(Photo by Saul Loeb-Pool/Getty Images)
Increase corporate training partnerships with colleges
President Obama cited a single mother from North Carolina as an example of how businesses should be teaming with colleges in order to provide classes that will equip students and the unemployed with the skills they need to land a job. Jackie Bray was laid off from her job as a mechanic, but with the help of a partnership formed between Central Piedmont Community College and Siemens, she was able to enroll in a laser and robotics training course. This put Jackie in a position to receive a job offer from Siemens to help operate a plant they had recently opened in Charlotte, NC. Siemens also paid for Jackie’s training course. Obama emphasized that this should be the natural course of events for unemployed citizens across the country. Our unemployment system should be streamlined such that it becomes more of a re-employment system that citizens look to in an effort to head to a new job.
Reward great teachers who inspire; replace those who stifle learning
The president noted that, for the first time in a generation, we’ve managed to convince every state to increase their standards for teaching and learning, a feat that cost us less than one percent of what the United States spends each year on education. He also acknowledged that thousands of teachers have been laid off due to tight budgets across the states; in order to remedy this, the president proposed that the government offer schools a deal. The terms? Give schools the resources they need in order to keep good teachers on the job and reward the best ones. In return, schools will be given the flexibility to teach students with the creativity and passion needed to impart validated learning. This will also give schools incentives to replace teachers who are simply not helping students.
Raise the standards of education to keep kids in school
President Obama reminded his audience that one of the key factors in maintaining good graduation rates is requiring students to stay in school. To that end, the President called upon states to increase their requirements on school attendance to keep students in school at least through high school or age 18.
Increase student aid and budget allocation for higher learning across states
The president implored Congress to prevent student loan interest rates from doubling in July. He also recommends that we extend the student tuition tax credit and increase the number of work-study jobs to double over the next five years. Obama admitted that continuing to subsidize increasing tuition costs is not a solution to the problem. That is why he called upon states yet again to do their part by making higher learning a bigger priority within their respective budgets. Additionally, he put colleges and universities on notice to find whatever ways they can to keep tuition costs from rising. Obama warned that if they are unable to do so, it will decrease the amount of funding they receive from taxpayers.
Take on the issue of illegal immigration
Another point President Obama made regarding the nation’s education challenges is that many of the immigrants currently in the United States were brought here as children and are just as American as the next native born citizen. The President explained that it makes no sense for us to allow these individuals to learn in the United States if we’re just going to deport them once their education is completed; it detracts from the amount of innovations and jobs that could be created for our country had we allowed for these immigrants to stay after graduation.
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While this country still has quite a way to go in solving all of our education-related problems, we certainly have enough on our plate to keep us busy for the time being. What other measures do you think we can take to overcome our education roadblocks? Let us know in the comments section!
