On Monday, the Administration will to send to Congress its blueprint for the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Leading up to this unveiling was today’s Presidential Weekly Address, titled ‘Education for a More Competitive America & Better Future.’Â The address can be viewed here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/weekly-address-education-a-more-competitive-america-better-futureÂ
Key messages:
- Education is absolutely essential to our nation’s competitiveness.
- The goal of ESEA is to ensure ALL students are prepared for college and a career.
- The federal role will be to encourage reform and set high standards but educators will have flexibility in how to meet these goals.
- The legislation will reward excellence, push for continuous improvement for schools doing an OK job and push for dramatic change in the lowest performing schools.
- There will be a strong focus will be on teachers- teacher preparation, professional development and retention.
The President’s closed the address by stating,
“As a nation, we are engaged in many important endeavors: improving the economy, reforming the health care system, encouraging innovation in energy and other growth industries of the 21st century. But our success in these efforts – and our success in the future as a people – will ultimately depend on what happens long before an entrepreneur opens his doors, or a nurse walks the rounds, or a scientist steps into her laboratory. Our future is determined each and every day, when our children enter the classroom, ready to learn and brimming with promise.”Â
Check back on Monday for a summary of the ESEA blueprint!
Tags: ESEA