When Michelle Rhee abruptly resigned her position as Washington's District Schools Chief, it signaled a change in the district's goals.
At contretemps with teachers unions, U.S. Department of Education officials, and a new incoming mayoral administration, she flew the coop for fame and greener pastures on such television programs as “Oprah,” where her ideas are gaining currency quickly.
In launching a new website called StudentsFirst.org, she visited Florida's new Governor, Rick Scott, and announced some proposed sweeping changes in policy highly touted by the Governor.
Today, Ms. Rhee is expected to make a public pronouncement of her agenda for a new national education policy.
Here is a preview of what she told newsmen and parents in Florida last week:
* Vouchers to help pay for education in privately operated schools
* Merit pay increases for teachers who are judged by their performance
* An end to tenure for public school teachers
* Fire teachers who turn in poor performance evaluations
* De-emphasis of a reliance on unionized teaching staff
A spokesman for Florida's biggest teachers association said he only hopes Ms. Rhee and the Governor will take advantage of the expertise and experience of the hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of professional teachers who live and work in Florida.
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