Stay tuned for the listening tour

Some hopeful words from the new Secretary of Education Arne Duncan in this US News and World Report interview:

Duncan says he is concerned about overtesting but he thinks states could solve the problem by developing better tests. He also wants to help them develop better data management systems that help teachers track individual student progress. "If you have great assessments and real-time data for teachers and parents that say these are [the student's] strengths and weaknesses, that's a real healthy thing," he says."

Asked if he will push for passage of a new version of NCLB, Duncan says that he first wants to go on a cross-country listening tour and that he hopes that Congress will reauthorize a new version of the law late in the year. "Having lived with this, I have a good sense of what makes sense and what doesn't," he says. "But I want to be clear that I want to get out there and learn from people. And I think ultimately we should rebrand [the law]."

Asked what he would call a new version of the law, Duncan answered, "Don't know yet. I'm open to ideas."

Suggestions?

I did have to chuckle darkly at his assessment of what he's saving with the stimulus package, though; Worcester's already cut teachers, librarians (we have them only in high school and middle school now, and that took a fight), and councilors.