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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I will withhold judgment until I see some actual policy, but consider me skeptical.

The fundamental problem with an education consultant selling data collection tools is that you get what you measure. So if her perspective is going to be more metrics, it will be absolutely critical that the *right* metrics are chosen. This is where the culture war will again wage.

There is no indication she is knowledgeable about curricula or pedagogy. If her solution is the apply saber metrics to public schools, we are in trouble. This could end up being the blind leading the blind.

It is, for example, 100% critical we continue commitments to improve equity in schools — so if her focus on metrics involves closing achievement gaps, great. That said, we don’t need metrics to tell us there are achievement gaps. As education secretary, what will be her policies to close them? And no, the answer isn’t charter schools. Charter schools can game metrics by being more selective about who they accept. So what you end up with is growing gaps between schools. Factor in the massive trail of corruption in charter schools — lots of flim flam artists in that space, lots of taxpayer waste — and this could end *very* badly.[/quote]

Charter schools were always Youngkin’s endgame. I’d also expect to see taxpayer subsidization of religious schools. He has no interest in improving the public schools whatsoever. That’s going to be a real shock to a lot of the MAGA parents when their mediocre, L/D kids aren’t offered a spot out and have to stay back in underfunded schools. [/quote]

Youngkin nominated Aimee Guidera as Secretary of Education.  Ms. Guidera has a long history of being a public school advocate with center-left groups.  Similar to President Obama and Clinton, Guidera has supported charter schools as well. Guidera was a strong ally of the Democrats in opposition to most conservatives during the last reauthorizaiton of the main federal K-12 law.  The organization she founded, DQC, is a well known primarily Democratically aligned organization at the federal level.  Guidera has a solid history of aligning with with anti-voucher groups and advocating for the Democrats for Education Reform agenda and initiatives such as Common Core.  Guidera's history suggests she is more aligned with never-Trumpers than MAGA types.  [/quote]

She’s a “school choice” advocate for a governor who wants to implement charters and vouchers.

[i]Aimee will be a critical partner in restoring expectations of excellence; overseeing a record education budget to invest in teachers, facilities and special education; [b]rolling out innovation lab and charter schools[/b]; and standing for a curriculum that prepares Virginia’s children for a dynamic future and removes politics from the classroom,” Youngkin said in a statement.

Guidera moved to Virginia in 1995 and her daughter attended Fairfax County Public Schools, Youngkin’s news release says.

“A nationally recognized leader, [b]Aimee is deeply respected for her distinguished career advocating for innovation and choice[/b], data-driven reform and high standards, and will apply these principles in order to implement the Day One Game Plan,” Youngkin said. 
[/i]
https://www.virginiamercury.com/blog-va/virginias-state-schools-superintendent-is-stepping-down/

Definitely not what VA needs. [/quote]

"School choice" in the education policy space does not equal being pro-voucher.  "School choice" can mean being for charters and magnet schools, but not for vouchers.  For instance, how the construct of "school choice" was meant during the Obama Administration.  President Obama advocated strongly for "school choice" options such as charters, but was opposed to vouchers.

Aimee Guidera's record is clear.  Guidera has a long history at the federal level of partnering with anti-school voucher organizations.  Furthermore, she advocated against parents being able to control their children's most sensitive data with both the government and private companies and advocated against parents being able to opt-out of initiatives they thought would have a negative impact on their children.

In addition, the organization she founded and led, DQC, disproportionally supports Democrats at the federal level.  Understand the concerns with Youngkin, but Guidera's history suggests there will be a difference between Youngkin's rhetoric and the genuine positions held by the staff he decides to place in key education positions.  [/quote]

Youngkin has brought on 3+ voucher advocates to guide his education plan. It’s disingenuous to say he’s not going to pursue it. 
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[/quote]

Yes, perhaps the best way to advocate for vouchers is by placing an individual in the position of Secretary of Education with a long history of being aligned with anti-voucher organizations and federal Democrats in the top education spot of your administration.  Personnel is policy.

Please name names with the education positions that the "voucher advocates" have been appointed to so far, that are more influential than being appointed Secretary of Education.  Have they been appointed to positions with more day-to-day influence than the Secretary of Education?
[/quote]

Yup, disingenuous.

He brought in at least three advocates to guide education policy.

From [u]a member of Youngkin’s very own education team[/u] - Lindsey Burke: 
https://www.heritage.org/education/commentary/virginia-election-outcome-was-about-education-here-are-4-actions-youngkin
[i]“Now is the time for Virginia to follow in the steps of its neighbor to the West and[u] establish universal education savings accounts, as West Virginia did [/u]earlier this year. Every single child in Virginia, from the moment they begin kindergarten, should be able to choose the school or education provider that works for them and aligns with their values.”[/i]

Youngkin also brought on a [u]top DeVos official[/u] - Nate Bailey:
https://conferences.shrm.org/presenter/nate-bailey

Kay James - [u]mega conservative/religious and also wants school choice [/u]
https://www.heritage.org/staff/kay-c-james
https://www.heritage.org/press/gov-elect-youngkin-appoints-heritage-foundations-kay-james-co-chairman-transition

Charters/vouchers - both are ways that Youngkin will defund our public schools. 
[/quote]

Thank you for providing the names.  Incoming Governors-elect often have subject specific informal advisory committees during their transition period.  It does not automatically mean these informal advisors have actual influence or structural power.  It’s the Secretary of Education that will help guide Youngkin’s education plan and will have real influence and authority over the next four years.

If these three individuals had influence, it is highly unlikely that Aimee Guidera would have been chosen for this senior education position.  For example, the Heritage Foundation (e.g., Burke, James) was completely opposed to the federal education agenda of Ms. Guidera and the organization she founded and led (DQC).  Lindsey Burke is on record strongly opposing even moderate Republicans who supported the successful reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) that became the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).  Ms. Guidera and her organization were strong supporters of President Obama’s education agenda from the beginning.  Ms. Guidera was to the left of the moderate Republicans that Ms. Burke publicly criticized.  If Heritage had any influence, their track record in opposing Ms. Guidera’s education advocacy is clear.  Heritage would have not chosen Aimee Guidera for a top education position.

Regarding Bailey, believe it is fair to say that DeVos was the most incompetent U.S. Secretary of Education in our nation’s history.  It’s unlikely that Mr. Bailey has genuine influence.  Ms. Guidera was a strong opponent of most of the DeVos agenda.  Also, regardless of what one might think of Ms. Guidera’s record, she is a strong leader and led one of the most influential pro-Democratic organizations in DC when it comes to federal education policy.  
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