Category Archives: President Obama

Education Week: Obama Warns of Ed. Cuts, Touts Vision on K-12

Posted on by

by Sean Cavanagh, Charlotte, N.C.

President Obama argued that his economic policies would do more to protect the needs of students and schools than those of his Republican opponent, Mitt Romney, in a speech Thursday night in which he accepted his party’s nomination to pursue a second term.

Obama’s address at the Democratic National Convention stuck mostly to broad themes articulating his view of government’s important role in society—a role which includes supporting a strong education system, and the needs of impoverished students within it.

“I refuse to ask students to pay more for college, or kick children out of Head Start programs,” Obama said, offering a list of programs and services that might otherwise get cut, “all so those with the most can pay less.”

via Obama Warns of Ed. Cuts, Touts Vision on K-12.

Education Week: As Obama is Nominated, Duncan Speech Finesses Touchy Issues

Posted on by

by Alyson Klein

Charlotte, N.C.

On the night President Barack Obama’s name was formally placed in nomination for re-election, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan used his high-profile Democratic convention speech to tout the president’s work to avert teacher layoffs and revamp student loans.

But the education secretary steered clear of mentioning charter schools expansion, teacher evaluation, and aggressive school turnaround—policies at the heart of the Obama administration’s agenda during Duncan’s tenure as secretary.

via As Obama is Nominated, Duncan Speech Finesses Touchy Issues.

Education Week: Speakers Spotlight Obama Ed. Initiatives, GOP Spending Threats

Posted on by

by Andrew Ujifusa

College affordability, global competitiveness, and Republican threats to education spending were consistent themes for governors and other high-profile speakers on Tuesday’s first night of the Democratic National Convention.

“You can’t be pro-business unless you’re pro-education,” declared San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, who gave the keynote speech, in drawing a sharp and critical contrast between President Barack Obama and GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney on support for schools.

via Speakers Spotlight Obama Ed. Initiatives, GOP Spending Threats.

Education Week: Democratic Platform Hails Common Core, Praises Teachers

Posted on by

by Andrew Ujifusa

Charlotte, N.C.

The Democratic Party has released its official platform for 2012, and there’s at least one section that might raise eyebrows among education observers.

The platform put out Monday states that President Barack Obama and Democrats in general are intent on providing states and communities with the “flexibility and resources” to improve K-12 education. It then goes on to say:

“To that end, the President challenged and encouraged states to raise their standards so students graduate ready for college or career and can succeed in a dynamic global economy. Forty-six states responded, leading groundbreaking reforms that will deliver better education to millions of American students.”

via Democratic Platform Hails Common Core, Praises Teachers.

Education Week: Teachers Unions, Federal Spending Slammed at GOP Convention

Posted on by

by Mark Bomster

Tampa

The Republicans offered up a lot of tough talk Tuesday night—including battering President Barack Obama and teachers unions—as they hailed Mitt Romney as their newly nominated candidate for president.

By far the sharpest attacks in a long night of speeches at the Republican National Convention came from Gov. Chris Christie, of New Jersey, whose fire-breathing keynote speech attacked the educational establishment, especially teachers unions.

via Teachers Unions, Federal Spending Slammed at GOP Convention.

Education Week: Obama Talks Waivers, Common Core on the Campaign Trail

Posted on by

by Alyson Klein

President Barack Obama spent a lot of his first term focusing on education policy, but voters have barely heard anything about it this election season.

That changed yesterday in Nevada, when Obama gave what’s probably his most significant speech on the issue during the campaign, bragging about everything from the administration’s plan to offer states waivers from pieces of the No Child Left Behind law to the Common Core State Standards Initiative.

via Obama Talks Waivers, Common Core on the Campaign Trail.

Education Week: Obama: Ryan Budget ‘Wrong’ Direction for K-12 Funding

Posted on by

by Alyson Klein

Less than a week after presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney tapped Rep. Paul Ryan as his running mate, President Barack Obama used his weekly radio address to warn the nation of the potentially dire impact of Ryan’s budget on K-12 funding.

The Ryan plan, which has been approved twice by the U.S. House of Representatives, would result in a $2.7 billion cut to Title I grants for disadvantaged students. That cut alone could result in 38,000 job losses, the White House reported.

“That’s backwards. That’s wrong. That plan doesn’t invest in our future; it undercuts our future,” said President Obama. “If we want America to lead in the 21st century, nothing is more important than giving everyone the best education possible—from the day they start preschool to the day they start their career.”

via Obama: Ryan Budget ‘Wrong’ Direction for K-12 Funding.

NPR News: Obama Proposes Elite Corps Of Teachers

Posted on by

The Obama administration unveiled plans Wednesday to create an elite corps of master teachers, a $1 billion effort to boost U.S. students’ achievement in science, technology, engineering and math.

The program to reward high-performing teachers with salary stipends is part of a long-term effort by President Barack Obama to encourage education in high-demand areas that hold the key to future economic growth — and to close the achievement gap between American students and their international peers.

Teachers selected for the Master Teacher Corps will be paid an additional $20,000 a year and must commit to participate multiple years. The goal is to create a multiplier effect in which expert educators share their knowledge and skills with other teachers, improving the quality of education for all students.

Speaking at a rally for his re-election campaign in San Antonio on Tuesday, Obama framed his emphasis on expanded education funding as a point of contrast with Republican challenger Mitt Romney, whom he accused of prioritizing tax cuts for the wealthy over reinvestment in the nation.

via Obama Proposes Elite Corps Of Teachers.

NPR News: Under Scrutiny, Some Head Start Programs In Limbo

Posted on by

by

The Obama administration is calling for major changes in Head Start, the 46-year-old early childhood education program that helped launch President Johnson’s War on Poverty.

President Obama says too many children today aren’t learning, and too many education programs are mismanaged.

via Under Scrutiny, Some Head Start Programs In Limbo.

Education Week: Duncan Defends Waivers, Competitive Grants to Congress

Posted on by

by Alyson Klein

The clash between the Obama administration, which loves its signature Race to the Top and other grant programs, and folks in Congress who want to see a bigger investment in funding for special education and disadvantaged students, is clearly not going away anytime soon.

via Duncan Defends Waivers, Competitive Grants to Congress.

The Educated Guess: Community colleges hurt by CSU freeze

Posted on by

By Kathryn Baron

President Obama has called community colleges “the unsung heroes of America’s education system.” U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said, “no other system of higher education in the world does so much to provide access and second-chance opportunities as our community colleges.” Yet community colleges can’t catch a break.

via Community colleges hurt by CSU freeze – by Kathryn Baron.

Daily Republic: Solano college hopes to benefit from federal job training focus

Posted on by

by Jessica Philipps

WASHINGTON — California, home to a quarter of the nation’s community college students, could reap huge benefits from President Barack Obama’s $8 billion plan to pair local businesses and schools.

via Solano college hopes to benefit from federal job training focus.

Education Week: Obama to Highlight Education in Budget Rollout

Posted on by

by Alyson Klein
In his fiscal 2013 budget request slated to roll out today, President Barack Obama is making a big push for continued investment in education, including emergency aid for K-12 schools, competitive grants for teacher-related programs, and a new $8 billion fund to encourage jobs training initiatives at community colleges. Overall, the president is requesting $69.8 billion for the U.S. Department of Education, an increase of $1.7 billion, or 2.5 percent.

via Obama to Highlight Education in Budget Rollout.

Obama Wants Lower College Costs, Higher Dropout Age

Posted on by

Politics K-12

by Alyson Klein

President Obama gave college affordability a prominent place in his domestic agenda during his annual State of the Union address, calling directly on universities to hold down costs in order to make higher education more accessible to the middle class. He outlined a set of proposals that include threatening universities with a loss of federal money if they are unable to tamp down tuition.

via Obama Wants Lower College Costs, Higher Dropout Age.

Education Expected to Take Turn in State of the Union Spotlight

Posted on by

Politics K-12

by Alyson Klein

Education is one of four areas President Obama will focus on during his State of the Union address tonight night, according to this Associated Press story. The big question is: What will he say?

In giving this election-year State of the Union speech, Obama may brag about some of the steps his administration has taken on education, including creating the Race to the Top education redesign competition, and offering states wiggle room under key parts of the No Child Left Behind Act if they agree to take-on the administration’s reform priorities.

via Education Expected to Take Turn in State of the Union Spotlight.