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Coalition plans designed to reform schools have been strongly endorsed by President Obama’s education secretary. He outlined a vision that involves removing failing teachers and enhancing poor student’s chances.

Welcoming people’s premium that helps tackle poverty as an honest attempt, Arne Duncan praised the leadership of UK government in raising the school standards. He is scheduled to visit Britain the coming week.

Individual state funded schools’ vision was backed by Duncan as he confirmed at an interview with Guardian. These schools included gay specific schools that support gay students who are bullied in mainstream schools.

On Wednesday, Michael Gove the education secretary will be met by Duncan and both of them will conduct a tour of schools in London. Inspired by the charter school movement in US, the coalition controversial free schools impose stricter rules and discipline among children and demand longer hours of working from teachers.

Elevating the profession of teaching will be one of the issues addressed with Duncan’s talks with Gove. They will be discussing about ways and means of eliminating bad teachers and bringing in teachers who are committed and dedicated.

As we know both our President and Duncan are tough on their stand with failing teachers. If we remember, in the month of February, the administration was all praise for the Rhode Island school for firing all staff.

They will also focus on best ways of evaluating performance of teachers and on effectively reaching communities that are under served. As compared to any previous education secretary, Duncan certainly has a bigger budget. He has however ensured that states compete for Federal dollars by striving to reform their schools under the innovative Race to the Top program. After adopting a powerful teacher evaluation system, New York got funds of nearly $700 million.

Duncan strongly supported the vision that included taxpayer funded “free schools” that did not hesitate to vary the curriculum and develop their own methods of teaching. When concerns were expressed regarding the high suicide rates among gay teenagers in US, Duncan said that public funding could be cut for schools that are unable to protect gay students from bullying.

He stressed on the fact that a variety of different choices must be offered by different types of schools where students can study without fear of being bullied and perform well academically. He said that a series of choices have to be created and students must be allowed to choose from them.

He echoed President Obama’s vision that American students must wake up and complete their education to lead the world once again. Duncan said that the focus of all their work was to ensure that every American child completes some kind of a higher education.

He explained that the economy today is extremely knowledge based and competitive and high school dropouts did not have any opportunities whatsoever. It is necessary for every student to opt for skilled education in order ot make a difference to their lives and to the economy of our country.