State of the Union

Education did not feature prominently in the State of the Union address, but President Obama did speak about several notable issues including;

• Highlighting the role that community colleges play in facilitating partnerships with business and industry – training/retraining individuals for jobs that are immediately available.  The President called for additional resources to allow community colleges to become community career centers.

• Acknowledging the need to address education earlier in an individual's life, the President touted the Administration's success in moving states to "raise their standards for teaching and learning."  He highlighted the role that teachers play in a child's academic success and support for reforms and resources to keep good teachers and reward those who are doing the best. 

• Calling on every State to require that all students stay in high school until they graduate or turn eighteen.

• Calling on Congress to extend the tuition tax credit and to double the number of work-study jobs in the next five years.  Acknowledging the role that states and institutions of higher learning play, he called on them to do their part by working to stop tuition increases. 

 For the full text, please click here.

U.S. Department of Education Headlines

Affording College? Maybe it IS a reality! January 24, 2012

Education Secretary Duncan to Discuss College Affordability, Job Creation with Students in Florida January 24, 2012

Secretary Duncan to Join White House Officials in Live Panel Discussion of President's State of the Union Address January 24, 2012

Some of Nation’s Finest Talk About Teaching in Rural America January 23, 2012

Applications for 2012-2013 Teaching Ambassador Fellowship Now Open January 23, 2012

Join the Conversation During the State of the Union January 23, 2012

Minnesota Town Halls Focus on College Affordability and FAFSA January 23, 2012

U.S. Department of Education’s Equity and Excellence Commission to Hold Sixth Meeting Monday in D.C. January 20, 2012

Acting Assistant Secretary Michael Yudin to Give Keynote Remarks at National Title I Conference in Seattle January 20, 2012

U.S. Education Secretary Duncan to Host Town Halls in Minneapolis Area on College Affordability and Education Reform January 19, 2012

Department of Education Issues ADA Amendments Act Dear Colleague Letter to Provide Guidance Under Amended Legal Standards January 19, 2012

Congressional Headlines

Chairman Kline Responds to State of the Union Address January 24, 2012

GAO: New Report Finds Significant Overlap in Federal STEM Education Programs January 24, 2012

Video: Rep. Barletta Discusses Need for State Accountability Systems in K-12 Education January 24, 2012

Other Headlines

Release of the President's FY 2013 Budget has moved to February 13. Washington Post. January 23, 2012

New Legislation

H.R.3775: Dollars to the Classroom Act
Sponsor: Rep Pitts, Joseph R. [PA-16]

H.R.3776: SKILLS Act
Sponsor: Rep Grijalva, Raul M. [AZ-7]

H.R.3793: Investing for Tomorrow's Schools Act of 2012
Sponsor: Rep Shuler, Heath [NC-11]

S.2032: POST Act
Sponsor: Sen Durbin, Richard [IL]

Publications  

2010 College Course Map. National Center for Education Statistics. January 19, 2012

Beginning Subbaccalaureate Students’ Labor Market Experiences: Six Years Later in 2009. National Center for Education Statistics. January 18, 2012