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U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan on revamping and investing in the education system .
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The president's jobs bill this is.
Some decent amount of money that certainly allocated towards.
Education any particular modernizing schools so we're gonna.
Dedicate money to that make the case as to why that's a good investment.
Well -- with this from a country are having their toughest economic time they've had in a couple decades.
Most buildings.
In this country -- built prior to 1940.
1950 these -- age -- facilities.
We look across the country we see about 270 billion dollars worth of deferred maintenance and I -- Chicago Public Schools.
Although I would done frankly exactly what some -- are doing today when times are tough.
You defer maintenance and where you have -- rooms where you have cracked windows -- students don't have axis axis is technology that's not giving them 21 century okay.
How do you figure how do you.
Tell the difference between the school that can be.
Fixed up can be renovated and you know you need to just started doing just built a whole new school we're just not -- Well I think the vast majority of schools can be fixed up this money can only be used for renovation rehab not for new construction want to.
Are just way the -- bills written but -- but the overall majority of schools I think can be fixed but we need to continue to invest.
It is not fiscally responsible or educationally you know to make sense to just defer maintenance year after year after year to you that doesn't put our children and -- -- -- towards.
Either way the bill's written is ask you a quick political question I don't know how much you can weigh in our how much even know about this.
What idiotic think any of this or we having a conversation matters right now what would you think the odds are many just gonna -- Past I desperately hope it will and I'm the least political person you -- -- to Washington.
But I just -- a desperate need opted not just on the capital side renovation rehab but saving -- jobs it's also thirty billion dollars they -- I did -- back to school bus tour just tell you some things I saw and hurt I was in Milwaukee.
In over the past couple years they've gone from a hundred arts educators to eleven at the elementary at 90% reduction our children need art but should be basic.
Out in Pittsburgh and they're contemplating a lemonade -- -- -- activity that makes no sense at all.
And I got back I spoke to for anomaly young teacher in Philadelphia -- -- a music teacher He has seven -- He -- seven schools.
Here's a hundred dollar budget for the seven schools and because He didn't have money for instruments he's teaching his children bucket.
I'd never heard that school but this is what's going on this is reality our children deserve better our country deserves better we have to educate our way to better economy.
But even this is just a drop in the bucket right I think it's your own numbers 280000.
Education jobs that are in jeopardy this school year alone is only six or 7000 up.
And all know that this this would go -- -- -- go much much further thought -- just make a huge impact on keeping teachers in the classroom.
Not on the unemployment lines we to make sure class size -- -- aiming to make sure students have access to dance and drama art and music and PE.
And we to make sure they're going to schools and buildings where they have a chance to be competitive -- -- -- children and only -- -- it would save basically yeah basically close that gap so that that 20000 dollar two and 80000 job GAAP.
We think we can really basically and our.
Or fears into this now broaden the discussion a little bit.
About three years and as secretary of education there's you know -- criticism coming from.
Different sides is also price Mitt Romney apparently for example election official's comments in the day that -- -- a pretty good job.
I got to got to watch the debates but.
I think obviously -- from day one work and -- absolutely nonpolitical.
Bipartisan way.
Education so much more important politics and I -- I think frankly.
Political fighting has heard education -- country we're trying to move away from that to the right thing for children for education and ultimately for me.
-- said it when He was asked not an excellent debate but in an interview what.
What what portions.
The president's agenda He agrees with and He brought up some of the things that you've done that said.
-- set out some goals a lot of people on both sides of the -- you Simmons as an example agree with.
What would you point to as a specific example -- you -- specific examples of measurable progress achieved enough in this position.
And I give all the credit not to me or anyone else in Washington I'm -- amazing courage and leadership at the local level governors and state school chief officers Republicans State's democratic states.
Prior to us coming in many states the dummy down standards -- notes Hala hi.
Subsequent does come in race -- top -- incentive.
44 states have raised standards college and career ready standards for every single child that's an absolute game changer for the first -- country with your child in Massachusetts.
Or Mississippi.
Or Maryland you're going to be measured by the -- our -- that's a huge step in the right direction.
Let me ask -- -- one final big picture question because it's about every time we talk and whether it's to you or somebody else that's involved in.
Education and or education reform we talk about where it is the United States stack up the ranking still don't look great.
Is there any point in the future where you see is kind of moving up and these rankings because that's the -- global economic story -- long term.
We have to let what we're trying to do is so basically -- a public.
We're actually being out educated by many other nations and that's the brutal truth folks don't like to hear it that is the fact.
The countries that out educate us today of an out compete us tomorrow.
I'd launch of a country I mean with the yields everywhere.
And I can't -- coming feels -- at the aren't we want to hire we want to hire now.
We can't fine.
Skilled workers we need is very tough economic times.
We have about high unemployment today we have about two million high wage high skilled jobs that are unfilled.
We as educators have to look ourselves and mirrors they were not doing a good enough job we have to do much better job can young people the skills they need to be successful -- that -- found it.
Do we do we have the teachers to teach engineering we have the teachers to even in language to -- teachers to teach.
-- to people who want to learn -- where these teachers.
-- -- we need to work on the pipeline and we have many many more stand teachers math and science teachers so the pipeline has broken.
But we need to take these things on -- -- these -- the real challenges that we are addressing.
I'm we are working some great public private partnerships to recruit a 100000 math and science teachers over the next decade.
And so none of these overnight successes but -- we've admired this problem for for two decades.
I want stop -- my the problem we to go fix.
Okay thank you so you're gonna get some of them do you think from people that would ordinarily go and other jobs that the economy was better shape and some of those methods -- Yes that helps them bring it and I want to bring folks not just out of college but we -- being folks out of industry folks were candidates folks who have -- just.
Come teaches high school so that we didn't talk as much I think technology can be great equalizer -- your school doesn't have access today AP biology of business teacher.
Taking that class and the Internet can really create opportunities for children communities we haven't had a.
Part -- using the theater and there Skype and other things to to to communicate.
Are we appreciate all the time and -- great we'll talk against -- in good luck with everything it's a big job secretary -- thank you very much effort opportunity.
