Secretary Duncan holds a town hall in Pembroke Pines, Fla. Official Department of Education photo by Joshua Hoover.
“The way we’re going to bring in and keep the great jobs in this country is by having the most educated workforce,” Secretary Duncan said last week at a town hall in Pembroke Pines, Fla. Speaking with a large group of students, teachers and parents, Duncan explained that the U.S. used to be 1st in college completion and is now ranked 16th. Arne also echoed the President’s State of the Union message that we are facing a “make or break moment” for America’s middle class.
Over the past week, President Obama and Secretary Duncan both described that more than ever, education is essential to helping Americans become full contributors to the American economy. The unemployment rate for Americans with a college degree is about half the national average, and in our knowledge-based economy, our nation’s economic prosperity will be determined by the education of our people.
Before arriving in Pembroke Pines, Duncan stopped in Tallahassee to hold a community town hall around the same theme of keeping college affordable and within reach for all Americans. And while Duncan reminded the audience that college has never been more important, he also noted that it is also more expensive than ever. The Obama Administration has taken significant action in helping students and their families afford college, and on Friday, Secretary Duncan joined President Obama at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor to outline a Blueprint to making college more affordable.
Click here to read more about the President’s Blueprint, and click here to watch a video of Vice President Biden and Secretary Duncan traveling the country addressing the cost of college.
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I am trying to retrain as an aviation mechanic. Although, Miramar College has accepted Millions from the federal government to enlarge their aviation school they refuse to allow me to Reg-e (electronic reistration) for more than 1 unit this year. They say that they have given me the lowest priority. I am a 3.46 average. I am half way through the school. At the rate of 1 unit per semester I will never be able to complete my training. What are you people going to do about this invidious discrimination?
College affordability is an important issue for our current college generation and future generations. Parents having to start saving for college when a child is born should not be necessary, nor should having to go deeply in debt to afford college shoud be necessary.
Colleges and universities should work with the Administration to address the problem rather than speaking out against the President’s proposals.