Education story gets an F.

• Author: Stephens, Thomas M.
• Position: Letters to the Editor - Letter to the editor

Michael W. Apple asserts that the education policies advocated by President Obama and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan are not as onerous as President Bush's No Child Left Behind ("Grading Obama's Education Policy," February issue). Oh, really?

When Bush became President, the federal role shifted to a top-down approach. A heavy emphasis was placed on high-stakes testing, closing "failed schools," and increasing charter schools, which allowed profit-seeking entrepreneurs to use public funds for private gains.

With the Race to the Top, Obama has stiffened Bush's mandates, requiring states to put specific policies in place (such as firing tenured teachers whose students' test scores are low) before the schools can compete for federal funds. Through this approach, Obama is achieving Bush's desired changes...