52 Reasons to Vote for Obama: #13, Transforming Our Schools and Making College More Affordable

Whether you're PRObama, NObama, or still undecided, 52 Reasons to Vote for Obama gives you all the information you need to share with friends, debate with relatives and decide for yourself as we head toward one of the most important elections of our lifetime. I'll post a new reason in random order every Monday through Friday from now 'til the election.

We will provide the support necessary for you to complete college and meet a new goal: by 2020, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world. -- President Barack Obama, speaking at the University of North Carolina, February 24, 2009

As millions of students around the United States head back to school this week, let's remember what President Obama has done to improve education and make college more affordable.

Students need more financial relief than ever as student debt in the United States passed the $1 trillion mark in early May of 2012. Barack Obama gets it... he and Michelle just paid off their student loans a few years before moving into the White House! As the president remarked in April of this year:

Check this out, all right. I'm the president of the United States. We only finished paying off our student loans off about eight years ago. That wasn't that long ago. And that wasn't easy -- especially because when we had Malia and Sasha, we're supposed to be saving up for their college educations, and we're still paying off our college educations.

Here's how President Obama is making it easier for students to afford college:

• Pell grants have been doubled, helping eight million college and vocational school students across the country.


• Loans are delivered directly to the students who need them, rather than through a system that subsidizes banks, channeling more money to students.


• Income-based repayment options have been expanded for borrowers with high debt.


• There are increased investments in America's community colleges as well as in historically black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribal colleges and universities, and other minority serving institutions.


• It's easier to apply for college financial aid because of a simpler federal student-aid application.


• The largest college federal-tax credit has been tripled to provide up to $10,000 in tax credits for four years of college.

To ensure our young people are properly prepared for college, the president is helping to transform elementary and high schools across the country in many ways:

Reforming No Child Left Behind:

• States gain greater flexibility to focus more on learning and less on just testing.


• Creative solutions are fostered, ones tailored to the local community.

Encouraging reform through competition: Race to the Top:

• States now vie for federal funding by putting forward their best plans for education reform.


• Twenty-two states and the District of Columbia have won grants for boosting college and career readiness, developing data systems to track students, recruiting and rewarding good teachers and principals, and turning around struggling schools.


• Thirty states have changed their policies to become more competitive.


• It rewards entrepreneurialism and innovation in education.

Advocating for merit pay to reward the best, most effective teachers.

Focusing on 5,000 of the truly failing schools and firing unqualified teachers and principals.

Expanding successful charter schools.

Better schools + More college grads = A smarter, happier, more productive nation!

I encourage you to join in the conversation and share your thoughts on Reason #13 or your own reasons by visiting 52 Reasons to Vote for Obama on Facebook... I'd love to hear from you!

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Comments

[Bruce Strong]

08:19 AM on 08/29/2012

Now how's that "Hope and Change" working for you? The government is the only one who can save you... Obama is just like FDR, we need MORE government spending... Tax all those Rich People and share the wealth, I don't want to work anyway!

[diogenes7]

02:19 PM on 08/28/2012

How many of these things did Obama done - few if any. Somebody else did them. congress had to pass legislation for most of these to happen. He may have suggested, championed and signed on. We do not give our presidents that kind of power that they did it. And the verdict is still out on many of these. let's not give the president credit or blamer that is not his. lets stick to truth and drop partisanship. Obama did not do and neither will Romney or whoever else gets that job in the future.

[ProfPalefuddy]

12:54 PM on 08/28/2012

GOP is fighting the need for Private Colleges to report their Cost and Employment Outcome fully to their students or potential students. Public Colleges do report the total cost of attendance. UP FRONT. In addition they have records regarding student placement available to review. IT is time that All colleges have to show their "education" or training has value to the student not just their CEO.

[clntjhnsn]

12:35 PM on 08/28/2012

If the president really wanted to help students afford college he would get government out of education. These loans Pell grants what have you, allow colleges to jack up tuition fees. Since the department of education was established college tuition has gone up by about 500% way out pacing the cost of living. Also grants, whose moral authority is it to take from one person and give to another by force? We see this time and time again good government intentions causing more harm than good. College students are graduating hopefully graduating with over a Trillion dollars worth of dept. The equivalent of a home mortgage but no home. This is a reason to vote for Obama? to be fair Romney wont do any better. Get government out!!

[KangKodosOfQueens]

12:33 PM on 08/28/2012

I expect Obama to win, but no matter what happens, this country will be grateful for the 4 years of Obama's service. It might take 4 years of another republican president for some people to realize it, though.

[clntjhnsn]

01:13 PM on 08/28/2012

Thankful for 5 Trillion dollars more dept? An extension of the Patriot act? etc Thanks but no thanks unfortunately there is no choice with Romney. Obama and Romney are basically the same on all the issues that really count.