ABSTRACT
Barack Obama unveiled his education platform and ideas in a speech on November 20, 2007, in Manchester, New Hampshire, when he presented a detailed, three-part plan to reform US public schools. Though he supported the general goals of NCLB, including 'more accountability' and 'higher standards', he critiqued many specifics and its implementation and called for changes to correct what he saw as longstanding problems with the reform. Michael Apple saw the trend toward privatization in Chicago and other major cities as an instance of democracy being 'transformed into a wholly economic concept' through voucher and choice plans fostered by neoliberal politics, masking the increasing influence of capital to govern daily life. Duncan's article was accompanied by reflections from five longtime leaders of the NCSS, each of whom had served as president. The CCSS initiative focuses primarily on mathematics and English language arts, but includes only modest integration of history.
