More about President Obama's State of the Union

STATE OF THE UNION 

In his 2013 State of the Union address, President Obama outlined a series of proposals to increase access to a high-quality education.  Among them were initiatives to make quality early education accessible to every child, to redesign the country’s high schools to meet the needs of the real world, and to tackle the spiraling cost of college.  The proposals complemented other efforts to strengthen the middle class, including calls to raise the minimum age and reform immigration.  FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.whitehouse.gov/state-of-the-union-2013. 

Among the education excerpts from the speech:

·         Expanding Early Learning.  “Study after study shows that the sooner a child begins learning, the better he or she does down the road.  But, today, fewer than 3 in 10 four-year-olds are enrolled in a high-quality preschool program.  Most middle class parents can’t afford a few hundred bucks a week for private preschool, and, for poor kids who need help the most, this lack of access to preschool education can shadow them for the rest of their lives.  Tonight, I propose working with states to make high-quality preschool available to every child in America….  Every dollar we invest in high-quality early education can save more than seven dollars later on -- by boosting graduation rates, reducing teen pregnancy, even reducing violent crime.  In states that make it a priority to educate our youngest children -- like Georgia or Oklahoma -- studies show students grow up more likely to read and do math at grade level, graduate high school, hold a job, and form more stable families of their own.  So, let’s do what works, and make sure none of our children start the race of life already behind.”

·         Redesigning High Schools.  “Let’s also make sure that a high school diploma puts our kids on a path to a good job.  Right now, countries like Germany focus on graduating their students with the equivalent of a technical degree from one of our community colleges, so that they’re ready for a job.  At schools like P-Tech in Brooklyn -- a collaboration between New York City Public Schools, the City University of New York, and IBM -- students will graduate with a high school diploma and an associate’s degree in computers or engineering….  Four years ago, we started Race to the Top -- a competition that convinced almost every state to develop smarter curricula and higher standards, all for about 1% of what we spend on education each year.  Tonight, I’m announcing a new challenge to redesign America’s high schools so they better equip graduates for the demands of a high-tech economy.  And, we’ll reward schools that develop new partnerships with colleges and employers and create classes that focus on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) -- the skills today’s employers are looking for to fill the jobs that are there now and will be there in the future.”

·         Holding Colleges Accountable.  “Now, even with better high schools, most young people will need some higher education.  It’s a simple fact that the more education you have, the more likely you are to have a job and work your way into the middle class.  But, today, skyrocketing costs price too many young people out of a higher education, or saddle them with unsustainable debt.  Through tax credits, grants, and better loans, we’ve made college more affordable for millions of students and families over the last few years, but taxpayers can’t keep on subsidizing higher and higher costs for higher education.  Colleges must do their part to keep costs down, and it’s our job to make sure that they do.  So, tonight, I ask Congress to change the Higher Education Act so affordability and value are included in determining which colleges receive certain types of federal aid.  And, tomorrow, my Administration will release a new College Scorecard (see below) that students and parents can use to compare schools based on a simple criteria: where you can get the most bang for your educational buck.” 

Also:

·         Students, teachers, and innovators were guests of First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden during the address.  FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/02/12/first-ladys-box-2013-state-union.

·         The White House released “The President’s Plan for a Strong Middle Class and a Strong America,” which, in addition to the proposals cited above, calls for a STEM Master Teacher Corps.  FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TOhttp://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/uploads/sotu_2013_blueprint.pdf.