The Spellings Report: Senate Confirmation Vote Nears

Margaret Spellings
Here at The Education Wonks, we like Education Secretary Designate Margaret Spellings. (bio here) Even though we would prefer that any Education Secretary have actual classroom teaching experience, we are impressed by Ms. Spelling's long history of being involved in the formulation of education policy. We are also delighted by the fact that she has a daughter that attends a public middle school.

It is being reported (Kansas City Star, painful registration required) that Spellings is now closer to her confirmation vote in the United States Senate. The final vote was blocked for a time by Senator Frank Lautenberg, (D-NJ) who had expressed concerns over the "Pundit for Hire" Armstrong Williams scandal. We are pleased to report that the process is now moving forward once again, with a vote in the full Senate expected soon. Spellings should win confirmation easily.

Should she be confirmed by the Senate, Margaret Spellings is expected to lead the Administration's efforts to continue the expansion of the No Child Left Behind Act. Though it is true that we have very mixed feelings toward the Act itself, at least there are certain parts of it that are "steps in the right direction."

We hope that the confirmation process is expedited, as each day that passes without a person at the helm of The United States Department of Education is another day's delay of any positive reform of our system of public education. And as a classroom teacher, I can say that any delay in educational reform is not good for kids.

Update: Bloomberg is reporting that Spellings has been confirmed by the Sentate as Education Secretary.

To view our previous edition of The Spellings Report, please click here.

Next Edition of Extra Credit: Great Reading From Around The EduSphere will be published late Thursday (Pacific) evening. Please check back.

Mortarboard Tip: Dave over at The Glittering Eye for suggesting "EduSphere."

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