Carly Fiorina on Education

Summary

Carly Fiorina's positions on No Child Left Behind, school choice, standardized testing, have not been addressed. In her thesis on education, she states that while she understands that education is a right delegated to the states, she feels that federal government has the right and the need to step in from time to time to ensure that standards are met.

HP Speech on policy making in the internet age

In 2001, Carly Fiorina gave a speech at Progress and Freedom Foundation Summit where she illustrated the need to find a middle ground between public and private schools.

Campaign Website Statements

Carly Supports Education Rooted in Accountability and Responsibility

Carly has long believed that it is our responsibility as leaders to ensure that all students – regardless of background, socioeconomic status or ethnicity – have the tools they need to thrive in school and beyond. That effort begins by create a culture of accountability in our schools supported by high standards, well-aligned metrics and outcome-based rewards and consequences.

Master's Thesis

In 1989, Carly Fiorina got her Master's degree in education from the Massachusetts's Institute of Technology (MIT).  That thesis was read by blogger Chip Hanlon at Red County, and exerts were posted at his website.  Those exerts indicate that at the time the thesis was written, Carly Fiorina had decided that despite the acknowledgement that education was a right delegated to the states, the federal government possessed both the authority and the burden to intervene where necessary.  Shown below are the exerts from Chip Hanlon;s site.  He also provides a link to a PDF of the full text of the thesis.

My research has taken me on a frequently unpredictable, always fascinating, odyssey. Like most good journeys, I did not end up quite where I thought I would, nor did I take the path I thought I might. Where I had anticipated concluding that business must play an ever-growing role if we are to adequately address the education concerns of our nation, I have ended by deciding that although business can and must play a vital role, it also must be necessarily limited. Where I began as a proponent of “States’ Rights” in education, I have ended by believing that we will never meet our own expectations of public education unless the federal government is willing to play a consistent, long-term role; unless education truly becomes a matter of national policy, not just a matter of national rhetoric.

 Despite both the Reagan and Bush Administrations’ frequent reminders that “the rightful authority for education resides with the states”, the federal government does have an important and enduring role to play in education reform.' (p. 120)

'The simple truth is money talks.' (p. 123)

'In short, pro-choice and magnet school plans are welcome innovations, but they do not relieve the federal government of responsibility for ensuring equity through intervention where necessary to redress severe imbalances in funding, materials and facilities.' (p.127)

'Despite these cautions, I believe there is a real role for the federal government in education reform. American business and state and local government cannot solve our education problems by themselves, unless we are willing to compromise those goals that have historically inspired our educational system, or are content to let systemic problems fester. Important social institutions deserve federal protection. National priorities require national agendas.' (p. 148)

'In this way, education is no different from any other issue that has captured the public’s attention and imagination, including drug abuse, space exploration or environmental protection. There are numerous examples of federal failure in each of these areas, yet non one seriously questions that the federal government plays a legitimate role. One wonders why these same issues are not best by arguments over “state rights” – although the Constitution does not specifically give the Federal Government rightful authority over any of them.' (p. 148)

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