By Jenna Chilingerian
July 2, 2012

Conference of Mayors Education Reform Task Force Chair Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson led a discussion between U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan and over 50 mayors at an Education Reform Task Force Meeting in Orlando. Johnson kicked off the meeting by describing the amazing work this task force has completed within the last year, emphasizing the bipartisan nature of the task force because "education is bipartisan," and stressed the need for mayors from both sides of the aisle to partake in education reform because "we can't have a great city without great schools."

Duncan was introduced by Conference of Mayors Vice President Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter who presented Duncan with a plaque on behalf of the Conference of Mayors in recognition of his substantial work in support of the nation's mayors, citing his over 200 trips to cities, his over 75 meetings with city leaders, and his commitment to education reform and receiving feedback from mayors. Accepting the award, Duncan stated, "My job is to try to be a good partner with you."

In his remarks, Duncan's highlighted where America is today with education, the challenges the country faces, where the country is positioning itself to go, and how the country will get there. He stressed the need to invest in early childhood education, to continue to make K-12 reforms, and to strengthen the role of community colleges in training students for the careers of tomorrow.

Duncan also discussed the need for more financial aid and scholarships, for training community college students for real jobs, for taking politics and ideology out of education, and for attracting and retaining talent. In terms of what is happening today, Duncan spoke highly of the local efforts to increase grade level reading, partnerships between public and charter schools, and the push to increase FAFSA completion rates. Additionally, he highlighted the success of Race to the Top efforts and further detailed the Race to the Top — District Competition that allows local districts to submit proposals for innovative educational programs this year to compete for federal grants of up to $25 million under the new national contest.

The Education Reform Task Force touched on key points including teacher performance and evaluation, accountability, engagement between states and districts, and reforming the "teach to the test" mentality. In his closing remarks, Johnson suggested regional meetings with Duncan and stressed the need for leadership from the local level to engage with businesses, nonprofits, and parents to promote education reform.