Arne Duncan and George Miller

Our Archived Series

BayCHI

U.S. Secretary of Education and Chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee

Transforming Public Education

NewSchools

86 minutes, 39.6mb, recorded 2010-05-12

Topics: Education Podcasts

Download Audio

With numerous examples of success in social innovation from the education sector to draw from, the U.S. Administration and Congress propose to scale proven models of excellence to school systems across the country. This is the opportunity to make a dramatic shift away from the status quo and rapidly transform public education through federal reform. CEO of NewSchools Ted Mitchell has a conversation with U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor Congressman George Miller, addressing a gathering of thought leaders, practitioners and entrepreneurs in the field of education at the NewSchools Summit 2010, an event convened by the NewSchools Venture Fund. They speak on policy changes and practices that are part of a full-fledged effort to turn schools around.

Arne Duncan has served as the U.S. secretary of education since 2009. Prior to his appointment, Duncan served as the chief executive officer of the Chicago Public Schools, a position to which he was appointed by Mayor Richard M. Daley, from June 2001-December 2008, becoming the longest serving big-city education superintendent in the country.

His late father was a professor at the University of Chicago and his mother has run a South Side tutoring program for inner-city children since 1961. As a student in Chicago, Duncan spent afternoons in his mother's tutoring program and also worked there during a year off from college. He credits this experience with shaping his understanding of the challenges of urban education.

Congressman George Miller is chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee and chairman of the Democratic Policy Committee, a leadership position. Miller is a leading advocate in Congress on education, labor, the economy, and the environment. He has represented the 7th District of California in the East Bay of San Francisco since 1975. His district includes portions of Contra Costa and Solano counties, including Richmond, Concord, Martinez, Pittsburg, Benicia, Vallejo and Vacaville. He is a life-long Democrat and Californian.

Ted Mitchell is the president and CEO of NewSchools Venture Fund. He also serves as president of the California State Board of Education. He serves on the board of directors of Alliance for College-Ready Public Schools, Bellwether Education Partners, EnCorps, Friendship Public Charter School, Green Dot Public Schools, and New Leaders for New Schools.

Resources