Equality, Affordability and Accessibility in Education--A Promising Future is Planned

Statement

On Tuesday, January 20, 2015, President Barak Obama will speak to the members of congress and to the nation in his State of the Union address. The President will focus on many of the important issues that face our country including the future of education in the United States of America. President Obama has made some very bold and promising plans for the future of education and I, along with many other members of Congress, am looking forward to seeing these ideas implemented.

As members of Congress prepare to take up, during the first quarter of 2015, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in the 114th Congress, it is imperative to keep in mind the importance of ensuring equity and equal opportunity for all students. This week, I was pleased to hear Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announce that President Obama will include an additional $2.7 billion in new funding for schools in his October 1, 2015 budget. In his remarks this week, Secretary Duncan underscored the need to invest more resources in schools and to do more to close achievement gaps for our most vulnerable student populations-- particularly students of color, low-income students, English Learners, and students with disabilities. As the face of the nation's public schools continues to become increasingly diverse, America has a moral obligation to do right by every child who enters the doors of our classrooms. We can no longer afford to short change our students, especially those who will continue to comprise a greater proportion of our schools and workforce.

During my eighteen year tenure in Congress, I have worked with my colleagues in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to increase investments for federal programs serving disadvantaged students because resources matter. If America hopes to lead the world in educational attainment, our nation must target more funding for needy schools and address resource equity issues in states and in local school systems. Coupled with shared accountability, civil rights protections, and excellent teachers and school leaders, new investments in schools can help in tackling achievement gaps and dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline.

Equally important is President Obama's "America's College Promise" proposal to make two years of community college free for students who meet certain requirements, including maintaining at least a 2.5 grade point average. This proposal would benefit approximately 9 million students per year, including students who are older and attend college part-time. Community colleges would be required to offer academic programs that fully transfer credits to local public four-year colleges and universities or to occupational training programs with high graduation rates leading to in-demand degrees and certificates. I am pleased that this program would be funded through a federal-state partnership. The federal government would cover three-quarters of the average cost of community college, and participating states would contribute the remaining funds necessary to eliminate community college tuition for eligible students.

Improving our nation's public schools and reducing college costs must be a top priority in the 114th Congress. Despite the partisanship that we saw on the House floor this week, I remain confident that Democrats and Republicans can find common ground in areas such as education areas that are vitally important to the nation's economy and future. Our students and families deserve the best that America can offer, and nothing less.

As the second most senior Democratic member of the House Education and Workforce Committee, I applaud President Obama for championing these bold proposals, and I look forward to hearing more about the President's initiatives in education as well as many other important issues. I hope that you will join me and others across this nation in listening to President Obama's State of the Union address on Tuesday, January 20, 2015 to hear what he has to say about the future of education in the United States of America.

Congressman Rubén Hinojosa is a Democrat from McAllen, Texas. He serves as a senior member on the House Committee on Education and Labor, and the House Committee on Financial Services.

Source