Alliance hears Lucas’s message of change

The classroom teacher he once was, Dr. Mike Lucas used the audience at today’s meeting of the Oconee Alliance to give his views on many things educational—how well Oconee’s students fare and how well they fare when compared to students nearby and afar. One measurement of that is a common core of standards, set to take effect nationwide at the start of the 2014-15 year. Like them or not, tests remain the norm for assessing how students do. District Superintendent Lucas told the Alliance there has been an up tick in how the district stresses a student’s ability to master the computer keyboard in the lowest grades. The size of the superintendent’s audience this morning was raised by the appearance of Congressman Jeff Duncan and some of the lawmaker’s staff. Duncan told 96.3/WGOG NEWS he wanted to be there because he regards Oconee Alliance meetings important to the economic development fortunes of the county. He’s also an admirer of Lucas, Oconee’s superintendent since 2007. In an interview, Lucas expressed gratitude to the congressman for his stance in favor of more local control over education. Lucas said he and Duncan agree that the federal government, which provides only 10 percent of local education money, shouldn’t control 90% of the decisions.