President Obama on Education:
Obama said great stuff in his State of the Union – here's my friend Suzanne Immerman at the DOE with a summary:
Dear Colleagues:
I expect you've heard the good news that President Obama, in his State of the Union Address last night, called on Congress to pass education reforms that transform families and strengthen the country. Details on the budget won't be available until the Office of Management and Budget releases it next week, and we'll have a full reauthorization proposal for the Elementary & Secondary Education Act (ESEA) soon. But I do want to share with you some highlights of the budget and reauthorization proposals, since I know you are invested in education and a partner in this work.
As you know, to meet the President's 2020 goal of once again leading the world in college graduates and secure our economic future, the administration is investing heavily in college access, adult education, and reforms in early learning through grade 12. The administration is building bipartisan and grass-roots support for reauthorizing the federal education law to boost standards, promote a well-rounded education, foster competition, and give states and district as much flexibility as possible. Our role at the Federal level is to provide a common definition of success, not a prescription for success.
Some Initial highlights:
The President's budget provides a massive increase in student aid – $156 billion in fiscal year 2011, up from $98 billion in 2008. That's enough to provide federal assistance to nearly 15 million students, or 3 out of 5 students currently enrolled in higher education. The budget also will make it easier for borrowers to repay their loans, lowering income-based repayments and cutting the length of their repayments.
In K-12 education, the President will propose a $4 billion increase, including the previously announced $1.35 billion request to make Race to the Top a permanent program. The budget also supports enactment of pending legislation that would provide $9.3 billion over 10 years for the Early Learning Challenge Fund, providing competitive grants to states that expand quality early learning experiences from birth through kindergarten entry.
Along with the increases, this budget will provide states and districts more flexibility through consolidation of grant streams across key areas including supporting excellent teachers and leaders, ensuring safe and healthy schools, promoting a well-rounded education, and encouraging integrated services for students. These consolidated programs will give states and districts flexibility to address the significant needs in their communities.
The budget also will save $51 billion by 2020 by making all new Federal Family Education Loan program loans through the direct loan program and restructuring the Federal Perkins Loan program.
The budget will set the stage for ESEA reauthorization. Arne Duncan has met with leaders in Congress on both sides of the aisle who want reform, who care about education, and want to work together. We are committed to moving forward on ESEA. We are working together to develop an accountability system built on greater transparency, incentives and rewards, and a focus on turning around persistently low-performing schools.
You know as well as I do that we can't wait to make these reforms. Right now, 25 percent of our students fail to graduate high school, and as many as 60 percent of college freshmen need remedial education. Millions of jobs are unfilled for lack of qualified applicants.
The President continues to say that we need to educate our way to a better economy. I know you share that perspective, and am honored to be working with you to make it happen. I know that you are working incredibly hard in your work to help improve education in our country, and I am grateful for all that you do.
Best,
Suzanne
Suzanne Immerman
Director of Philanthropic Engagement
Special Assistant to the Secretary
U.S. Department of Education
202-401-3053
posted by Whitney Tilson at 4:23 PM
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