NH Summit: Carly Fiorina Decries Federal Education Bureaucracy, Says It’s Killing School Innovation
Manchester, New Hampshire was the venue for The Seventy Four’s education summit, where former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina highlighted the need for more innovation, greater choice, reduced federal control, and less testing in education. She argued against big bureaucratic programs from Washington and spending money on mandated programs, suggesting instead that emphasis should be placed on innovation at the local level. Fiorina stated that if she were president, she would delegate power to local communities and schools, and criticized teachers unions for embodying the status quo. At the same time, she raised concerns about over-testing, echoing the sentiments of many teachers and unions.
Throughout the discussion, Fiorina expressed her displeasure with the Department of Education, claiming that it interferes and spends excessively. She proposed auditing the department as one of her top priorities, stating that its actions are not well-known. Despite the department’s provision of detailed annual fiscal reports, Fiorina chastised the Obama administration’s Raise to the Top program and its support for Common Core standards. This was a departure from her previous stance, where she praised the accountability measures of Race to the Top during her Senate campaign in California. Fiorina clarified that while she supports high academic standards, she opposes a federally mandated program that restricts teachers’ teaching methods.
Fiorina also argued that the influence of companies in the education sector, such as testing and textbook companies, has skewed the Common Core standards. Additionally, she blamed the federal bureaucracy for increased testing and teachers feeling obligated to teach to the test. To ensure a comprehensive education, Fiorina stressed the importance of exposing students to art, music, philosophy, and history. She even suggested that all students should take the U.S. citizenship test.
Fiorina supported the re-authorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act passed by the U.S. House because it grants more autonomy to states in using federal funds and allows parents to opt out of standardized tests. While she believed that education reform should be bipartisan, she criticized the Democratic party for being on the wrong side of the issue. She accused teachers unions of blocking meaningful reform and preventing the expansion of school choice. Fiorina also refuted the notion that increased spending would lead to better outcomes, although some research suggests otherwise.
She praised various education initiatives, including school choice in New Orleans, performance pay for teachers, school vouchers, and the California tenure lawsuit. However, she did not provide details on how she would expand these programs if elected president. Her focus on local control and reducing federal bureaucracy indicated that her administration would aim to improve education less at the federal level and more at the local level.
In conclusion, Fiorina emphasized the need for innovative and smart individuals, but underscored that the federal government does not possess the ability to foster innovation.