Department of Education



The Department of Education was created in 1980 by combining offices from several federal agencies. ED's mission is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access. ED's 4,200 employees and $63.7 billion budget are dedicated to:• Establishing policies on federal financial aid for education, and distributing as well as monitoring those funds.
• Collecting data on America's schools and disseminating research.
• Focusing national attention on key educational issues.
• Prohibiting discrimination and ensuring equal access to education.

The ED is lead by Arne Duncan.  On May 26, 2011 Duncan gave five states funding to turn around their persistently lowest achieving schools through the School Improvement Grants (SIG) program. 

Another event the ED has been in this past month is the Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge.  This challenge is a 500 million state-level grant competition.  This will reward states that create comprehensive plans to transform early learning systems with better coordination, clearer learning standards, and meaningful workforce development.  I really like some of the things that the ED are doing for students and education in general.  From helping low achieving schools to just trying to make education better for all the kids in the US.  This generation should really appreciate the controbutions that they put towards the students.

The Ceiling Debt(2011)

Today on May 31, 2011 The House rejects the debt ceiling increase.  It was a majority vote of 318 declining the increase and 97 accepting the increase.  Both parties of the house had different opinions.  The GOP said the ceiling can't be raised without cuts.  Democrats warn that the Republicans risk rattling financial markets.  With this increase it would have raised the federal government's debt limit by approximately $2.4 trillion.
 In this photo you have

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio speaking to the Economic Club of New York earlier this month, demanding spending cuts.  One thing Boehner declared was that the overall size of any spending cuts has to exceed the magnitude of any debt-ceiling increase.

Now in this video you have Jay Carney, the White House Press Secretary, who speaks about how the debt ceiling needs to be raised.  I'm just not goin to just support the Republicans because I support them but because the have a good reason on why this should not be raised.  If your going to try and raise this then you need to make budget cuts.