Obama urges governors to boost education funding


On higher education, Obama said more than 40 states have cut financing of public colleges and universities over the past year. “This is just the peak of what has been a long-term trend of reduced state support for higher education,” he said.

The president said more than 40 states have cut funding for public colleges, universities, and community colleges over the past year.

Obama said his administration, Congress, and the institutions themselves need to do more to make higher education more affordable. And he warned that other countries have been “doubling down” on education funding while the U.S. has cut back.

“The countries who out-educate us today will out-compete us tomorrow,” Obama said. “If we want America to continue to be number one and stay No. 1, we’ve got some work to do.”

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, a Republican who has clashed with Obama on immigration and other issues, said she supported his message on education.

“In Arizona, we’re going to implement basically the things he talked about. That is one area we agree on,” Brewer told reporters.

Jindal said that while he shared many of Obama’s views on education, his differences with the president on taxes, spending, and energy policies were unbridgeable.

“I walked into the meetings today believing we need a conservative in the White House, and I left the meetings continuing to believe that,” Jindal said.

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