Educators should “rethink the school day to incorporate more time, whether it’s during the summer or [through] expanded-day programs,” Obama said. A longer school day and longer school year “aren’t wildly popular, but the challenges of a new century demand more time in the classroom,” he said.
The president also voiced his support for charter schools, which have been unpopular with some educators because they take away tax dollars from traditional public schools.
Obama again addressed higher-education accessibility, calling for the country to commit to having the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020.
By 2016, Obama said, four out of every 10 new jobs will require at least some form of advanced education.
The president’s speech was characterized as the first step in a process that will change American schools.
Progress in the U.S. education system has been hampered by political hesitation, Obama said, acknowledging that some of his ideas would be met with criticism. Democratic supporters have resisted the ideas of rewarding teacher excellence with extra pay, and Republicans have opposed investments in early education programs.
Obama did not propose any new spending during his speech, although education is set to receive $105.9 billion, including $650 million for the federal Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) program, in the economic stimulus package.
Link:
President Obama’s education reform speech, via the Associated Press
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