Eric Waldo reflects on his tenure as deputy chief of staff for policy programs at the Department of Education from 2010 to 2013 and as executive director of the Reach Higher Initiative from 2014 to 2019. He begins by detailing his experience being inspired by President Obama and beginning to work on a legal team for his presidential campaign. He recounts his experience of election night, his subseq uent experience in the transition team and then working in the Department of Education, characterizing Arne Duncan and his staff. He talks about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and within its context, Race to the Top and Investing and Innovation. He discusses the difference in educational standards across states and the establishment of the Common Core, as well as addressing military families' needs, funding community colleges, how they measured progress, and School Improvement Grants. He details how he worked with philanthropic organizations, education-focused associations, and businesses. He characterizes Michelle Obama and her influence through his experience working with her on the Reach Higher initiative, Better Make Room, UpNext, and the College Opportunity Summit of 2014. He focuses on their efforts in building a culture around higher education and reaching out to young people, the digital revolution, and Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) simplification and education. Finally, he discusses the legacy of the Obama administration in education through lives affected and programs created
Presidents--United States; Presidential campaigns--United States; Common Core State Standards (Education); Waldo, Eric; Obama, Barack; Duncan, Arne; Obama, Michelle, 1964-; Race to the Top (Program : U.S.); United States. Department of Education; United States; American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
Format
oral histories
Genre
Interviews
Date
2021
Physical Description
151 pages
Note (Biographical)
Eric Waldo was executive director of Michelle Obama's Reach Higher initiative. Before joining the White House, Waldo was deputy chief of staff at the Department of Education. Waldo also helped manage the Department of Defense global K-12 school system as the co-chair for the Advisory Council for Dependents' Education. During the 2007-2008 Obama campaign, Waldo served as deputy staff counsel. After serving as an attorney on the Obama-Biden presidential transition team, Waldo joined the Department of Education as special assistant to Secretary Arne Duncan
Note
Interviewed by Mary Marshall Clark on October 23, 2020, January 18, and March 5, 2021
Note (Provenance)
Eric Waldo, Gift, transferred from Columbia Center for Oral History Research 2022