[StBernard] ICYMI - Bobby Jindal: America needs an 'all of the above' strategy to expand educational opportunity

Westley Annis westley at da-parish.com
Mon Mar 24 21:02:00 EDT 2014


IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
America needs an 'all of the above' strategy to expand educational
opportunity

Bobby Jindal
March 21, 2014
Washington Examiner
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Unfortunately, the actions his administration is taking are moving our
country in exactly the wrong direction, and will deny educational
opportunities to families most in need of them.

Last week, the Education Department proposed new rules that would
effectively reduce access to higher education, particularly for low-income
and minority Americans. The proposed "gainful employment" regulation --
which imposes performance metrics on colleges when it comes to their
students' post-graduation employment and earnings -- sounds good in theory.
After all, who doesn't want to ensure students receive quality jobs, and can
afford to pay back their student loans?

But as with most plans developed by federal bureaucrats, the devil is in the
details. First, the "gainful employment" regulation discriminates in the
programs it targets. The new guidelines don't apply to traditional four-year
degree programs. Instead, community colleges and for-profit institutions
that serve non-traditional students - the working mother trying to put
herself through school, or the mid-career professional studying part-time to
climb the career ladder - will feel the brunt of the new rules.

Targeting only institutions that serve non-traditional students means these
students, who come from disproportionately low-income, African-American, and
Hispanic communities, will be harmed. Facing new federal mandates that could
put them out of business, some institutions may respond by avoiding
non-traditional students less likely to graduate -- thus reducing education
access to those who need quality training most. That's why the National
Black Chamber of Commerce opposed an earlier version of the proposed rules,
saying the "harsh regulations" will "hurt black and minority students."

Sadly, the "gainful employment" mess mirrors the Obama administration's
actions in Louisiana. Last year, Attorney General Eric Holder filed a
federal lawsuit seeking to impede our state's innovative school choice
program. Despite the fact that minority students comprise the overwhelming
majority of school choice voucher recipients, Holder and the Justice
Department cited federal civil rights laws and cases in seeking to block the
voucher program. My administration has fought those efforts because we don't
believe Washington regulations should deny low-income and African-American
students the quality education they will need to succeed in life.

It's easy to talk about educational opportunities if you attended an Ivy
League university, or if you have the financial resources to send your
children to pricey private schools, as Obama has done. But it's not so easy
to get ahead if you're a single parent desperately trying to find a better
school for your children, or if you're a good student from a low-income
household seeking to become the first in your family to attend college.
That's why we need to empower parents and students with quality, customized
educational choices that work to meet their needs.

Just as our country needs an "all of the above" energy strategy, so too does
America need an "all of the above" strategy when it comes to educational
opportunities. We should work tirelessly to improve public schools, provide
new charter school options, and more parent choice, so no child remains
stuck in a failing school. And when it comes to higher education, we need to
provide our next generation a wide variety of choices - from four-year
degrees offered by traditional not-for-profit universities, to certificate
programs offered by for-profit colleges, to specialized training programs
offered by businesses looking to enhance their workers' skills.

In Louisiana, we're working to build an "all of the above" education
strategy. We've reformed our teacher training and tenure laws, and
encouraged the development of charter schools. Our school choice program has
given thousands of low-income students a fresh start by giving them the
opportunity to select better schools. And this year, we've proposed a new
$40 million grant program for higher education, focused on training programs
that will give Louisianians the practical skills they need to compete in the
global economy.

Earlier this year, the president famously said he had a "pen and a phone"
through which he would embark on his "year of action" to give Americans more
opportunity. But we should be taking actions that give low-income and
African-American students more educational opportunities, not using federal
mandates to take them away.

My advice to the president is simple: Put down the regulatory pen, scrap the
"gainful employment" rules, and use the phone to give me a call. I'd love to
work with you on ways we can expand educational opportunities for all
Americans.




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