I believe that education is the civil rights issue of our generation. And if you care about promoting opportunity and reducing inequality, the classroom is the place to start. Great teaching is about so much more than education; it is a daily fight for social justice.

Historically the Department of Education hasn't been doing enough to drive the sustainability movement, and today, I promise that we will be a committed partner in the national effort to build a more environmentally literate and responsible society.

Money is not the reason that people enter teaching.

Wherever you find something extraordinary, you’ll find the fingerprints of a great teacher.

I think every student needs access to technology, and I think technology can be a hugely important vehicle to help level the playing field.

Teachers support evaluations based on multiple measures: student growth, classroom observation and feedback from peers and parents.

We've seen more reform in the last year than we've seen in decades, and we haven't spent a dime yet. It's staggering how the Recovery Act is driving change.