Gov. Bob Wise Comments on President Obama’s Education Budget Proposal

Press Release:

Gov. Bob Wise Comments on President Obama’s Education Budget Proposal

WASHINGTON, DC – This morning, President Obama released his Fiscal Year 2014 budget proposal for the U.S. Department of Education, which includes $300 million for high school transformation, a $125 million increase for School Improvement Grants, and a plan to provide access to high-quality preschool programs for all low- and moderate-income four-year-olds. In response, Bob Wise, president of the Alliance for Excellent Education and former governor of West Virginia, made the following statement:

“Budgets are aspirations; appropriations are implementation. The real challenge will be matching appropriations to aspirations.

“From preschool to high school, President Obama’s budget recognizes the importance of investing in the education continuum so that every child graduates prepared for the twenty-first-century economy.

“The president’s proposal to invest $300 million in redesigning high schools to more effectively prepare students for college and a career will help ensure that today’s high schools meet the demands of tomorrow’s economy.

“Education must be relevant to employers and engaging for students. The president’s high school redesign proposal will accomplish both by promoting partnerships between school districts and employers to align high school expectations with the demands of college and the workforce. Equally significant, the proposal highlights the importance of personalization and work-based learning. Giving students the opportunity to apply what they learn in the classroom to the real world will increase student engagement and graduation rates.

“Policymakers do not agree on very much these days, but everyone realizes that America cannot maintain its place as the world’s leading economic power without an effective workforce. I call on the U.S. Congress to fund President Obama’s high school redesign proposal.”

President Obama’s FY 2014 proposed budget for the U.S. Department of Education is available  here.