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Dayton Daily News education reporter Scott Elliott writes about schools, kids, teaching and learning.
Home > Blogs > Get on the Bus > Archives > 2009 > February > 26
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Obama throwing more money at student loans
The New York Times has a good summary of President Obama’s education budget proposals, which includes big jumps in student loan support and an indexing of Pell Grants to inflation, which will ensure grant amounts grow as inflation goes up.
I have to say I am surprised by how high education spending is on Obama’s agenda. During the campaign he mostly spoke in broad, general terms about education and, frankly, didn’t say all that much about it. This lead many to believe he was just issuing the usual platitudes about the value of education that all politicians cherish.
But in the stimulus, the joint congressional address and in the budget, Obama has made education a centerpiece issue. At the same time, he is not proposing very radical changes in education, mostly just putting more money toward it. That will gratify the camp of people who believe President Bush and Republicans talked a big game about reforming education but never committed the necessary money to make anything better.
On the other hand, those who believe spending more in the current system will not make things better, only a radically changed education system will, are probably getting edgy as Obama’s plans roll out.
Where do you come down on Obama’s approach to education? Are you pleased he has made it a spending priority or do you believe he hasn’t been aggressive enough about reform?
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