Opening the Door and Raising the Bar

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

We started our day visiting University Terrace Elementary School in Baton Rouge to meet with students and teachers recovering from the flooding in that community. Schools can be more than places of learning. In times of crisis, schools often serve as hubs and safe harbors, bringing together community members — families, teachers, students — from disparate backgrounds supporting each other to persevere through a difficult time.

We then headed off to Louisiana State University. I talked about our work to help more Americans afford and graduate college over the past 7 years. If you missed it, the livestream is available on our Facebook page.

Since the day he took office, President Obama has made college access and affordability a priority. Today, more students are receiving Pell grants and the maximum grant award has increased by more than $1,000. The Administration also created tuition tax credits of up to $10,000 for hardworking students and families. We’ve also worked to highlight and support innovative ideas that schools around the country are using to keep costs down and help students graduate on time.

New Orleans, Louisiana

We finished out our whirlwind tour today at Cohen College Prep in New Orleans. Cohen College Prep has worked in partnership with New Schools For New Orleans, a Department of Education Investing in Innovation fund grantee, and is a model for successful school turnarounds. Over the past four years, they have grown from a struggling school into one with a 100 percent college acceptance rate. The school’s transformation is a testament to the hard work of its leaders, teachers, and community. It’s also a powerful reminder that when we work together and refuse to accept anything less, every child in America can have the opportunity to succeed in school and in life.

Day 5 in photos

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Louisiana State University