[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 129, 114th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 9366 of November 13, 2015

American Education Week, 2015

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Education has the power to put aspirations within reach and help make
real the promise of opportunity that defines America. That promise
begins with making sure all who work hard have an equal shot. By
supporting our students, educators, and schools, we can ensure the
wellbeing of our Nation, earn back our status as having the highest
proportion of college graduates in the world, and safeguard our legacy
as a participatory and informed democracy. During American Education
Week, we reaffirm our dedication to providing the finest tools,
resources, and opportunities to our Nation's students and we recommit to
making America a place where individuals are limited by nothing but the
scope of their dreams.
In an increasingly competitive and interconnected global economy,
nothing is more important than preparing rising generations for success
from their earliest days of school. My Administration has made early
childhood education a priority and we are working to expand access to
high-quality preschool--one of the smartest investments we can make--and
to improve the quality of child care in America. We have also offered
critical incentives to States for boosting teaching and learning
standards, expanded broadband and wireless connectivity in classrooms,
and partnered with States and local communities to help close the school
readiness gap in efforts to ensure all children's prospects are equal on
their very first day in the classroom. I have also pushed to redesign
American high schools to make them more innovative and responsive to
student needs and more focused on extending science, technology,
engineering, and math opportunities to our Nation's youth. And this
year, my Administration announced new principles for assessing student
learning, taking up less classroom time while still giving educators and
parents the timely, actionable information they need to know children
are learning.
Every American willing to work hard deserves a chance to pursue a higher
education--no matter where they come from, what they look like, or what
their circumstances are. That is why I have put forward a plan to make 2
years of community college as free and universal as high school is
today. In addition, we have increased Pell Grant funding, expanded
income-driven repayment options, and capped student

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loan repayments at 10 percent of a borrower's income while keeping
interest rates low. To help more students obtain Federal financial aid
and enroll in schools that are right for them, we have streamlined the
FAFSA application process and released a new College Scorecard, which
provides the most reliable national data on school costs, graduation
rates, student loan debt, and post-college earnings. And just as our
students require proper material support, they also need the support of
those who guide their educational journeys--from preschool through high
school and beyond. America's teachers and school communities make
extraordinary sacrifices to cultivate a new generation of dreamers and
change-makers, and as they do the important work of nurturing our
Nation's students day in and day out, we must do our part to support
them and ensure they have the tools and resources needed to perform
their jobs effectively.
We have a responsibility to ensure every child has a pathway to success,
and when we invest in the education and the future of our children and
grandchildren, we place our bets on an America where dreams know no
bounds. This week, let us pledge our support for our Nation's students
by reaffirming the ideals that nobody should be priced out of an
education, and everyone should have the chance to use their talents and
abilities to contribute to our country's success.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 15 through
November 21, 2015, as American Education Week. I call upon all Americans
to observe this week by supporting their local schools and educators
through appropriate activities, events, and programs designed to help
create opportunities for every school and student in America.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirteenth day of
November, in the year of our Lord two thousand fifteen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and
fortieth.
BARACK OBAMA