Christie and National Expert Duel Over School Reform

Editor’s Note: Gov. Chris Christie promoted the idea of charter schools during his speech Monday in Iowa, but added they may not be the answer in all school districts, a clear response to the suburban backlash that has been felt in South Brunswick, Princeton, Livingston, and other districts in New Jersey. "They are not needed in every district in New Jersey and wouldn’t add much to the education offered there," he said.

One of the closing speakers at the Iowa Education Summit yesterday afternoon was far better known in New Jersey: education reform firebrand Gov. Chris Christie.

The other is arguably the best-known academic expert on teacher quality in the country: Linda Darling-Hammond of Stanford University.

Speaking to the same audience and on much the same topics, Christie and Darling-Hammond explored better teachers and public schools.

And they couldn’t have given more different speeches.

The Des Moines event was a well-timed conference on national education reform, hosted by Iowa’s Republican governor, Terry Branstad, at a time when the state is an obvious focal point of presidential ambitions in his party.

The two-day conference was more just speeches, with workshops and small-group discussions on every facet of how to improve teaching and learning. The keynote speaker was no lightweight, either: U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan.

A Duel of Ideas

But to have Darling-Hammond and Christie as the two last speakers of the afternoon provided a provocative duel of ideas: the former a noted expert on the nuances of teacher preparation and school improvement, the latter a master of the podium and press conference in seeking more change in public schools.

Darling-Hammond cited statistics and studies. "For all the hype notwithstanding," she said of merit pay at one point, "there were studies that found no benefit in student achievement for the use of its practices."

On the same topic, Christie relied on what he said was common sense. "First off, having a little more competition is probably a good thing," he said.

Continue reading in NJ Spotlight.

Related links: Iowa Education Summit

Original Post: Christie and National Expert Duel Over School Reform, July 26, 2011.

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