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Tuesday, November 20, 2007 Biden to discuss education at UNI's presidential-candidate forums CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- U.S. Sen. Joe Biden will share his views on education as part of the University of Northern Iowa's presidential-candidate education forums "Back to School: Addressing the Challenges and Opportunities in American Education." The forum will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 27, at UNI's Lang Hall Auditorium. Forum partners include Strong American Schools' ED in '08, the Iowa Business Council and Lee Enterprises newspapers. The forum is free and open to the public.
The forum will focus on policy initiatives related to education and broader implications for global competitiveness. The forum will include a 10-minute statement on Biden's education policy and issues, followed by a series of education-related questions from panelists representing the education and business communities, followed by audience questions and closing remarks from Biden. The moderator will be Nancy Raffensperger Newhoff, editor, The Courier.
Biden has served in the U.S. Senate since 1972. He's the chairman of both the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs. Biden's plan for education reform focuses on three central goals: 1) Moving to a 16-year public education system; 2) Retaining and training teachers; 3) Reducing class size. He would address college affordability by providing a $3,000 College ACCESS refundable tax credit, increasing the minimum Pell Grant to $6,000, expanding assistance to low-income students and beginning financial planning for college with students in the eighth grade. He would also increase teacher pay, implement bonus, incentive and loan-repayment programs for educators and create a nationwide initiative to reduce class sizes by hiring 100,000 new teachers across the country.
Education has long been a prized value of Iowans. UNI, with its 131-year history of outstanding teacher-education programs, will give Iowans throughout the state an opportunity to attend these educational forums.
"A quality education for every child is needed to ensure a bright future for the state and for the nation," said Benjamin Allen, UNI president. "We're pleased to host presidential candidates and to help elevate education issues facing America in an ever-increasing competitive global economy."
Lee's Iowa daily newspapers are the Quad-City Times in Davenport, The Courier in Waterloo/Cedar Falls, the Globe Gazette in Mason City, the Sioux City Journal and the Muscatine Journal. Lee Enterprises is a premier publisher of local news, information and advertising in primarily midsize markets, with 56 daily newspapers and online sites in 23 states. Lee is based in Davenport.
Strong American Schools' ED in '08 campaign, a project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, is a nonpartisan campaign supported by The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation promoting sound education policies for all Americans. ED in '08 doesn't support or oppose any candidate for public office and doesn't take positions on legislation. Its three campaign priorities are 1) Agreeing on American education standards; 2) Ensuring there are effective teachers in every classroom; and 3) Providing students more time and support for learning.
The Iowa Business Council is a non-profit, non-partisan, self-funded organization whose 24 members include the top executives of 20 of the largest companies in the state, the three public university presidents, and the CEO of Iowa's largest banking association. As a group, they employ more than 180,000 people throughout Iowa. Formed in 1985, the purpose of the council is to engage the personal commitment of these executives in active leadership roles on major initiatives that offer opportunities to enhance Iowa's economic vitality.
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