DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

The Townsend Building 401 Federal Street Suite 2 Dover, Delaware 19901-3639 DOE WEBSITE: http://www.doe.k12.de.us

Mark T. Murphy
Secretary of Education Voice: (302) 735-4000 FAX: (302) 739-4654

December 23, 2013 Representative Darryl Scott 102 Cobblestone Lane Dover, DE, 19904 Representative Scott, Thank you for taking the time to talk with Mary Kate last week about my association with Chiefs for Change. I write to follow up on that discussion, address some of the concerns I have heard, and explain why I think this group, and my association with it, can be good for our educational system and the children of Delaware. As you know from our work together, I believe there are significant transformations that are needed in our educational system in order to realize our collective goals of preparing children for success beyond our walls. The need to drive continuous improvement in our schools is why I think Chiefs for Change can help education leaders continue to pursue strategies that improve student achievement. For example, Chiefs for Change has been a leader in the effort to encourage states to adopt Common Core Standards, a higher and clearer set of expectations for educational success that has been adopted in 45 states but has recently been criticized by some figures on the right. Chiefs for Change has also supported several initiatives on which we have worked together in recent years, including improved academic assessments that effectively measure student growth, closing the achievement gap for minority and lowincome students, and intensive interventions for chronically low-performing schools. My decision to formalize my association with the group is driven by a desire to learn with my peers; sharing practices and strategies that are yielding success for our educational systems, and ultimately our children. While the group collaborates based on broad principles, I will not always agree with some of the specific strategies being pursued elsewhere by some other members of the group. For example, some states and leaders are pursuing vouchers as a mechanism for parent choice. I have said repeatedly that I do not think that strategy is in the best interest of children and, to be clear, Chiefs for Change does not endorse it. Notwithstanding those kinds of specific disagreements we may have, I find learning together with my colleagues, and debating the best path forward for our children, to be highly valuable. As our educators might say, this is a professional learning community for state chiefs of education.

THE DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. IT DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, NATIONAL ORIGIN, SEX, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY, MARITAL STATUS, DISABILITY, AGE, GENETIC INFORMATION, OR VETERANS STATUS IN EMPLOYMENT, OR ITS PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES.

Simply stated, Chiefs for Change is a group of my peers, who are professionals in the education field putting aside political affiliations, and collaborating to lead the improvements to our educational system. Not all of the strategies that its other members endorse will be right for Delaware. But our collective work here in Delaware is hard, and like all leaders, we shouldn't become complacent and think that we have all of the answers. I know I do not, but I hope that I can do more to improve student success by working with other committed professionals who share my goals and work in a nonpartisan fashion to achieve them. I understand and respect the concerns that some have shared with me about joining a group and the affiliations of some of its members. Please know that I will keep those concerns in mind as we work together on improving Delaware schools. Our work here in Delaware will always be about what is right for Delaware students. Chiefs for Change helps me think through what strategies might help challenge the status quo and facilitate needed improvements in our schools. But no group will ever have all of the answers that will work here in Delaware. It is our job, as education leaders in this state, to work through those issues together. I look forward to working with you and your colleagues on that shared goal. Please feel free to reach out to me anytime to discuss this or any other matter. In partnership,

Mark T. Murphy Secretary of Education