The reality in the confirmation room...and the reality on the ground

There was a lot of press yesterday about Arne Duncan's confirmation hearing. A favorite quote from the Chicago Tribune coverage: "as much of a kumbaya moment as any appointee to Barack Obama's Cabinet is likely to see..." The Trib went on to mention the lack of details the nominee offered on changes he'd make in federal education policy, particularly to NCLB (beyond letting more special ed kids take a modified version of the tests, something which will, I'm guessing, send any parent of a special ed kid who has every wrangled their way through the inanities of dealing with NCLB right into the stratosphere).

Meanwhile, back in the district that Duncan was running, Peabody Elementary School is among 20 Chicago schools facing closure under the city's Renaissance 2010 program. The district is citing low enrollment for the closure, but the school, unlike many schools facing closure, actually passed NCLB's requirements for student achievement. According to the district, such scores were going to be used to determine which schools were staying open. Students will be forced to move elsewhere, and the school will reopen as either a charter or magnet school.

How success has been rewarded in Chicago...coming soon to the entire federal department of education.