1. He's widely (and fairly) seen as the "consensus candidate," bridging the divides between two camps within the Democratic Party (the reformers and the establishment). But he's not so much a compromise as a canvas upon which people of various persuasions can paint their hopes and dreams (much like his boss). To the reformers, he's a crusader for charter schools and merit pay. To the unions he's a conciliator and peacemaker. To NCLB supporters he's an accountability hawk. To NCLB detractors he's a "flexibility" proponent. Which of these things is he really? Time will tell.
2. The era of gubernatorial leadership in education is officially over. It feels like a long time since we had a former governor as education secretary. Lamar Alexander and Richard Riley epitomized the role of the states as leaders in education reform. But now, with Arne Duncan replicating Rod Paige's ascension, the mantle has passed to the big cities.
3. Unfortunately, Duncan doesn't know, from personal experience, what good state policy looks like. Illinois is, for the most part, a big mess on the policy front, with its vague, low standards, lackluster accountability system, and tiny charter school movement. Here's hoping that Duncan spends some time with former Massachusetts commissioner (and Fordham board member) David Driscoll, who could help him see the critical role that state policy could play, if done right.
4. Get ready for another golden era for charter schools. In many ways, the Bill Clinton years were better for charters than the George Bush years. Largely that's because the press and the public expects Republicans to support choice and charters; it's much more powerful when Democrats do so. And by all accounts, Arne Duncan loves charter schools. One person told me that Duncan would make every school a charter school if he could. But at the least, he will be an effective advocate for the view that urban districts can use chartering to promote their larger reform agendas. Which means charters are going mainstream.
5. There's good reason to believe that Duncan will be friendly to the private school community. He went to a private school himself (in fact, the same school the Obama girls attended!). He reached out to the Archdiocese of Chicago to offer help to keep the city's Catholic schools alive. He may not be a voucher advocate but he understands the crucial role that private schools play, particularly in big cities like his own.
See what Checker has to say, here.
