That’s part of what U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan told a room full of education reporters and writers this afternoon when he spoke at the 67th annual Education Writers Association national conference at Vanderbilt University.
The Chalkbeat team attended the conference, which ends this afternoon.
Duncan’s remarks were framed by the 60th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court Case Brown v. Board of Education.
Later during an on-stage interview, Duncan referenced his recent visit to Colorado more than once. He said while it’s too early to know how well Denver’s teacher evaluation program, which includes peer reviews and mentoring from fellow teachers, will work, he said it was innovating and promising.
During his visit he met with teachers at Mathematics and Science Leadership Academy, a teacher-led school with no traditional principal-leadership structure. At the conference, Duncan praised the school’s innovative governance structure, as well as a separate teacher leader and mentorship program.