LeBron James speaks after presenting President Barack Obama with a basketball signed by the NBA champions Miami Heat basketball team in the East Room at the White House in Washington, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013.

Washington, D.C. – President Barack Obama is honoring the Miami Heat for winning the 2012 NBA Championship title after falling short just a year before.

Obama says every member “doing their part” is what put the Heat over the top, as he welcomed the team to the White House Monday to celebrate their victory. The Heat defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games in the NBA Finals last June.

The president also recognized the franchise for supporting military service members and said he was proud that many of them including LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade “take their roles as fathers seriously.”

The crowd of well-wishers included actress Gabrielle Union, U.N. ambassador Susan Rice and U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan. The Heat last visited the White House after winning in 2006.

U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan is pushing this extended school year — and it’s an issue that’s leading to heated debate.

Proponents say studies show students lose critical knowledge during the summer months away from school. Backers of a longer school year also say the U.S. is losing ground globally to compete.

Critics of the idea want to preserve what many families say is a precious respite from the school calendar — and allow for family vacations, outdoor play and more targeted learning.

A new pilot project will add school hours in districts in five states this year.

(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.)

From The Detroit News:

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20121211
/NATION/212110373#ixzz2Elh5b6pB

U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan praised school officials around the country today who are working to improve education in spite of the difficulties of tighter budgets, or “moving out of one’s comfort zone,” as he put it.

“They know that it takes strong partnerships to raise standards, to improve performance, tackle drop out rates, and strengthen our teaching profession,” said Duncan. “People everywhere understand that education and the economy are inextricably linked. They know that the path to the middle class runs right thorough our nation’s classrooms.”

In a speech at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., Duncan said that teachers, parents and students have all expressed their concerns to him about protecting and strengthening early childhood learning and the Head Start program. He subtly suggested that a Romney administration coupled with a Republican-led Congress would look to cut back on vital education programs that Democrats believe should be strengthened.

“The choice facing the country is pretty clear: some people see education as an expense government can cut to help balance our budgets. The president sees education as an investment in our future.”

One of the more interesting views Duncan shared was his desire to see textbooks phased out in favor of digital learning.

“Over the next few years, textbooks should be obsolete,” he said.

He also weighed in on the Chicago teachers union strike that delayed the start of the current school year there by over a week. Duncan, a former Chicago Public Schools CEO, argued that all parties involved — from the city, to the teachers, to the students — came out winners.

“I honestly think everybody won,” he said. “No one wanted the strike, teachers didn’t want that, the administration didn’t want that…At the end of the day, they got to a contract that, I think, was very fair and respected teachers and valued them as professionals.”

Duncan agreed and emphasized the connection between school and work. “With more than three million unfilled jobs in this country, they understand that we have a skills gap that can only be closed if America does a better job training and preparing people for work…Whether it’s a two year or four year college, trade, technical or vocational training, some form of learning beyond high school has to be the goal for every single one of our nation’s children.”

Duncan reiterated the role of education as “our best offense” and our military as “our best defense.” The secretary’s three week “Education Drives America Bus Tour” took him to schools from California to Virginia.

“As a former State Treasurer with a longtime passion for education reform, Alexi is the right leader to shepherd our community college system towards higher graduation rates and better job placement in Illinois,” said Quinn.

The voluntary 11-member board governs the state’s 48 community colleges, the third-largest system in the country.

Giannoulias will focus on increasing graduation rates to achieve the state’s “60 by 25” goal, which calls for 60 percent of Illinois’ adult population to hold a college degree or career certificate by 2025, up from about 40 percent today, Quinn says.

“Community colleges play a vital role in creating the workforce of the 21st century by providing economical, flexible and effective training degrees,” Giannoulias said.

Giannoulias’ appointment drew praise from U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan.

“Alexi is a passionate believer in public education and I’m confident that his leadership will help the community colleges of Illinois do a better job of preparing young people to compete in the global economy,” said Duncan.

Giannoulias served as Illinois Treasurer from 2007 to 2011 before losing a hotly contested general elecition race for President Barack Obama’s former U.S. Senate seat to GOP U.S. Rep Mark Kirk.

On the day that state applications are due for Race to the Top, a $4.35 billion competitive grant program that will award select states extra money for education reform, President Barack Obama announced that he wants to extend the grant program into 2011.

In a conference call with reporters Tuesday afternoon, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said that the administration will ask Congress to make available an extra $1.35 billion in competitive education-reform funds next year to help improve student achievement.

As for the first round of applications, Duncan added, mayoral control will not be a factor in considering whether a state receives a grant. That question has been a topic of contention in Milwaukee for months.

Unlike the first round of Race to the Top applications submitted by 41 states, and the second round of applications due later this year, the $1.35 billion will be available directly to school districts and nonprofits that submit rigorous proposals, Duncan said.

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