In pitch to teachers unions, Clinton distances herself from Obama

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton continued to portray herself as the candidate that teachers unions can trust, further distancing herself from the education policy agenda of the Obama administration.

"Thank you," Clinton told the crowd of 7,000 members of the National Education Association gathered in Washington for the union's annual representative assembly. "That's something you don't hear often enough, isn't it."

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She repeated herself: "Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you for caring for all of our children no matter what they look like or where they come from and who they are."

The flattery is exactly what Clinton has been doing since she was first backed last year by the NEA, the country's largest teachers' union, and the American Federation of Teachers, the second-largest – largely in an effort to heal the strained relationship that's persisted between the Obama administration and the teachers' unions.

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"I want to say right from the outset that I'm with you," Clinton said, adding that if elected president, teachers will have a partner in the White House and will always have a seat at the table.

"You see," she said, "I have this old-fashioned idea that when we're making decisions about education we actually should listen to our educators."

Democrats and unions have historically enjoyed a symbiotic relationship with Democrats backing pro-union policies, such as protecting bargaining rights, and unions using their coffers and numbers to back Democratic candidates who support their causes.

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That relationship was tested under Obama, whose education officials ushered in a period of significant change to K-12 programs, helping and even pushing states to adopt education policies that unions opposed. Among them, the expansion of charter schools, teacher evaluation and compensation systems based in part on student test scores, and the shuttering of poor-performing schools.

"The Education Department doesn't always get it right," Clinton said.

In her speech, the former secretary of state touched on the entire span of education – from preschool through higher education as well as teacher development and pay – and made a series of pitches aimed a rallying the union's powerful membership base.

Among other things, Clinton promised to make universal preschool a reality and honed in on big teacher union priorities, including a pledge to modernize the teacher workforce and increase pay for educators, especially those who specialize in hard-to-staff positions like computer science or special education.

"Teachers make nearly 15 percent less than other college graduates in America," she said. "No educators should have to take second or third jobs just to get by."

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In addition, Clinton touted a student loan forgiveness plan for teachers that would kick in after 10 years of repayments.

Another topic important to teachers: Testing. And Clinton delivered, rehashing an argument she made last year when talking to members of the American Federation of Teachers that students should take fewer but better tests.

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"Tests should go back to their original purpose – giving useful information to teachers and parents so that you know and parents know how our kids and schools are doing and then we can come together to help them improve," she said. "But when you're forced to teach to a test, our children miss out on the most valuable experiences they can gain in the classroom."

Her speech wasn't all flattery, however, and her remarks waded into sensitive topics like charter schools and the need to move beyond politicized debates over education.

"We need to focus on reaching new heights and not rehashing old arguments," she started. "And when schools get it right, whether they are traditional public schools or charter schools, let's figure out what's working."

Her comments were met with immediate boos from the delegates, many of whom see charter schools as direct competition that siphon resources away from traditional public schools.

But Clinton pushed back on the crowd: "We can do that," she said. "We've got no time for all these educator wars. ... Let's sit at one table. Let's sit and listen to each other."

The real question, of course, is if she's elected, would Clinton be the partner and ally teachers unions are seeking. In introductory remarks, NEA president Lily Eskelsen García made it clear she thinks Clinton would be that person.

"Hillary sees our students as whole human beings, not as tests scores," Eskelsen García said. "She sees us as the caring professional who chose to be educators not because we were going to get rich, but because we believe in public education."