Education Secretary-designate Arne Duncan has focused on boosting classroom technology and presided over the launch of a high school that replaces textbooks with web-based course curriculum during his seven years as Chicago Public Schools CEO.

On Dec. 16, President-elect Barack Obama chose Duncan, 44, who pushed for consistent improvement of struggling schools, closing those that fail and drawing occasional criticism from teacher unions. Obama highlighted Duncan's turnaround skills by choosing as the location for the selection announcement Chicago's Dodge Renaissance Academy, a school Duncan closed and then reopened.

Chicago is the third-largest school district in the country, behind New York City and Los Angeles.

The two had visited the school together three years ago, although they share more than an interest in education: Duncan has played pickup basketball with Obama since the 1990s. In fact, Duncan co-captained the basketball team for Harvard, which is the alma mater of both men, and Duncan played basketball professionally in Australia before his career in education.

Duncan joined city officials – including Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley – in 2004 to launch a program called Renaissance 2010, which aims to open 100 new schools by 2010. In the program's first four years, 55 schools have opened, including a public school known as the Virtual Opportunities Inside a School Environment (VOISE). The school opened in the fall and touts the latest in education technology. In October, the Chicago Board of Education approved the construction of two more technology-focused high schools.

VOISE students are given wireless-enabled laptops in the classroom and students without home access to a computer are provided with one. The school started with 150 freshmen, and Chicago education officials plan to increase enrollment by 150 each year until there are 600 VOISE students.

Attendance and graduation rate have proven higher at Renaissance 2010 schools compared to other Chicago public schools. The attendance rate at schools opened since 2004 is 95 percent – 1 percent higher than the overall district average. Renaissance 2010 high schools have a 90 percent graduation rate, compared to a 73 percent rate overall. Students are also less likely to transfer out of the new, technology-focused Chicago schools, according to district statistics.
Duncan and Chicago school board members have discussed the launch of several non-traditional elementary, middle and high schools, including career preparation, single-sex, and boarding schools.
Bringing specialized schools to Chicago, Duncan said, would cater to students' varied abilities and interests.

"We know that not every child learns the same way,' Duncan said in April. "Some children learn better in a classroom surrounded by all boys or all girls. Some learn better when they can take classroom material and immediately apply it to real-world situations. Other children need a residential school that allows them to better focus on academics. We want to provide all of these education options and more.”