oct. 3, 2012

Charles Dharapak/AP

ROMNEY: Has said that states should be permitted to “opt in” to the common core, but he would not provide any federal financing for assessments linked to it. As governor of Massachusetts, pushed for the state to be tested as a separate country in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, or TIMSS. Supported exit exams for high school students in the Bay State.

Education Week - October 31, 2012

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