The "people's education secretary". (Notebook: education information from schools, business, research and professional organizations).

The "people's education secretary". (Notebook: education information from schools, business, research and professional organizations). The professional wrestler known as The Rock likes to call himselfthe "people's champion" because he considers himself tobe popular even if he is not currently holding the title. U.S. Secretaryof Education Rod Paige Roderick Raynor "Rod" Paige (born June 17, 1933), served as the 7th United States Secretary of Education from 2001 to 2005. Paige, who grew up in Mississippi, built a career on a belief that education equalizes opportunity, moving from college dean and school superintendent to be could call himself the "people'seducation secretary" judging by his recent moves. Paige, who has made it a habit to visit schools and districtsduring his brief tenure, recently began a 25-city tour of thenation's schools in an effort to drum up support for the No ChildLeft Behind Act The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Public Law 107-110), commonly known as NCLB (IPA: /ˈnɪkəlbiː/), is a United States federal law that was passed in the House of Representatives on May 23, 2001 , which is the cornerstone of President Bush'seducation agenda. Signed into law at the beginning of the year, the plan has been metwith criticism for its overuse overuseHealth care The common use of a particular intervention even when the benefits of the intervention don't justify the potential harm or cost–eg, prescribing antibiotics for a probable viral URI. Cf Misuse, Underuse. of standardized testing and its lack offederal funding to help states reach certain education goals. Formerlythe school superintendent Noun 1. school superintendent - the superintendent of a school systemoverseer, superintendent - a person who directs and manages an organization of Houston, and honored last year as theSuperintendent of the Year by the American Association of SchoolAdministrators The American Association of School Administrators (AASA), founded in 1865, is the professional organization for more than 13,000 educational leaders across the United States. , Paige is hoping the tour will drown out Verb 1. drown out - make imperceptible; "The noise from the ice machine drowned out the music"make noise, noise, resound - emit a noise the criticismsand convince educators and communities that the administration will bediligent in its pursuit of improved education in the U.S. To help drive home these points, Paige has trotted out professionalfootball players and U.S. Olympic athletes among others at some eventsto draw out a skeptical media. During the tour, Paige has concentratedon presenting the plan and its merits, being careful to avoid anyconfrontations. But whether the tour is working among the people, thecriticisms continue. At various times during its gestation, AASA AASA American Association of School AdministratorsAASA Asian American Student AssociationAASA Association of Academies of Sciences in AsiaAASA Aging and Adult Services AdministrationAASA Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army , the country'slargest teachers union--the National Education Association, and theNational Association of Elementary School elementary school:see school. Principals all came outagainst the bill for its increased use of standardized tests. In fact,representatives from the groups were all shut out of strategy sessionsover the specific language in the bill, even though the groups initiallyhad been consulted. "We came out early with concerns about the bill, partly bemuse be��muse?tr.v. be��mused, be��mus��ing, be��mus��es1. To cause to be bewildered; confuse. See Synonyms at daze.2. To cause to be engrossed in thought. the whole thing felt like it was done in a dark, back room by only a fewpeople. There was a lot of secrecy," says Paul Houston, head of theAASA. There are those in the education community who support the bill.The American Federation of Teachers American Federation of Teachers(AFT), an affiliate of the AFL-CIO. It was formed (1916) out of the belief that the organizing of teachers should follow the model of a labor union, rather than that of a professional association. and the Council of Great CitySchools are among those to support the bill, as is the InternationalReading Association, which praises the emphasis the bill places on earlyreading education. Houston finds the bill to be overly intrusive into states'ability to educate its own students by altering the formula under whicheducation has been mn in the country. Not only does the plansignificantly ratchet up the amount of testing that will take place overthe next several years, but the federal government now has more say inhow states spent their education dollars. Roughly 93 percent of alleducation spending is funded by the states; the federal government fundsabout 7 percent. "Education has always been state run, notfederally mn," Houston says. Houston is not universally opposed to standardized testing, but hefeels the Bush plan overemphasizes it. Part of the problem is that thefeds used Texas--President Bush's home state--as the model for theeducation plan, but any improvements in education made in that statewere done during a 12-year period, not a three-year period that theadministration is under, Houston says. Joining the AASA in its criticism of the plan is Vermont Gov.Howard Dean, a potential presidential candidate who has said his statemay decide to reject federal education money as opposed to ripping upthe state's current education plan to meet the goals of the Bushplan. In addition, the AASA says that the act's goal of havingqualified teachers in every classroom by 2005 is going to be verydifficult, if not impossible, to realize because the country is alreadymired mire?n.1. An area of wet, soggy, muddy ground; a bog.2. Deep slimy soil or mud.3. A disadvantageous or difficult condition or situation: the mire of poverty.v. in a teacher shortage, especially in poorer communities. *www.ed.gov