Obama Restates Old Education Commitments In 2014 State Of The Union Address
Posted: 01/28/2014 9:53 pm EST | Updated: 01/28/2014 9:59 pm EST
President Barack Obama's 2014 State of the Union address ran short on fresh education policy ideas, unlike in previous years, according to the text of his speech.
Instead of announcing new initiatives, Obama mostly expanded on proposals he announced during and since last year's State of the Union address, tying them to his theme of fighting poverty and pushing the country forward despite legislative inaction. Obama promoted a competition to redesign high school, boosting schools' Internet connectivity, and making college more affordable and accessible -- all ideas he has already proposed.
Obama made only passing mentions of signature administration education initiatives, such as waivers from the No Child Left Behind Act, and the Race to the Top competition, according to his prepared remarks. And he alluded to the Common Core State Standards without mentioning them by name.
"Teachers and principals in schools from Tennessee to Washington, D.C., are making big strides in preparing students with skills for the new economy," Obama said. "Some of this change is hard. It requires everything from more challenging curriculums and