Graduation for All Act of 2009

Introduced today by House Democrats, the Graduation for All Act of 2009 would create a $2 billion grant program from middle and high school turnarounds. While the details are still vague, the website of the Committee on Education and Labor pushes the idea of school turnarounds by allowing a school district to choose from an appropriately mis-named "Model of Success" list, ranging from "transformation to restarting the school as a charter." It's no wonder DFER's President Joe Williams, one of hedge fund trader Whitney Tilson's many puppets, sent out a cheery letter supporting the bill. It's certainly the kind of message pro-charter/voucher crowd likes to hear.

Keep this in mind: the Race to the Top fund is a $4.65 billion pot of cash. For just a chance to win some of this money (and there will be many losers), the whole education establishment is expected to dance willingly to the tune of the oligarchs, private foundations, and corporate interests.

Meanwhile, President Obama is mulling the deployment of 40,000 troops to Afghanistan. That'd cost and additional $40-54 billion per year.