Expand Education to Heal our Economy and our Country

My mother was a displaced worker in the textile industry in Alabama before the work was outsourced to Mexico. She has since been retrained as a nursing assistant. My father dropped out of high school, gained access to a GED program through the military, went on to college, and served 25 years as an Alabama state trooper. Through them, I clearly see the intersection of education and opportunity—where individuals desire to do better and are willing to work for it, and government can set policies to ensure those opportunities are available.

At JFF, we share the view that President-elect Obama has expressed: change works its way up from the calloused hands of Americans. I believe the change we all desire will come faster and to more Americans who need it if federal lawmakers match good words with sound policy decisions that create more educational and economic opportunities.

In that spirit of opportunity, Jobs for the Future has laid out a bold agenda to expand educational and economic opportunities to those who need them most: at-risk youth and low-skilled adults. “An Agenda for the Obama Administration and 111th Congress” makes 10 recommendations for supporting the skill development of three groups of Americans who are ready to help to rebuild our economy and our standing in the world. JFF’s recommendations to the new president and Congress are designed to help more at-risk and struggling students graduate high school ready for college and career success, high school graduates complete a postsecondary credential, and workers succeed in the labor market and advance in their careers.

There are millions of low-income, less-skilled workers in our country who, like my parents, are ready to help heal our economy and benefit from it. This agenda will help make those opportunities available.

We encourage you to download the full Agenda from the JFF Web site: www.jff.org