Education

Essay by Dr. Jill Biden in The Chronicle of Higher Education

The following essay penned by Dr. Jill Biden will be featured in the April 23 issue of The Chronicle of Higher Education, and can be found online HERE.

Community Colleges: Our Work Has Just Begun
Jill Biden

I have been a teacher for almost three decades and a community-college instructor for the past 16 years. Last spring, President Obama asked me to increase awareness about one of the best-kept secrets of higher education: the very sizable and valuable contribution of community colleges. Since then I have been visiting colleges around the country and reporting back to the president about their challenges, innovations, and ideas. This issue is a priority for the Obama-Biden administration. We are committed to making community colleges better and more accessible to students across this nation.

The passage of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 was a substantial victory for community colleges. The final legislation does not contain everything our administration had proposed, but it does include one of the most significant new federal investments in higher education, and in community colleges, since the GI Bill was introduced, over 60 years ago.

Pell Grants had been threatened with a 60-percent funding decrease, but we stabilized the Pell program and ensured that such grants would increase with inflation. The Pell Grant victory will put money in the pockets of millions of full- and part-time community-college students, helping them pay for tuition, books, supplies, and living expenses. This increase in financial aid is coupled with the recently expanded Opportunity Tax Credit, which provides students a tax credit of up to $2,500 per year for up to four years to offset higher-education expenses, including a partial credit for those who owe no taxes. It also sets up income-based repayment of student loans, capping loan repayments at rates based on income and family size. As a lifelong teacher, I am particularly pleased that income-based repayment helps those who choose public-service careers. Graduates who work as teachers, nurses, or in other public-service professions—and those who serve in the military—can have their loans forgiven after 10 years.

The reconciliation bill also sets aside $2-billion ($500-million per year over four years) to develop and improve educational and training programs at community colleges. Throughout the nation, community colleges will receive funds to help them serve students more effectively, and to help form partnerships with regional industry clusters so that graduates will be prepared to excel in the local work force.

This administration's commitment to community colleges is a long-term one. The president has asked me to convene a national summit on community colleges in the fall. We will bring college presidents, instructors, and advocates together with business leaders and other stakeholders to share best practices and successful models for helping students gain the knowledge, training, certificates, and degrees needed to succeed. This will be a working summit, a setting where we can shine a spotlight on community colleges, highlight their utility to families and communities across the nation, nurture more collaboration, and generate additional policy ideas and goals for student success. As a community-college instructor, I am thrilled to be leading this summit and truly pleased to have the support of the administration.

Over the past 16 years, I have seen firsthand the power of community colleges to change lives. And that is, in large part, why I never really considered the possibility of not teaching at a community college after we moved to Washington last year. Since then I have been privileged to teach students from more than 22 countries.

As an English teacher, I frequently use journals and exercises in our school's learning lab as a tool for my students to develop their writing and composition skills. One exercise that is always productive is to encourage my students to write about their core beliefs as inspired by National Public Radio's This I Believe program. In these sessions, students listen to radio segments as examples—and then I encourage them to write about their own core beliefs. I am constantly moved and humbled by the experiences my students share in this exercise and in their journals about their dreams, challenges, and values.

Each one of them has a story to tell—stories about dedication and sacrifice.

Every day, I see my students work hard to overcome obstacles just to be in the classroom. Many of them work full time, have aging parents in need of care and attention, or are parents themselves. Often they contend with difficult economic realities. They are eager to learn, and many of them are the first members of their families to attend college. They persevere because they understand that getting an education will change their lives for the better. It will improve their job prospects and enrich their understanding of the world around them.

Community colleges can also serve as a gateway from a high-school diploma to a baccalaureate degree. They offer an affordable option for middle-class high-school students who want to attend a four-year college but cannot afford the tuition. The numbers tell the story: The average cost of tuition at a private four-year university is over $26,000 for the current academic year. At public four-year universities, the average is $7,000. Community-college tuition averages $2,500, presenting a far more affordable way to complete the first two years of a college education, especially when the credits earned on a community-college campus can often be transferred directly into four-year programs. It is not a coincidence that community colleges educate over 40 percent of all postsecondary students nationally.

For laid-off workers, community colleges offer job-certification programs that teach new skills and professions. Most people would be surprised to look at the catalog of an average community college today—they would find course work in a range of emerging health-care industries, training in cutting-edge technologies, offerings in architecture and green-building techniques, and classes in highly marketable job fields. For an immigrant or first-generation American, community college is often the place to begin a postsecondary education.

All of us have the opportunity to match the dedication of community-college students with a renewed commitment to ensuring their success. By working together, we can maximize the return on the new federal investment in students through Pell Grants, and in community colleges themselves, by modernizing the way classes are offered, ensuring easy transfer to four-year schools, and supporting other strategies for student success.

We know that education is the key to unlocking human potential. And we know that today, on community-college campuses across this country, millions of students are eager to build a more secure future for themselves, their families, and our country. We cannot—and we will not—let them down. As a member of the education community, I ask for your continued partnership in the months and years ahead as we continue to build support for community colleges and work to improve their offerings and outcomes. This is the moment for community colleges. Our work has just begun.

Jill Biden, a lifelong educator with a doctorate in education from the University of Delaware, teaches English at Northern Virginia Community College.

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President Obama, Department of Education Announce Race to the Top High School Commencement Challenge Finalists

Six Public High Schools Selected to Compete for Presidential Commencement Address

WASHINGTON – The White House and the Department of Education announced today the six high schools selected as finalists for the first annual Race to the Top High School Commencement Challenge. The Commencement Challenge, launched in late February, invited the nation’s public high schools to submit applications showing their dedication to providing students with an excellent education that will prepare them to graduate ready for college and career choices. Applications were judged based on the schools performance, four essay questions and supplemental data. The six finalists were selected for their dedication to academic excellence and for showing how they are helping prepare students to graduate college and career ready, and prepared to meet the President’s goal of having the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020.

Finalists:

Blue Valley Northwest High School (Overland Park, Kansas) Clark Montessori Junior High and High School (Cincinnati, Ohio) Denver School of Science and Technology (Denver, Colorado) Environmental Charter High School (Lawndale, California) Kalamazoo Central High School (Kalamazoo, Michigan) MAST Academy (Miami, Florida)

“I thank all of the schools that submitted applications for the first Commencement Challenge and I congratulate the six finalists for demonstrating effective approaches to teaching, learning and preparing students to graduate ready for college and a career,” said President Obama. “The quality of the applications we received is a testament to the exciting work happening in schools throughout the country, and I look forward to visiting and speaking at the winning school later this spring.”

“These six schools represent just a few of the stories of success that are happening all across the country,” said Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.  “We won’t accomplish the President’s national goal of leading the world in college completion by 2020 without the hard work and dedication of the school leaders, teachers and students exemplified by our six final high schools.”

Over the next few weeks, each school’s students will work with The Get Schooled Foundation, which includes Viacom and The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation among its founding partners,   to create a short video highlighting how the school best fulfills the Challenge’s criteria.  The six videos, along with portions of each school’s written application, will be featured on the White House website in the coming weeks and the public will have an opportunity to vote for the three schools they think best meet the President’s goal.  The President will select a national winner from these three finalists and will visit the winning high school to deliver the commencement later this spring.

Watch a video of the schools being notified of their selection on Thursday, April 8, 2010.

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Statement by the President on the Passing of Jaime Escalante

I was saddened to hear about the passing of Jaime Escalante today. While most of us got to know him through the movie that depicted his work teaching inner-city students calculus, the students whose lives he changed remain the true testament to his life’s work. Throughout his career Jaime opened the doors of success and higher education for his students one by one, and proved that where a person came from did not have to determine how far they could go. He instilled knowledge in his students, but more importantly he helped them find the passion and the will to fulfill their potential. Jaime’s story became famous.  But he represented countless, valiant teachers throughout our country whose great works are known only to the young people whose lives they change. Michelle and I offer our condolences to Jaime’s family, and to all those who knew him and whose lives he touched.

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Remarks by the President and Dr. Jill Biden at Signing of Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act

11:04 A.M. EDT

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Fired up!

THE PRESIDENT:  Fired up!  (Laughter.)

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Obama!  (Laughter.)   

DR. BIDEN:  Good morning, everyone, and thank you for being here today.  I’m Jill Biden and I am honored to be a community college instructor. (Applause.)  I have been a teacher for almost three decades and a community college instructor for the past 16 years.  In fact, I’m an English teacher right here on this campus.  (Applause.)  It’s my great pleasure to welcome you all to Northern Virginia Community College.  (Applause.) 

Last week, our President signed an historic health care bill that will provide quality, affordable medical care for millions of Americans.  (Applause.)  Today we are here to celebrate another historic piece of legislation -- one that will make a college education a reality for millions of middle-class Americans.  (Applause.) 

All of us here today know that higher education is essential to the success of our children and vital to the economic future of our country.  But too many American families, they’ve had to take on crushing debt to pursue a college degree.  I see every day in my classroom just how hard my students work in order to pay their tuition bills.  Often their family budgets are stretched to the limit.  And when things get tough -- someone loses a job or a family member gets sick -- a college education is the first thing to go.

Thanks to the leadership of President Obama, our Vice President, and members of Congress here today, families across the country will find it a little easier to get to college and stay in college.  (Applause.)   

I am pleased to say that the reforms in this bill will make a huge difference to those Americans who need it most.  The expansions in Pell Grants will provide critical financial support to millions of middle-class Americans who are struggling with the costs of college.  The caps on student loan repayments will ensure that our students don’t go broke because they chose to pursue a college education.  And I am particularly thrilled that this bill invests in community colleges across our country so that more students can gain the knowledge and technical job skills that they need to compete and succeed.

I have seen firsthand the power of community colleges to change lives and serve as a gateway to opportunity for students at all stages of their lives and careers.  This bill increases investments in community colleges around the country to help these institutions do what they do best -- prepare our students for the workforce of today and tomorrow.

The President has set an ambitious goal for higher education in this country.  By 2020, we want America once again to have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world.  (Applause.)  To make this happen, we’ll need to invest in these students and invest in the colleges that they will attend.

The bill that President Obama will sign here today is a huge step forward toward meeting our goal.  I can't think of a better investment in America’s future.

I’m proud to be here as a community college instructor, and I am especially proud and honored to introduce a President who is making higher education a reality for millions more Americans.

Please welcome President Barack Obama.  (Applause.) 

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, Alexandria!  Thank you very much. (Applause.)  Thank you.  Thank you so much.  Thank you, everybody.  (Applause.)  Please, have a seat.

Thank you, Dr. Biden, for that outstanding introduction and for putting up with Joe.  (Laughter.)  I want to also thank Dr. Biden for being one of the thousands of instructors all across the country who make such a difference in the lives of students each and every day.  So we are very proud of you for that.  (Applause.)

I want to thank President Templin and the entire NOVA Community College family for hosting us here today -- you can applaud for that.  (Applause.)

On stage we’ve got a couple of my outstanding Cabinet members:  Secretary Sebelius and Secretary Arne Duncan -- please give them a big round of applause.  (Applause.)  In the audience we’ve got Secretary Salazar of Interior; Secretary Donovan of HUD; and Ambassador Ron Kirk, our U.S. Trade Representative -- please give them a big round of applause.  (Applause.)

To all the outstanding members of Congress who made this day possible -- and I'm going to mainly single out the amazing Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi.  (Applause.) 

Today, we mark an important milestone on the road to health insurance reform and higher education reform.  But, more broadly, this day affirms our ability to overcome the challenges of our politics and meet the challenges of our time.

When I took office, one of the questions we needed to answer was whether it was still possible to make government responsive to the needs of everyday people, middle-class Americans, the backbone of this country; or whether the special interests and their lobbyists would continue to hold sway, like they’ve done so many times before.  And that’s a test we met one week ago, when health insurance reform became the law of the land in the United States of America.  (Applause.) 

And it’s a test we met later in the week when Congress passed higher education reforms that will have a tremendous impact on working families -- and America’s future.  That’s two major victories in one week that will improve the lives of our people for generations to come.  (Applause.)

Now, I’ve said before and I’ve repeated this week the health insurance reform bill I signed won’t fix every problem in our health care system in one fell swoop.  But it does represent some of the toughest insurance reforms in history.  It represents a major step forward towards giving Americans with insurance -– and those without -– a sense of security when it comes to their health care.  It enshrines the principle that when you get sick, you’ve got a society there, a community, that is going to help you get back on your feet.  It represents meaningful progress for the American people.

And today, I’m signing a bill that will make a number of improvements to these core reforms.  We’ll increase the size of tax credits to help middle-class families and small businesses pay for their health insurance.  (Applause.)

We’re going to offer $250 to seniors who fall in the Medicare coverage gap known as the doughnut hole to help them pay for prescriptions, and that’s a first step towards closing that gap completely.  (Applause.) 

We’ll make a significant new investment in community health centers all across America that can provide high-quality primary care to people who need it most.  (Applause.)  And we’ll strengthen efforts to combat waste and fraud and abuse, to make sure your dollars aren’t lining the pockets of insurance companies when they should be making your health care better.  (Applause.)

Now, the debate on health care reform is one that’s gone on for generations, and I’m glad -- I’m gratified that we were able to get it done last week.  But what’s gotten overlooked amid all the hoopla, all the drama of last week, is what happened in education -- when a great battle pitting the interests of the banks and financial institutions against the interests of students finally came to an end.  (Applause.) 

You see, for almost two decades, we’ve been trying to fix a sweetheart deal in federal law that essentially gave billions of dollars to banks to act as unnecessary middlemen in administering student loans.  So those are billions of dollars that could have been spent helping more of our students attend and complete college; that could have been spent advancing the dreams of our children; that could have been spent easing the burden of tuition on middle-class families.  Instead, that money was spent padding student lenders’ profits.

Now, it probably won’t surprise you to learn that the big banks and financial institutions hired a army of lobbyists to protect the status quo.  In fact, Sallie Mae, America’s biggest student lender, spent more than $3 million on lobbying last year alone.

But I didn’t stand with the banks and the financial industries in this fight.  That’s not why I came to Washington.  And neither did any of the members of Congress who are here today.  We stood with you.  We stood with America’s students.  (Applause.)  And together, we finally won that battle. 

I don’t have to tell folks here at NOVA why this victory matters.  In the 21st century, when the success of every American hinges more than ever on the quality of their education, and when America’s success as a nation rests more than ever on an educated workforce that is second to none, we can’t afford to waste billions of dollars on giveaways to banks.

We need to invest that money in our students.  We need to invest in our community colleges.  We need to invest in the future of this country.  We need to meet the goal I set last year and graduate more of our students than any other nation by the year 2020.  And through the extraordinary leadership of Education Secretary Arne Duncan, that’s what the reforms I’m signing today will help us do.  (Applause.) 

     By cutting out the middleman, we’ll save American taxpayers $68 billion in the coming years -- $68 billion.  That’s real money -- (laughter) -- real savings that we’ll reinvest to help improve the quality of higher education and make it more affordable.

Now, we’ve already taken a number of steps through the Recovery Act and through my budget to significantly increase the support provided to young people attending colleges and universities all across the country. 

And I just -- President Templin handed me a sheet just as I walked in.  Just in case you’re wondering whether this makes a difference, so far this year -- and the year isn’t over -- right here at NOVA, Pell Grant recipients increased by 41 percent over last year.  (Applause.)  The total dollar amount of Pell Grants increased by 59 percent.  The number of federally guaranteed loans increased by 43 percent and loan awards increased by 68 percent.  That’s right here at this one community college, because of the steps that we had already taken.  (Applause.)

So using the $68 billion that we’re saving, that had been going to the banks, here’s what we’re going to be able to do.  First, we will reinvest a portion of those savings to upgrade our community colleges, which are one of the great, undervalued assets in our education system.  (Applause.) 

Community colleges like NOVA are incredibly important because they serve a varied group of learners, from recent high school grads seeking a pathway to a college degree, to adults seeking training for the jobs of tomorrow.  By forging private sector partnerships, community colleges can offer students the education and training they need to find a good job when they graduate -- and it helps offer businesses the assurance they need that graduates will be ready for the jobs that they’re hired to do.

And because community colleges like NOVA are so essential to a competitive workforce, I’ve asked your outstanding professor, Dr. Jill Biden -- who does not have enough to do -- (laughter) -- to host a summit on community colleges at the White House this fall.  And we’re going to bring everybody together, from educators to students, experts to business leaders.  (Applause.) We are going to bring everybody together to share innovative ideas about how we can help students earn degrees and credentials, and to forge private sector partnerships so we can better prepare America’s workforce and America’s workers to succeed in the 21st century.

Now, to help open the doors of higher education to more students, we’ll also reinvest part of that $68 billion in savings in Pell Grants, one of the most popular forms of financial aid.  Pell Grants once covered more than three-quarters of the cost of going to college.  But now, because the cost of college has skyrocketed, the amount Pell Grants cover is about one-third.
 
Today, students hoping to attend college on a Pell Grant are going to be able to feel more secure, because not only are we going to offer over 800,000 additional Pell awards over the next 10 years, we’re also going to raise the amount they’re worth to almost $6,000, so that inflation doesn’t erode the value of your grant.  (Applause.) 

And we’ll put the entire Pell Grant program on firmer footing for years to come.  Altogether, we are more than doubling the amount of Pell Grant funding that was available when I took office –- it’s one of the most significant investments in higher education since the G.I. Bill.  (Applause.)

Now, third, we’re going to restore a measure of fairness to how students repay their loans.  Today, two out of every three students graduates with help from a loan, and often they take on a mountain of debt as a result.  Here in Virginia, the typical student carries almost $20,000 in debt.  Across the country, the average student graduates with over $23,000 in debt.  I know what that’s like.  Michelle and I had big debts coming out of school  -- debts we weren’t able to fully repay until just a few years before I started running for office.

Today, we’re making it easier for responsible students to pay off their loans.  Right now, if you’re a borrower, you don’t have to spend more than 15 percent of your income on loans.  But starting in 2014, you won’t have to pay more than 10 percent of your income in repaying your student loans.  (Applause.)  That will make a meaningful difference for over one million more students.  We’re also going to give students an incentive to do what’s right -- if you pay your loans on time, you’ll only have to pay them off for 20 years.  And you’ll only have to pay them off for 10 years if you repay them with service to your community, and to our country, as a teacher or a nurse or a member of our Armed Forces.  (Applause.) 

Finally, we’ll reinvest some of the $68 billion in savings to strengthen our Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Serving Institutions.  (Applause.)  These are institutions that have struggled more than most in these tough economic times.

The reforms in this bill are significant, but they’re just part of a broader effort to strengthen our entire higher education system.  We’re putting college tuition tax credits in the pockets of millions of students from working families to help them pay for college.  We’ve taken steps to simplify the federal college assistance form -– called the FAFSA -– because it shouldn’t take a PhD to apply for financial aid.  (Applause.)  And we’re helping ensure that America’s high school graduates are ready for college.  All of this is paid for.  We’re redirecting money that was poorly spent to make sure we’re making investments in our future.

Now, this won’t solve all of our problems in higher education.  We continue to expect colleges and universities to do their part to hold down tuition increases.  (Applause.)  That has to happen.  We’ve got to work on that.  And we also need to take greater initiative not only to help more students enter college, we’ve got to make sure that we see more students successfully earn a college degree.  But what we’ve done over the past year represents enormous progress.

So I’ll close by saying this.  For a long time, our student loan system has worked for banks and financial institutions. Today, we’re finally making our student loan system work for students and our families.  But we’re also doing something more.
From the moment I was sworn into office, I’ve spoken about the urgent need for us to lay a new foundation for our economy and for our future.  And two pillars of that foundation are health care and education, and each has long suffered from problems that we chose to kick down the road.

With the bill I signed last week, we finally undertook meaningful reform of our health care system.  With this bill, and other steps we’ve pursued over the last year, we are finally undertaking meaningful reform in our higher education system.  So this week, we can rightly say the foundation on which America’s future will be built is stronger than it was one year ago.  (Applause.) 

And so at the end of this extraordinary week, I want to acknowledge some of the people who made it possible.  There isn’t time to single out everyone who’s here, the outstanding members of Congress, but I want to make sure I once again say this would not have happened had it not been for the leadership of Speaker Nancy Pelosi -- (applause) -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid  -- (applause) -- Senator Dick Durbin and Congressman Steny Hoyer. All provided outstanding leadership that our nation needed.  (Applause.) 

On health care, Max Baucus, Chris Dodd, Henry Waxman, Charlie Rangel, and so many others offered invaluable expertise throughout the year.  (Applause.)  Congressmen George Miller, Jim Clyburn, Dale Kildee, Ruben Hinojosa led the way in the House on education reforms that I sign today.  (Applause.) 

Senator Tom Harkin’s dedication ensured that the Senate would include these reforms in this bill.  (Applause.)  Virginia’s own Bobby Scott, and an outstanding freshman, Tom Perriello helped to make this thing possible.  (Applause.)  We are grateful to them.

Courage is an essential ingredient in any landmark legislation, particularly when the attacks are as fierce and unrelenting -- and inaccurate -- (laughter) -- as they have been over the past year.  I just want to commend members of Congress who had the courage to do what’s right -- (applause) -- and to say a special thank you to all of the newer members.  (Applause.) 
The past couple of years have brought one challenge after another, and you’ve risen to the moment each time.  I could not be prouder of the work that all of you have done.  And it would not have happened had it not been for the incredible persistence and stick-to-itiveness of all the folks in the audience here today. 

Ultimately, Congress responds to the voices that they’re hearing in their communities, and so many of you have written letters and come to meetings and let people know of the ordinary struggles that people are going through each and every day.  You’re what provided members of Congress the courage that they needed to do what was right.  And so on behalf of all of us who are serving in Washington, we want to thank you, the American people, for your outstanding leadership.  (Applause.)  

And with that, I’m going to sign this bill.  Thank you very much.  (Applause.)

(The bill is signed.)  (Applause.) 

END
11:32 A.M. EDT

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President Obama Signs Historic Health Care and Education Legislation

Legislation will end government subsidies to banks for guaranteed federal student loans and free nearly $68 billion for college affordability and deficit reduction 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, President Obama signed the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, which delivered a significant down payment on the President’s ambitious agenda to make higher education more affordable and help more Americans earn a college degree. 

This legislation strengthens the Pell Grant program, invests in community colleges, extends support for Historically Black Colleges and other Minority Serving Institutions, and helps student borrowers manage their student loan debt by capping repayments at 10% of their discretionary income.   These efforts will be fully paid for by ending the government subsidies currently given to banks and other financial institutions that make guaranteed federal student loans and free up nearly $68 billion for college affordability and deficit reduction over the next 11 years.

“For a long time, our student loan system has worked for banks and financial institutions,” President Obama said.  “Today, we’re finally making our student loan system work for students and all of our families.”

“This legislation is a win for students and parents struggling to make ends meet to fulfill the dream of a college education,” Education Secretary Arne Duncan said.  “By ending subsidies to banks, we can make important investments that increase affordability and access to our nation’s universities and community colleges.”

This historic law:

Invests more than $40 billion in Pell Grants to ensure that all eligible students receive an award and that these awards are increased in future years to help keep pace with the rising cost of college. These investments, coupled with the funding provided in the Recovery Act and the President’s first two budgets, will more than double the total amount of funding available for Pell Grants since President Obama took office. Ensures that Americans can afford their student loan payments by expanding the existing income-based student loan repayment program. New borrowers who assume loans after July 1, 2014, will be able to cap their student loan repayments at 10 percent of their discretionary income and, if they keep up with their payments over time, will have the balance forgiven after 20 years. Includes $2 billion over four years for community colleges to develop, improve, and provide education and career training programs.  President Obama also asked Dr. Jill Biden to host a White House Summit on Community Colleges this fall to provide an opportunity for community college leaders, students, education experts, business leaders, and others to share innovative ways to educate our way to a better economy.  Click HERE for a link to a video from the Second Lady, Dr. Jill Biden.

Starting July 1, all new federal student loans will be direct loans, delivered and collected by private companies under performance-based contracts with the Department of Education. According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, ending these wasteful subsidies will free up nearly $68 billion for college affordability and deficit reduction over the next 11 years.

Click HERE for more information and fact sheets on this historic legislation.

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Weekly Address: Reforms Will End Student Loan Bank Subsidies and Expand Access to College

WASHINGTON – In this week’s address, President Barack Obama praised the bold reforms to the higher education system passed by Congress this week.  These reforms save the taxpayers $68 billion over the next decade by ending the subsidies given to banks and middlemen who handle student loans.  The money saved will help expand and strengthen the federal Pell Grant program.  The reforms will also cap college graduates’ annual student loan repayments at 10% of their income, revitalize community colleges, and increase support for Minority Serving Institutions. 

The full audio of the address is HERE. The video can be viewed online at www.whitehouse.gov.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
The White House
March 27, 2009

This was a momentous week for America.  It was a week in which together, we took bold new steps toward restoring economic security for our middle class and rebuilding a stronger foundation for our future.  It was a week in which some of the change that generations have hoped for and worked for finally became reality in America.

It began with the passage of comprehensive health insurance reform that will begin to end the worst practices of the insurance industry, rein in our exploding deficits, and, over time, finally offer millions of families and small businesses quality, affordable care – and the security and peace of mind that comes with it.

And it ended with Congress casting a final vote on another piece of legislation that accomplished what we’ve been talking about for decades – legislation that will reform our student loan system and help us educate all Americans to compete and win in the 21st century.

Year after year, we’ve seen billions of taxpayer dollars handed out as subsidies to the bankers and middlemen who handle federal student loans, when that money should have gone to advancing the dreams of our students and working families.  And yet attempts to fix this problem and reform this program were thwarted by special interests that fought tooth and nail to preserve their exclusive giveaway.

But this time, we said, would be different.  We said we’d stand up to the special interests, and stand up for the interests of students and families.   That’s what happened this week.  And I commend all the Senators and Representatives who did the right thing.

This reform of the federal student loan programs will save taxpayers $68 billion over the next decade.  And with this legislation, we’re putting that money to use achieving a goal I set for America: by the end of this decade, we will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world.

To make college more affordable for millions of middle-class Americans for whom the cost of higher education has become an unbearable burden, we’re expanding federal Pell Grants for students: increasing them to keep pace with inflation in the coming years and putting the program on a stronger financial footing.  In total, we’re doubling funding for the federal Pell Grant program to help the students who depend on it. 

To make sure our students don’t go broke just because they chose to go to college, we’re making it easier for graduates to afford their student loan payments.  Today, about 2 in 3 graduates take out loans to pay for college.  The average student ends up with more than $23,000 in debt.  So when this change takes effect in 2014, we’ll cap a graduate’s annual student loan repayments at 10 percent of his or her income.

To help an additional 5 million Americans earn degrees and certificates over the next decade, we’re revitalizing programming at our community colleges – the career pathways for millions of dislocated workers and working families across this country.  These schools are centers of learning; where students young and old can get the skills and technical training they need for the jobs of today and tomorrow.  They’re centers of opportunity; where we can forge partnerships between students and businesses so that every community can gain the workforce it needs.  And they are vital to our economic future.

And to ensure that all our students have every chance to live up to their full potential, this legislation also increases support for our Minority Serving Institutions, including our Historically Black Colleges and Universities, to keep them as strong as ever in this new century.

Education.  Health care.  Two of the most important pillars of a strong America grew stronger this week.  These achievements don’t represent the end of our challenges; nor do they signify the end of the work that faces our country.  But what they do represent is real and major reform.  What they show is that we’re a nation still capable of doing big things.  What they prove is what’s possible when we can come together to overcome the politics of the moment; push back on the special interests; and look beyond the next election to do what’s right for the next generation.

That’s the spirit in which we continue the work of tackling our greatest common tasks – an economy rebuilt; job creation revitalized; an American Dream renewed – for all our people.

Thank you.

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Presidential Proclamation — Education and Sharing Day, U.S.A.

A PROCLAMATION

To secure a bright future for America, we must instill in our children a love of learning as well as a spirit of compassion. These are two of our Nation's most cherished and enduring values. Today, let us rededicate ourselves to preparing our next generation of leaders for the world they will inherit.

For America to thrive in the 21st century, we need a workforce with the knowledge and skills to compete in the global economy. More than ever before, the success of every American will depend on their level of academic achievement. A world class education can unlock every child's full potential, and that remains our best roadmap to prosperity.

However, our leadership in the world relies upon citizens who are not only well-educated, but also driven by their humanity and civic virtue. In the wake of this year's devastating earthquakes in Haiti and Chile, Americans stepped forward to help, carrying on the unmatched tradition of generosity that defines our national character. By passing on this spirit of compassion to our children, we help ensure America remains a beacon of hope to people around the world.

The importance of education and kindness was promoted in the work of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, inspiring countless individuals to uphold these values in their own lives and communities. Each year, Education and Sharing Day, U.S.A., reminds us of his legacy and the principles to which he dedicated himself. As we strengthen our Nation's ladders of opportunity, let us teach our children to lift up generations yet to come.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 26, 2010, as "Education and Sharing Day, U.S.A." I call upon all Americans to observe this week with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.

BARACK OBAMA

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Weekly Address: President Obama to Send Updated Elementary and Secondary Education Act Blueprint To Congress on Monday

WASHINGTON – In his weekly address, President Barack Obama announced that on Monday, his administration will send to Congress the blueprint for an updated Elementary and Secondary Education Act that will overhaul No Child Left Behind.  The plan will set the ambitious goal of ensuring that all students graduate from high school prepared for college and a career, and it will provide states, districts and schools with the flexibility and resources to reach that goal. 

The audio and video will be available online at www.whitehouse.gov at 6:00 am ET, Saturday, March 13, 2010.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
As Prepared for Delivery
Weekly Address
March 13, 2010

Lost in the news of the week was a headline that ought to be a source of concern for every American.  It said, “Many Nations Passing U.S. in Education.”   Now, debates in Washington tend to be consumed with the politics of the moment: who’s up in the daily polls; whose party stands to gain in November.  But what matters to you – what matters to our country – is not what happens in the next election, but what we do to lift up the next generation.  And the fact is, there are few issues that speak more directly to our long term success as a nation than issues concerning the education we provide to our children. 

Our prosperity in the 20th century was fueled by an education system that helped grow the middle class and unleash the talents of our people more fully and widely than at any time in our history.  We built schools and focused on the teaching of math and science.  We helped a generation of veterans go to college through the GI Bill.  We led the globe in producing college graduates, and in turn we led in producing ground-breaking technologies and scientific discoveries that lifted living standards and set us apart as the world’s engine of innovation. 

Of course, other nations recognize this, and are looking to gain an edge in the global marketplace by investing in better schools, supporting teachers, and committing to clear standards that will produce graduates with more skills.  Our competitors understand that the nation that out-educates us today will out-compete us tomorrow.  Yet, too often we have failed to make inroads in reforming and strengthening our public education system – the debate mired in worn arguments hurled across entrenched divides. 

As a result, over the last few decades, we’ve lost ground.  One assessment shows American fifteen year olds no longer even near the top in math and science when compared to their peers around the world.  As referenced in the news report I mentioned, we’ve now fallen behind most wealthy countries in our high school graduation rates.  And while we once led the world in the proportion of college graduates we produced, today we no longer do. 

Not only does that risk our leadership as a nation, it consigns millions of Americans to a lesser future.  For we know that the level of education a person attains is increasingly a prerequisite for success and a predictor of the income that person will earn throughout his or her life.  Beyond the economic statistics is a less tangible but no less painful reality: unless we take action – unless we step up – there are countless children who will never realize their full talent and potential. 

I don’t accept that future for them.  And I don’t accept that future for the United States of America.  That’s why we’re engaged in a historic effort to redeem and improve  our public  schools: to raise the expectations for our students and for ourselves, to recognize and reward excellence, to improve performance in troubled schools, and to give our kids and our country the best chance to succeed in a changing world.

Under the leadership of an outstanding Education Secretary, Arne Duncan, we launched a Race to the Top, through which states compete for funding by committing to reform and raising standards, by rewarding good teaching, by supporting the development of better assessments to measure results, and by emphasizing math and science to help prepare children for college and careers. 

And on Monday, my administration will send to Congress our blueprint for an updated Elementary and Secondary Education Act to overhaul No Child Left Behind.  What this plan recognizes is that while the federal government can play a leading role in encouraging the reforms and high standards we need, the impetus for that change will come from states, and from local schools and school districts.  So, yes, we set a high bar – but we also provide educators the flexibility to reach it. 

Under these guidelines, schools that achieve excellence or show real progress will be rewarded, and local districts will be encouraged to commit to change in schools that are clearly letting their students down.  For the majority of schools that fall in between – schools that do well but could do better – we will encourage continuous improvement to help keep our young people on track for a bright future: prepared for the jobs of the 21st century. And because the most important factor in a child’s success is the person standing at the front of the classroom, we will better prepare teachers, support teachers, and encourage teachers to stay in the field.  In short, we’ll treat the people who educate our sons and daughters like the professionals they are.

Through this plan we are setting an ambitious goal: all students should graduate from high school prepared for college and a career – no matter who you are or where you come from.  Achieving this goal will be difficult. It will take time.  And it will require the skills, talents, and dedication of many: principals, teachers, parents, students.  But this effort is essential for our children and for our country.  And while there will always be those cynics who claim it can’t be done, at our best, we know that America has always risen to the challenges that we’ve faced.  This challenge is no different. 

As a nation, we are engaged in many important endeavors: improving the economy, reforming the health care system, encouraging innovation in energy and other growth industries of the 21st century.  But our success in these efforts – and our success in the future as a people – will ultimately depend on what happens long before an entrepreneur opens his doors, or a nurse walks the rounds, or a scientist steps into her laboratory.  Our future is determined each and every day, when our children enter the classroom, ready to learn and brimming with promise. 

It’s that promise we must help them fulfill.  Thank you.

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Presidential Proclamation– Read Across America Day

A PROCLAMATION

As the foundation that makes all other learning possible, literacy is the key to unlocking every child's full potential. From riding a bus to opening a bank account, our everyday tasks and decisions require comprehension of the written word. On Read Across America Day, we reaffirm our commitment to investing in our children and giving them an essential tool for success in school and in life: the ability to read.

Today marks the birthday of the late Theodor Seuss Geisel, known to millions as Dr. Seuss. His imaginative tales have helped generations of children learn to read, and they hold a cherished place on bookshelves in homes across America. Authors like Dr. Seuss, whose stories introduce fantastical worlds and characters, fold joy into reading and help spark the curiosity that is central to learning.

While government must ensure that all our children receive a world-class education, parents and caregivers play a crucial role in preparing them -- especially during early childhood. We can promote a positive relationship with books and language through everyday activities to make reading fun and interactive. When reading to young children, I urge all parents and caregivers to talk about what is happening in a story, point out details that relate to real life, and encourage them to ask about words they do not understand. Making regular trips to the library, playing word games, and simply keeping books around the home can foster a love of reading that will last a lifetime. We can also set a good example by turning off the television and picking up a book to read with or alongside our children.

On Read Across America Day, my Administration is partnering with the National Education Association to encourage families across our Nation to make reading a priority. Together, we can give our sons and daughters the knowledge and skills they need to compete in the global economy, and in doing so, secure a brighter future for America.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 2, 2010, as Read Across America Day.

I call upon children, families, educators, librarians, public officials, and all the people of the United States to observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.

BARACK OBAMA

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Remarks by the President at the America’s Promise Alliance Education Event

10:18 A.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Thank you so much.  Thank you very much.  Thank you.  Everybody please have a seat.

Let me begin by acknowledging some of the extraordinary people who are working on this extraordinary project.  First of all, I want everybody to know, in case you haven’t already met him, somebody who is working tirelessly on behalf of the young people of America, my Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan.  (Applause.)

I want to acknowledge Marguerite Kondracke, the CEO of America's Promise, who is going to be implementing so much of the terrific work that's been discussed today.  Marguerite -- there she is, right there.  (Applause.)

I want to thank Tom Donohue for your hospitality in this extraordinary venue; thank you very much and thanks for the Chamber's support for this terrific effort.  I want to acknowledge Margaret Spellings, Arne's predecessor, who helped to lead a lot of the improvement that's been taking place and we're building on.

And obviously I want to thank the Powells -- and I will start with the more important Powell, Alma.  (Laughter.)  I want to say a word about the remarkable woman who introduced me, a champion of children, a dedicated public servant and the recipient of numerous awards.  And Alma has poured herself into America's Promise Alliance, helping make it the largest partnership of its kind to improve education and help children in this country.

And perhaps that's not surprising, because being an educator seems to run in the family, as I understand.  Even though one of her mother's parents was born into slavery and the other, just after abolition, both went to college, became teachers, four of their children followed them into the education profession.  So her family has educated and enriched generations of Americans -- and our nation is better off because for it.  And so we are very grateful to you for your extraordinary leadership.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

There's not much we can say about the man that Alma succeeds as chair of the Alliance that most people don't already know, anyway.  I will say that I'm grateful for his friendship, for his counsel, and like so many Americans, I continue to be inspired by his leadership and by his life's story.

It's a story of a son of Jamaican garment workers, a student from the South Bronx, like me wasn't always at his best in high school, but who went to City College of New York thanks to the support of his family and his friends and his community.  It's a story of a ROTC cadet who went on to distinguish himself first in Vietnam, then in the Pentagon, in the White House, and in the State Department; and who, after spending a lifetime fighting of behalf of America, has now taken up the fight for America's children.

So the leadership of Colin and Alma are -- that they are showing by spearheading the Grad Nation Campaign to end America's dropout crisis is just the latest chapter in their service to this nation.  And so I want to publicly commend them and thank them for their extraordinary service.  Thank you very much.  (Applause.)

One last person I want to make mention of, because I think it bears on the extraordinary public-private partnership that's taking place here, we have the CEO of the Corporation for National Community Service, Patrick Corvington, who is here.  Where's Patrick?  There he is back there.  (Applause.)  And so we are hoping to -- we're hoping to make sure we get a whole bunch of volunteers engaged in this effort.

Now, it's fitting that we're talking about education here at the Chamber of Commerce.  After all, for America to compete and to win in the 21st century, we know that we will need a highly educated workforce that is second to none.  And we know that the success of every American will be tied more closely than ever before to the level of education that they achieve.  The jobs will go to the people with the knowledge and the skills to do them -- it's that simple.  In this kind of knowledge economy, giving up on your education and dropping out of school means not only giving up on your future, but it's also giving up on your family's future and giving up on your country's future.

And yet, that's what too many of America's children are doing today.  Over 1 million students don't finish high school each year -- nearly one in three.  Over half are African American and Latino.  The graduation gap in some places between white students and classmates of color is 40 or 50 percent.  And in cities like Detroit and Indianapolis and Baltimore, graduation rates hover around 30, 40 percent -- roughly half the national average.

Now, it's true that not long ago, you could drop out of high school and reasonably expect to find a blue-collar job that would pay the bills and help support your family.  That's just not the case anymore.  In recent years, a high school dropout has made, on average, about $10,000 less per year than a high school graduate.  In fact, during this recession, a high school dropout has been more than three times as likely to be out of work as someone with at least a college degree.

Graduating from high school is an economic imperative.  That might be the best reason to get a diploma, but it's not the only reason to get a high school diploma.  As Alma mentioned, high school dropouts are more likely to be teen parents, more likely to commit crime, more likely to rely on public assistance, more likely to lead shattered lives.  What's more, they cost our economy hundreds of billions of dollars over the course of a lifetime in lower wages and higher public expenses.

So this is a problem we cannot afford to accept and we cannot afford to ignore.  The stakes are too high -- for our children, for our economy, and for our country.  It's time for all of us to come together -- parents, students, principals and teachers, business leaders and elected officials from across the political spectrum -- to end America's dropout crisis.

This is a problem that I've actually been fighting for years.  Way back when, when I was a community organizer in Chicago, I saw what happened to a family or to a school or to a community when a student dropped out.  So I helped work with local churches in the region to -- and public school officials to get state funding for dropout prevention programs, and brought together African American and Latino leaders to help set up after-school programs -- because when we help keep kids off the street, when we give them a productive way to spend their time, then graduation rates go up.

So that's a commitment that I've carried with me to the Oval Office.  And today, I want to announce steps my administration will take to help end the dropout crisis in the African American community, in the Latino community, and in the larger American community.  Because we know that about 12 percent of America's schools produce 50 percent of America's dropouts, we’re going to focus on helping states and school districts turn around their 5,000 lowest-performing schools in the next five years, and Arne will be amplifying and providing details on how we can do this.

We'll not only challenge states to identify high schools with graduation rates below 60 percent, we're going to invest another $900 million in strategies to get those graduation rates up.  Strategies like transforming schools from top to bottom by bringing in a new principal, and training teachers to use more effective techniques in the classroom.  Strategies like closing a school for a time and reopening it under new management, or even shutting it down entirely and sending its students to a better school.

And strategies like replacing a school's principal and at least half of its staff.  Now, replacing school staff should only be done as a last resort.  The public servants who work in America's schools -- whether they're principals or teachers, or counselors or coaches -- work long and hard on behalf of our children and they deserve our gratitude.  Keep in mind I've got a sister who's a teacher, my mother spent time teaching -- one of the most important jobs that we have in this country.  We've got an obligation as a country to give them the support they need -- because when principals and teachers succeed, then our children succeed.

So if a school is struggling, we have to work with the principal and the teachers to find a solution.  We've got to give them a chance to make meaningful improvements.  But if a school continues to fail its students year after year after year, if it doesn't show signs of improvement, then there's got to be a sense of accountability.

And that's what happened in Rhode Island last week at a chronically troubled school, when just 7 percent of 11th graders passed state math tests -- 7 percent.  When a school board wasn't able to deliver change by other means, they voted to lay off the faculty and the staff.  As my Education Secretary, Arne Duncan, says, our kids get only one chance at an education, and we need to get it right.
Of course, getting it right requires more than just transforming our lowest performing schools.  It requires giving students who are behind in school a chance to catch up and a path to a diploma.  It requires focusing on students, from middle school through high school, who face factors at home, in the neighborhood, or in school that put them at risk of dropping out.  And it requires replicating innovative ideas that make class feel engaging and relevant -- because most high school dropouts in a recent study said the reason they dropped out was that they weren't interested in class and they weren't motivated to do their work.

So that's why we'll build on the efforts of places like Communities in Schools that make sure kids who are at risk of dropping out have one-on-one support.  That's why we'll follow the example of places like the Met Center in Rhode Island that give students that individual attention, while also preparing them through real-world, hands-on training the possibility of succeeding in a career.

And that's why we'll invest in accelerated instruction in reading and math to help students who've fallen behind make up credits and ultimately graduate on time.  It's also why we'll foster better alternative high schools and transfer schools, where students who have dropped out and who are at risk of dropping out, can return to the classroom and earn their diploma.

That's how we can curb dropout rates and boost graduating rates.  I have to point out, in the 21st century, high schools shouldn't just make sure students graduate -- they should make sure students graduate ready for college, ready for a career, and ready for life.  And that's why we'll foster what are called early college high schools that allow students to earn a high school diploma and an associate's degree or college credit at the same time.  We want to learn from successful charter schools where students can take advanced and college-level courses.

So government has a responsibility.  Government can help educate students to succeed in college and a career.  Government can help provide the resources to engage dropouts and those at risk of dropping out.  And when necessary, government has to be critically involved in turning around lowest performing schools.  And nobody has been more passionate about this than Arne Duncan.

But as I've said before, education is not and cannot be the task of government alone.  It's going to take nonprofits and businesses doing their part through alliances like America's Promise.  It will take parents getting involved in their children's education, consistently -- going to parent-teacher conferences, helping their children with their homework.  I have to point out I just went to my daughter's parent-teachers' conference last week.  She's doing very well, by the way.  (Laughter.)  It will take students, as well, showing up to school on time and paying attention to classes and staying out of trouble.  They're not let off the hook.  Education isn't a passive activity; it's an active one.

So educating America's sons and daughters is a task for all Americans.  And that's what this alliance, that's what this effort is all about -- making sure that none of us think that it's somebody else's job, but rather we all accept our role to play in making sure that we have the best-educated citizenry in the world.  That's what has made the 20th century the American century; that's what will make the 21st century the American century.

Now, there's an old story that Colin has told about a man named George Ellis, who lived about a hundred years ago.  And George Ellis was a janitor.  His job was to clean up after the artist Daniel Chester French.  Some of you may have heard of French -- he's the one who carved the figure of Abraham Lincoln for the Lincoln Memorial.

So day after day, week after week, month after month, Ellis went about his job, barely uttering a word to Mr. French, other than say the occasional "hello" or "goodbye."  And then one day, just when French had nearly completed his masterpiece, Ellis spoke up.  He said, "Mr. French, I have a question for you."  So the artist said, "What is it?"  "Well, what I want to ask is how you knew all along that Mr. Lincoln was sitting inside that block of marble."

And as Colin pointed out, that wasn't a silly question.  Because sometimes in this country and in our lives, we see blocks of marble and some people can see what's inside and some people can't.  It was a question profound -- it was a profound question about how we recognize the potential within each of us, and chisel away at what's keeping it locked inside.

I'm absolutely confident that because of the work of Colin and Alma Powell, because of the work that Grad Nation campaign is going to be doing and America's Promise Alliance is going to be doing, because of the work that we're doing across this nation to give our children the best education the world has to offer, from cradle to classroom, from college through career, that we are chiseling away at the obstacles that lie in our path, that block our children's potential.  We want to unlock that potential, carve it out so that our economy succeeds, so that this country succeeds, and so that our children and grandchildren succeed.

So thank you very much for the extraordinary work you're doing.  Thank you all for your participation.  May God bless you and may God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.)

END
10:35 A.M. EST

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