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Michael Steele on Education

Republican challenger, Lt. Gov.

 


Oppose the No Child Left Behind Act

I disagreed with my party on No Child Left Behind. I endorsed No Child Left Behind at the convention in 2004. Since that time, I sat down and I’ve talked to a thousand teachers in, in my state, and I’ve listened to them tell me what the problem is. 7
Source: 2006 Maryland Senate debate on Meet the Press , Oct 29, 2006

Standardized tests keep teachers from educating students

Steele commented on the No Child Left Behind Act, a mandate from President Bush’s administration that forces public schools to meet certain standards or risk losing federal funding. Although the program is a good idea, standardized tests keep teachers from effectively educating students, he said. “They can’t bring in new information; they can’t take more time on a subject or less time on a subject because by March they’ve got to have these kids ready to take a [Maryland School Assessment] exam, and they’re frustrated with that process,“ Steele said. ”It devalues their skills; it devalues their abilities to use critical thinking because they’re in the classroom with the kid.“

Steele was hesitant to say whether public education would be improved without standardized testing, but said teachers would be able to do more for students if there was less pressure to pass tests. ”Let them teach,“ Steele said. ”Tell them where you want the children to get, and they will get them there.“

Source: Clifford Cumber inteview in Frederick News-Post , Aug 8, 2006

Reinstate college-level grant and loan programs

Steele calls for reinstatement of college-level grant and loan programs reduced under the Bush administration. “We do not want to create a generation upon generation of students who are saddled with debt coming out of university and then expected to go on to higher learning to get Ph.D.s and master’s degrees” he said. The lieutenant governor also said he supports additional funding for community colleges and tax credits for parents footing the bill for a college education.
Source: Clifford Cumber inteview in Frederick News-Post , Aug 8, 2006

Don’t trap poor kids in failing schools

We need to spare no effort - and resist no promising reform - to replace the systems that trap poor kids in failing schools.
Source: Candidacy announcement speech in Largo MD , Oct 25, 2005

Other candidates on Education: Michael Steele on other issues:
MD Gubernatorial:
Alec Ross
Larry Hogan
Martin O`Malley
Richard Madaleno
Robert Ehrlich
MD Senatorial:
Benjamin Cardin

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Page last updated: Sep 01, 2017