We Need To Invest In Very Different

To Be Clear, We The Department Of Education Want Curriculum To Be Driven By The Local Level. We Are By Law Prohibited From Directing Curriculum. We Don't Have A Curriculum Department.

We Have Had This Massive Effort On K-12 Reform, Raising Standards, Great Teachers, Great Principals, Turning Around Chronically Failing Schools, Raising The Bar, Huge Amount Of Progress. Let's Continue That.

A Postsecondary Education Is The Ticket To Economic Success In America.

We Need To Lengthen The School Day. We Need To Lengthen The School Year. Our Calendar Is Based Upon The Agrarian Economy. Children In India And China Are Going To School 25, 30, 35 More Days A Year. They're Just Working Harder Than Us. So, We Need More Time, Particularly For Disadvantaged Children, Who Aren't Getting Those Supports At Home.

The Arts Significantly Boost Student Achievement, Reduce Discipline Problems, And Increase The Odds Students Will Go On To Graduate From College. As First Lady Michelle Obama Sums Up, Both She And The President Believe 'strongly That Arts Education Is Essential For Building Innovative Thinkers Who Will Be Our Nation's Leaders For Tomorrow.'