Latest news with #ReturningEducation
Time of India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
After Louisiana, Linda McMahon reaches Arkansas on 50-state education tour: Inside the state's vision for students
US Secretary of Education Linda McMahon has brought her Returning Education to the States tour to Arkansas, the second stop in a cross-country initiative aimed at spotlighting how states are reshaping K-12 learning when given more autonomy. The 50-state tour, launched in Louisiana earlier this month, is central to the Trump administration's push to decentralize education policy, moving decision-making power from Washington, D.C., to state capitals. In Arkansas, McMahon focused on two priorities that define the state's education vision: driving up literacy rates and equipping students with skills for in-demand jobs. A day in Arkansas McMahon's visit began at Don R. Roberts Elementary School in Little Rock, where she toured classrooms and joined a literacy roundtable with educators, administrators, and local leaders. The discussion centered on Arkansas' approach to early reading interventions, teacher training, and the integration of literacy goals into broader academic standards. She then traveled to the Saline County Career & Technical Campus, which offers high school students hands-on training in fields such as healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and information technology. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your Website Made Simple [Find Out] SearchPad Learn More Undo According to the US Department of Education, McMahon called the facility an example of how 'career readiness can be embedded into high school education without compromising academic rigour.' Arkansas' education vision Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders' education blueprint, which McMahon praised during her visit, includes: Universal school choice giving families the ability to direct state funds to public, private, or charter schools that best fit their needs. Literacy benchmarks setting the expectation that every student will read at grade level by the end of third grade. Increased teacher pay, raising salaries to attract and retain quality educators. Expanded career and technical education linking high school programs directly with local labor market demands. 'Arkansas is an excellent example of what it looks like to prioritise students through school choice and programs that prepare students for in-demand careers,' McMahon said, as quoted by the US Department of Education. A contrast to Louisiana's challenges The tour's first stop in Louisiana focused on a state grappling with persistent gaps in literacy, graduation rates, and workforce readiness. There, McMahon met with teachers and school leaders implementing state-driven reforms to improve reading outcomes. In contrast, Arkansas was presented as a model already in the implementation phase, with measurable progress in both academic and technical pathways. The US Department of Education noted that the tour aims to 'share best practices from across the country' so states can adapt successful strategies to their own contexts. The political context The Returning Education to the States tour is part of a broader Republican-led education agenda that promotes parental choice, state innovation, and reduced federal oversight. Supporters argue that local control makes education more responsive to community needs, while critics warn it may widen disparities between districts. In Arkansas, those tensions were visible. While state leaders welcomed McMahon's visit, a small group of parents and education advocates staged protests outside Roberts Elementary, voicing concerns that universal school choice diverts resources from traditional public schools. What's next on the tour With Arkansas now in the books, McMahon will head to Tennessee, where debates over school vouchers and teacher pay have dominated the education landscape. Each stop is intended to provide a different lens on state-led innovation — from early literacy strategies to career-aligned curricula. As the US Department of Education put it, the goal is to 'decentralize power out of Washington, let states innovate on education policy, and put students first.' Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
American Press
6 days ago
- Politics
- American Press
US Department of Education launches nationwide tour
By Nolan Mckendry | The Center Square The Department of Education launched a national tour this month in its continuing efforts to dismantle the agency and revert power back to the states. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon announced the Returning Education to the States Tour in an effort to ensure President Trump's goal of dismantling the U.S. Department of Education . During the education tour, Secretary McMahon will visit all 50 states and meet with schools, hear from teachers and students on education and ways to improve learning outcomes, and ensure families have the freedom to choose the best educational path for their child's needs. The tour officially kicked off this week with McMahon visiting Louisiana, Arkansas and Tennessee. 'President Trump entrusted me with a vital mission to return education to the states, and part of that is learning best practices from each state,' said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. 'As students head back to school, I will travel across our great nation to visit classrooms, listen to voices on the ground, and spotlight the incredible work happening at the local level.' Trump wants all children to have access to quality education, McMahon stated, by ultimately giving it to the states where education is closest to the child and allowing states to enact regulations. 'Let's have parents be at the center of that because parents are with their children. They know what is best for their child, and they should have the choice to put their children in schools where they can flourish,' McMahon said. 'No child should be a prisoner of a failing school.' On Monday, McMahon toured an East Baton Rouge school in Louisiana, along with various lawmakers and education officials. 'As I'm starting 'Returning Education to the States', I want to make sure that states can have best practices to look at,' she said.
