With the proposed Investing in Innovation (i3) rules release, we have an even deeper insight into how much Secretary Duncan values data. As proposed, the amount of possible grant funding that an applicant may be awarded is tied directly to the strength of evidence supporting their application. What struck us as particularly interesting in this approach is that many innovative programs may, by their very nature, be short of deep evidence.

This past week, Education Secretary Duncan made some remarks to the Education Writers Association in which he emphasized, among other things, the need for understanding our educational priorities.  We cannot get lost among the trees of strategies and metrics before we define the forest.  As we as a nation undergo this enormous effort to revitalize our education system, we must first agree on our common outcomes.  For what purpose does our public education system exist?  To prepare students for careers?  To prepare them for citizenship?  To prepare them for college? There are many different perspectives.

In a recent interview with TIME magazine, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan touched on what may be the most difficult piece of the education puzzle, getting the best teachers in the classroom.  In particular, he question the barrier presented by the standards of "certified" and "qualified", raising the point that ultimately student achievement is all that matters.