During this week’s Twitter town hall meeting, President Obama was asked about education in America. Just as the President’s response shows, access to affordable and quality schooling is an important issue not only for students and families, but for our county’s economy and our future.

Dustin, an Ohio student, asked the President: “"Higher ed is necessary for a stronger economy, but for some middle-class Americans it’s becoming too expensive.  What can be done?"

Fortunately for Dustin and others like him, the answer is a lot.

The President explained the work his administration has done to increase Pell Grant scholarships, reform the student loan industry, help with loan repayment, and improve access to community colleges. Here is just some of the President’s progress on education:

Increase and stabilize Pell Grant scholarships. The Obama administration has invested $40 billion into Pell Grant scholarships, more than doubling the size of the program since he took office. Meanwhile, the Republican budget proposal cuts Pell Grants by over 15 percent.

Reduce interest on student loan payments. President Obama directed additional savings to be funneled intothe Federal Direct Student Loan Program, lowering interest rates on student loans and saving $68 billion by 2020.

Improve opportunities at community colleges.The President is collaborating with businesses and community colleges to create opportunities for graduates and provide the training students need to be competitive in a more advanced workforce.

Create “Race to the Top” to encourage excellence.The Obama administration is supporting systemic school reform through the "Race to the Top" program which, among other things, provides support to states to change the way they compensate educators and encourages higher quality teaching, which helps attract and retain the best teachers. The President also initiated the “Race to the Top High School Commencement Challenge”to provide healthy competition among America’s High Schools to push each other toward greater achievement.

Prioritize “STEM education.” The President has made Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math education a central focus of his education policy, initiating programs that offer hands-on learning and preparation for advanced careers in emerging industries.

Support struggling schools. The Obama administration has strengthened the existing program  dedicated to improving low performing schools by ensuring that school turnaround efforts employ the most rigorous and meaningful methods possible.

Grow innovative practices. The President prioritized local innovative education initiatives through the "Investing in Innovation Fund,"  which helps establish and evaluate promising new education programs.

There is more Twitter town hall follow up to come. In the meantime, help us spread the word and share this information with people in your networks on Facebook, Twitter, and email.

Special thanks to Caitlin Doornbos and Ramsey Kincannon for their help with this post.

Speaking from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, the President discusses the importance of advanced manufacturing to grow America’s economy and announces a new program, the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership, to help create jobs and ensure our country’s long-term competitiveness.

Earlier this week, President Obama traveled to Durham, North Carolina to meet with the Jobs and Competitiveness Council at the U.S. headquarters of Cree, a leading manufacturer of energy efficient LED lighting. During his visit, the President announced a brand new initiative to train 10,000 new American engineers every year as part of his ongoing effort to strengthen America’s economy and better train our workforce.

In February, the President convened the Jobs and Competitiveness Council, or Jobs Council, bringing together industry leaders with decades of experience with entrepreneurship and business-creationto help his administration find innovative ways to grow our economy.

Speaking at the Cree plant in Durham, the President rolled out a new initiative spearheaded by the Jobs Council:

And today, with the leadership of the Jobs Council, we’re announcing an all-hands-on-deck strategy to train 10,000 new American engineers every year.  So -- and by the way, our Jobs Council, led by Jeff Immelt, they’re doing this not counting on a whole bunch of federal funding.  Private sector companies are teaming up to help us promote STEM education, to offer students incentives to finish those degrees, and then to help universities fund those programs.  They’re going to double their summer internship hiring.  

“STEM education” refers to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math – disciplines in high demand in the private sector.

The President’s initiative is not abstract. He has received commitments from company executives to collaborate with universities to provide students the kinds of education and training that businesses are seeking in new hires.

New programs like this not only create a path from education to employment;they also help advance the American economy and bolster our leadership across the globe. The President’s goal is to ensure that our country and workforce are the best and most innovative in the world.

As the President said at the Cree plant:

At Cree, you’re putting people back to work in a field that has the potential to create an untold number of new jobs and new businesses right here in America – and that’s clean energy.  And my administration has invested heavily in clean energy manufacturing, because I want to see the LEDs and solar panels and wind turbines and electric cars of tomorrow made right here in the U.S of A.  I want them made right here.

Read the President’s full remarks at Cree and watch his remarks to the Jobs Council:

Earlier this week, President Obama traveled to Durham, North Carolina to meet with the Jobs and Competitiveness Council at the U.S. headquarters of Cree, a leading manufacturer of energy efficient LED lighting. During his visit, the President announced a brand new initiative to train 10,000 new American engineers every year as part of his ongoing effort to strengthen America’s economy and better train our workforce.

In February, the President convened the Jobs and Competitiveness Council, or Jobs Council, bringing together industry leaders with decades of experience with entrepreneurship and business-creationto help his administration find innovative ways to grow our economy.

Speaking at the Cree plant in Durham, the President rolled out a new initiative spearheaded by the Jobs Council:

And today, with the leadership of the Jobs Council, we’re announcing an all-hands-on-deck strategy to train 10,000 new American engineers every year.  So -- and by the way, our Jobs Council, led by Jeff Immelt, they’re doing this not counting on a whole bunch of federal funding.  Private sector companies are teaming up to help us promote STEM education, to offer students incentives to finish those degrees, and then to help universities fund those programs.  They’re going to double their summer internship hiring.  

“STEM education” refers to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math – disciplines in high demand in the private sector.

The President’s initiative is not abstract. He has received commitments from company executives to collaborate with universities to provide students the kinds of education and training that businesses are seeking in new hires.

New programs like this not only create a path from education to employment;they also help advance the American economy and bolster our leadership across the globe. The President’s goal is to ensure that our country and workforce are the best and most innovative in the world.

As the President said at the Cree plant:

At Cree, you’re putting people back to work in a field that has the potential to create an untold number of new jobs and new businesses right here in America – and that’s clean energy.  And my administration has invested heavily in clean energy manufacturing, because I want to see the LEDs and solar panels and wind turbines and electric cars of tomorrow made right here in the U.S of A.  I want them made right here.

Read the President’s full remarks at Cree and watch his remarks to the Jobs Council:

Earlier today, President Obama traveled across the Potomac River to visit the Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) in Alexandria. The President highlighted NVCC as a model for the type of education that’s needed to train and prepare students for careers that help drive American innovation and global competitiveness.

As a result of investments by the private sector and other stakeholders, the President announced a new program that will provide students across the country with greater opportunities to forge successful careers in cutting-edge industries – just like so many at NVCC.

The President described that initiative in today’s remarks:

So today, we’re announcing several new commitments by the private sector, colleges, and the National Association of Manufacturers, to help make these partnerships a reality. Through these efforts, we’re going to make it possible for 500,000 community college students -- half a million community college students -- to get industry-accepted credentials for manufacturing jobs that companies across America are looking to fill. Because the irony is even though a lot of folks are looking for work, there are a lot of companies that are actually also looking for skilled workers. There’s a mismatch that we can close. And this partnership is a great way to do it.

So if you’re a company looking to hire, you’ll know exactly what kind of training went into a specific degree. If you’re considering attending a community college, you’ll be able to know that the diploma you earn will be valuable when you hit the job market. And a lot of that’s already happening here at NOVA. 

Read President Obama’s full remarks from today’s visit to NVCC.

Yesterday in Memphis, President Obama spoke at the Booker T. Washington High School's graduation -- their reward for winning the 2011 Race to the Top Commencement Challenge. BTW high school, as it’s known, turned itself around in nearly every imaginable way: it improved the graduation rate by more than 26 percent, started an AP curriculum, implemented innovative teaching techniques, and created a school culture of achievement. In short, BTW became a model of change and education reform.

Only a few years ago, roughly half of BTW’s population graduated, and even fewer went on to college. Since taking office, President Obama has focused on improving the quality of education at schools like BTW – reforms driven by teachers, principals, parents, and entire communities that commit themselves to a better future for their children. And that focus has paid off, especially for this Memphis high school.

As the  President said:  

This [commencement speech] is especially hopeful because some people say that schools like BTW just aren’t supposed to succeed in America. You’ll hear them say, “The streets are too rough in those neighborhoods.” “The schools are too broken.” “The kids don’t stand a chance.” 

We are here today because every single one of you stood tall and said, “Yes, we can.” Yes, we can learn. Yes, we can succeed. You decided you would not be defined by where you come from but by where you want to go, by what you want to achieve, by the dreams you hope to fulfill. 

BTW improved its graduation rate from 55 percent in 2007 to 81.6 percent in 2010 – a monumental achievement in such a short time – but President Obama made clear that high school was only the beginning for these students:

So, class of 2011, the hard road does not end here. Your journey has just begun. Your diploma is not a free pass. It won’t protect you against every setback or challenge or mistake. You’ll make some, I promise. You’re going to have to keep working hard. You’re going to have to keep pushing yourselves. And you’ll find yourselves sometime in situations where folks have had an easier time, they’re a little bit ahead of you, and you’re going to have to work harder than they are. And you may be frustrated by that.

But if you do push yourselves, if you build on what you’ve already accomplished here, then I couldn’t be more confident about your futures. I’m hopeful and I’m excited about what all of you can achieve. And I know that armed with the skills and experience and the love that you’ve gained at Booker T. Washington High School, you’re ready to make your mark on the world.

Before the commencement ceremony began yesterday, the 2011 BTW class got a backstage surprise from… you’ll never guess... President Obama. Watch the video of the very surprised graduates, and the equally inspired President: