English subtitles for clip: File:President Obama on Early Childhood Education.webm

1
00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:01,770
The President:
Hello, everybody!

2
00:00:01,767 --> 00:00:05,237
(applause)

3
00:00:05,233 --> 00:00:07,363
Well, it is great
to be in Georgia!

4
00:00:07,367 --> 00:00:09,637
(applause)

5
00:00:09,633 --> 00:00:11,063
Great to be in Decatur!

6
00:00:11,066 --> 00:00:15,336
(applause)

7
00:00:15,333 --> 00:00:19,333
I can't imagine a more romantic
way to spend Valentine's Day --

8
00:00:19,333 --> 00:00:20,803
(laughter)

9
00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:24,030
-- than with all of you,
with all the press here.

10
00:00:24,033 --> 00:00:25,603
Actually, Michelle says hello.

11
00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:30,270
(applause)

12
00:00:30,266 --> 00:00:32,766
She made me promise to get back
in time for our date tonight.

13
00:00:32,767 --> 00:00:35,067
(laughter)

14
00:00:35,066 --> 00:00:36,866
That's important.

15
00:00:36,867 --> 00:00:37,967
That's important.

16
00:00:37,967 --> 00:00:41,167
I've already got a
gift, got the flowers.

17
00:00:41,166 --> 00:00:42,296
(applause)

18
00:00:42,300 --> 00:00:44,100
I was telling folks the flowers
are a little easier, though,

19
00:00:44,100 --> 00:00:45,730
because I've got
this Rose Garden.

20
00:00:45,734 --> 00:00:48,764
(laughter)

21
00:00:48,767 --> 00:00:56,497
Lot of people keeping
flowers around.

22
00:00:56,500 --> 00:00:58,470
I want to acknowledge a
few people who are here --

23
00:00:58,467 --> 00:01:02,437
first of all, Congressman
Hank Johnson is here.

24
00:01:02,433 --> 00:01:03,303
Where's Hank?

25
00:01:03,300 --> 00:01:05,900
(applause)

26
00:01:05,900 --> 00:01:08,530
Your Mayor, Jim
Baskett, is here.

27
00:01:08,533 --> 00:01:13,663
(applause)

28
00:01:13,667 --> 00:01:17,037
Another Mayor you may know
-- Kasim Reed snuck in here.

29
00:01:17,033 --> 00:01:23,463
(applause)

30
00:01:23,467 --> 00:01:25,837
I want to acknowledge
the Decatur School Board,

31
00:01:25,834 --> 00:01:28,604
who I had a chance to meet and
has helped to do so much great

32
00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:29,670
work around here.

33
00:01:29,667 --> 00:01:31,067
(applause)

34
00:01:31,066 --> 00:01:33,666
Folks right here.

35
00:01:33,667 --> 00:01:36,197
And of course, I want to
thank Mary for the wonderful

36
00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:40,900
introduction and for teaching
me how to count earlier today.

37
00:01:40,900 --> 00:01:45,570
(laughter)

38
00:01:45,567 --> 00:01:49,237
I've got to tell you it
was wonderful to be there.

39
00:01:49,233 --> 00:01:52,063
I want to thank all the
teachers and the parents and the

40
00:01:52,066 --> 00:01:56,066
administrators of
Decatur City Schools,

41
00:01:56,066 --> 00:02:00,366
because behind every child who
is doing great there is a great

42
00:02:00,367 --> 00:02:05,067
teacher, and I'm proud of every
single one of you for the work

43
00:02:05,066 --> 00:02:06,396
that you do here today.

44
00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:07,970
(applause)

45
00:02:07,967 --> 00:02:12,097
Now, on Tuesday, I delivered
my State of the Union address.

46
00:02:12,100 --> 00:02:16,730
And I laid out a plan for
reigniting what I believe is the

47
00:02:16,734 --> 00:02:19,864
true engine of America's
economic growth,

48
00:02:19,867 --> 00:02:26,267
and that is a thriving,
growing, rising middle class.

49
00:02:26,266 --> 00:02:30,196
And that also means ladders
for people to get into the

50
00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:32,930
middle class.

51
00:02:32,934 --> 00:02:36,134
And the plan I put forward says
we need to make smart choices as

52
00:02:36,133 --> 00:02:40,263
a country -- both to grow our
economy, shrink our deficits in

53
00:02:40,266 --> 00:02:45,896
a balanced way by cutting what
we don't need but then investing

54
00:02:45,900 --> 00:02:49,330
in the things that we do need to
make sure that everybody has a

55
00:02:49,333 --> 00:02:50,363
chance to get ahead in life.

56
00:02:50,367 --> 00:02:56,097
What we need is to make America
a magnet for new jobs by

57
00:02:56,100 --> 00:02:57,930
investing in
manufacturing, and energy,

58
00:02:57,934 --> 00:03:00,534
and better roads and
bridges and schools.

59
00:03:00,533 --> 00:03:05,063
We've got to make sure hard work
is rewarded with a wage that you

60
00:03:05,066 --> 00:03:07,796
can live on and
raise a family on.

61
00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:12,570
We need to make sure that we've
got shared responsibility for

62
00:03:12,567 --> 00:03:16,797
giving every American the chance
to earn the skills and education

63
00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:23,370
that they need for a really
competitive, global job market.

64
00:03:23,367 --> 00:03:28,767
As I said on Tuesday night, that
education has to start at the

65
00:03:28,767 --> 00:03:29,897
earliest possible age.

66
00:03:29,900 --> 00:03:32,230
And that's what you have
realized here in Decatur.

67
00:03:32,233 --> 00:03:43,503
(applause)

68
00:03:43,500 --> 00:03:49,030
Study after study shows that the
earlier a child begins learning,

69
00:03:49,033 --> 00:03:52,603
the better he or she
does down the road.

70
00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:56,170
But here's the thing: We are not
doing enough to give all of our

71
00:03:56,166 --> 00:03:59,636
kids that chance.

72
00:03:59,633 --> 00:04:03,663
The kids we saw today that I had
a chance to spend time with in

73
00:04:03,667 --> 00:04:08,637
Mary's classroom, they're
some of the lucky ones --

74
00:04:08,633 --> 00:04:13,703
because fewer than 3 in 10
four-year-olds are enrolled in a

75
00:04:13,700 --> 00:04:17,200
high-quality preschool program.

76
00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:20,600
Most middle-class parents can't
afford a few hundred bucks a

77
00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:23,870
week for private preschool.

78
00:04:23,867 --> 00:04:27,637
And for the poor children
who need it the most,

79
00:04:27,633 --> 00:04:31,463
the lack of access to a great
preschool education can have an

80
00:04:31,467 --> 00:04:33,737
impact on their entire lives.

81
00:04:33,734 --> 00:04:36,464
And we all pay a price for that.

82
00:04:36,467 --> 00:04:39,897
And as I said, this
is not speculation.

83
00:04:39,900 --> 00:04:44,030
Study after study shows the
achievement gap starts off

84
00:04:44,033 --> 00:04:45,733
very young.

85
00:04:45,734 --> 00:04:49,164
Kids who, when they go into
kindergarten, their first day,

86
00:04:49,166 --> 00:04:53,366
if they already have a lot
fewer vocabulary words,

87
00:04:53,367 --> 00:04:57,437
they don't know their numbers
and their shapes and have the

88
00:04:57,433 --> 00:05:02,163
capacity for focus; you know,
they're going to be behind

89
00:05:02,166 --> 00:05:04,966
that first day.

90
00:05:04,967 --> 00:05:08,867
And it's very hard for
them to catch up over time.

91
00:05:08,867 --> 00:05:10,897
And then, at a certain point
-- I bet a lot of teachers have

92
00:05:10,900 --> 00:05:13,170
seen this -- kids aren't stupid.

93
00:05:13,166 --> 00:05:18,566
They know they're behind
at a certain point,

94
00:05:18,567 --> 00:05:21,637
and then they
start pulling back,

95
00:05:21,633 --> 00:05:24,333
and they act like they're
disinterested in school because

96
00:05:24,333 --> 00:05:26,563
they're frustrated that they're
not doing as well as they

97
00:05:26,567 --> 00:05:28,997
should, and then
you may lose them.

98
00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:33,470
And that's why,
on Tuesday night,

99
00:05:33,467 --> 00:05:37,667
I proposed working with
states like Georgia to make

100
00:05:37,667 --> 00:05:42,767
high-quality preschool available
to every child in America.

101
00:05:42,767 --> 00:05:43,737
Every child.

102
00:05:43,734 --> 00:05:59,004
(applause)

103
00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:02,530
Every dollar we invest in
high-quality early education can

104
00:06:02,533 --> 00:06:07,663
save more than seven
dollars later on --

105
00:06:07,667 --> 00:06:11,667
boosting graduation rates,
reducing teen pregnancy,

106
00:06:11,667 --> 00:06:14,897
reducing violent crime.

107
00:06:14,900 --> 00:06:17,770
In states like Georgia that have
made it a priority to educate

108
00:06:17,767 --> 00:06:21,597
our youngest children,
states like Oklahoma,

109
00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:24,830
students don't just show up in
kindergarten and first grade

110
00:06:24,834 --> 00:06:30,104
more prepared to learn, they're
also more likely to grow up

111
00:06:30,100 --> 00:06:32,000
reading and doing
math at grade level,

112
00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:35,000
graduating from high
school, holding a job,

113
00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:39,530
even forming more
stable families.

114
00:06:39,533 --> 00:06:41,403
Hope is found in what works.

115
00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:43,600
This works.

116
00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:45,800
We know it works.

117
00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:50,070
If you are looking for a good
bang for your educational buck,

118
00:06:50,066 --> 00:06:51,766
this is it right here.

119
00:06:51,767 --> 00:07:02,867
(applause)

120
00:07:02,867 --> 00:07:04,897
That's why, even in
times of tight budgets,

121
00:07:04,900 --> 00:07:08,700
states like Georgia and Oklahoma
have worked to make a preschool

122
00:07:08,700 --> 00:07:13,130
slot available for nearly every
parent who is looking for one

123
00:07:13,133 --> 00:07:14,863
for their child.

124
00:07:14,867 --> 00:07:19,397
And they're being staffed
with folks like Mary --

125
00:07:19,400 --> 00:07:21,930
qualified, highly
educated teachers.

126
00:07:21,934 --> 00:07:25,264
This is not babysitting.

127
00:07:25,266 --> 00:07:26,366
This is teaching.

128
00:07:26,367 --> 00:07:33,597
(applause)

129
00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:41,100
So at the age that our children
are just sponges soaking stuff

130
00:07:41,100 --> 00:07:44,170
in, their minds are
growing fastest,

131
00:07:44,166 --> 00:07:46,936
what we saw in the classroom
here today was kids are taught

132
00:07:46,934 --> 00:07:49,964
numbers, they're taught
shapes, but also how to answer

133
00:07:49,967 --> 00:07:54,667
questions, discover patterns,
play well with others.

134
00:07:54,667 --> 00:07:57,167
And the teachers who
were in the classroom,

135
00:07:57,166 --> 00:08:02,766
they've got a coach who's coming
in and working with them on best

136
00:08:02,767 --> 00:08:05,967
practices and paying attention
to how they can constantly

137
00:08:05,967 --> 00:08:09,537
improve what they're doing.

138
00:08:09,533 --> 00:08:11,403
And that whole playing well
with others, by the way,

139
00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:13,530
is a trait we could
use more in Washington.

140
00:08:13,533 --> 00:08:17,803
(applause)

141
00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:20,700
So maybe we need to
bring the teachers up --

142
00:08:20,700 --> 00:08:26,900
(applause)

143
00:08:26,900 --> 00:08:28,800
-- every once in a while
have some quiet time.

144
00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:30,600
(laughter)

145
00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:31,500
Time out.

146
00:08:31,500 --> 00:08:37,230
(laughter)

147
00:08:37,233 --> 00:08:40,363
So at the College Heights Early
Childhood Learning Center that I

148
00:08:40,367 --> 00:08:43,797
visited earlier today, nearly
200 little kids are spending

149
00:08:43,800 --> 00:08:47,570
full days learning in classrooms
with highly qualified teachers.

150
00:08:47,567 --> 00:08:49,237
(applause)

151
00:08:49,233 --> 00:08:56,203
And so I was working with them
to build towers and replicate

152
00:08:56,200 --> 00:08:58,130
sculptures and sing songs.

153
00:08:58,133 --> 00:09:05,863
And, look, I've got to admit, I
was not always the fastest guy

154
00:09:05,867 --> 00:09:06,797
on some of this stuff.

155
00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:09,800
The kids were beating
me to the punch.

156
00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:13,630
But through this interactive
learning, they're learning math,

157
00:09:13,633 --> 00:09:16,663
writing, how to tell stories.

158
00:09:16,667 --> 00:09:18,497
And one of the things that
you've done here in Decatur

159
00:09:18,500 --> 00:09:22,700
that's wonderful also is, is
that you've combined kids from

160
00:09:22,700 --> 00:09:27,170
different income levels; you've
got disabled kids all in the

161
00:09:27,166 --> 00:09:30,896
same classroom, so we're
all learning together.

162
00:09:30,900 --> 00:09:33,070
(applause)

163
00:09:33,066 --> 00:09:39,566
And what that means is, is that
all the kids are being leveled

164
00:09:39,567 --> 00:09:45,897
up, and you're not seeing some
of that same stratification that

165
00:09:45,900 --> 00:09:51,930
you see that eventually leads to
these massive achievement gaps.

166
00:09:51,934 --> 00:09:54,404
So before you know it, these
kids are going to be moving on

167
00:09:54,400 --> 00:09:58,130
to bigger and better
things in kindergarten,

168
00:09:58,133 --> 00:10:02,103
and they're going to be
better prepared to succeed.

169
00:10:02,100 --> 00:10:04,770
And what's more, I don't think
you'll find a working parent in

170
00:10:04,767 --> 00:10:08,397
America who wouldn't appreciate
the peace of mind that their

171
00:10:08,400 --> 00:10:13,530
child is in a safe, high-quality
learning environment every

172
00:10:13,533 --> 00:10:14,733
single day.

173
00:10:14,734 --> 00:10:22,304
(applause)

174
00:10:22,300 --> 00:10:26,970
Michelle and I remember how
tough it can be to find

175
00:10:26,967 --> 00:10:28,967
good childcare.

176
00:10:28,967 --> 00:10:33,697
I remember how expensive
it can be, too.

177
00:10:33,700 --> 00:10:35,430
The size of your
paycheck, though,

178
00:10:35,433 --> 00:10:37,403
shouldn't determine
your child's future.

179
00:10:37,400 --> 00:10:38,530
(applause)

180
00:10:38,533 --> 00:10:39,663
So let's fix this.

181
00:10:39,667 --> 00:10:44,537
(applause)

182
00:10:44,533 --> 00:10:49,163
Let's make sure none of our
kids start out the race of life

183
00:10:49,166 --> 00:10:50,866
already a step behind.

184
00:10:50,867 --> 00:10:53,867
Let's make it a national
priority to give every child

185
00:10:53,867 --> 00:10:57,537
access to a high-quality
early education.

186
00:10:57,533 --> 00:10:59,133
Let's give our kids that chance.

187
00:10:59,133 --> 00:11:04,763
Now, I do have to warn the
parents who are here who still

188
00:11:04,767 --> 00:11:08,067
have young kids -- they grow
up to be, like, 5'10" --

189
00:11:08,066 --> 00:11:09,066
(laughter)

190
00:11:09,066 --> 00:11:12,466
-- and even if they're
still nice to you,

191
00:11:12,467 --> 00:11:15,497
they basically don't have a
lot of time for you during

192
00:11:15,500 --> 00:11:16,300
the weekends.

193
00:11:16,300 --> 00:11:17,900
(laughter)

194
00:11:17,900 --> 00:11:22,600
They have sleepovers
and -- dates.

195
00:11:22,600 --> 00:11:26,870
(laughter)

196
00:11:26,867 --> 00:11:29,067
So all that early investment --

197
00:11:29,066 --> 00:11:30,496
(laughter)

198
00:11:30,500 --> 00:11:33,230
-- just leads them to go away.

199
00:11:33,233 --> 00:11:37,103
(laughter)

200
00:11:37,100 --> 00:11:40,700
Now, what I also said on Tuesday
night is that our commitment to

201
00:11:40,700 --> 00:11:43,900
our kids' education has to
continue throughout their

202
00:11:43,900 --> 00:11:44,900
academic lives.

203
00:11:44,900 --> 00:11:49,630
So from the time our
kids start grade school,

204
00:11:49,633 --> 00:11:52,263
we need to equip them with the
skills they need to compete in a

205
00:11:52,266 --> 00:11:53,696
high-tech economy.

206
00:11:53,700 --> 00:11:57,330
That's why we're working to
recruit and train 100,000 new

207
00:11:57,333 --> 00:11:59,233
teachers in the fields
of the future --

208
00:11:59,233 --> 00:12:02,333
in science and technology, and
engineering and math where we

209
00:12:02,333 --> 00:12:04,833
are most likely to fall behind.

210
00:12:04,834 --> 00:12:09,004
We've got to redesign our high
schools so that a diploma puts

211
00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:12,230
our kids on a path
to a good job.

212
00:12:12,233 --> 00:12:18,863
(applause)

213
00:12:18,867 --> 00:12:21,567
We want to reward schools that
develop new partnerships with

214
00:12:21,567 --> 00:12:24,967
colleges and employers, and
create classes that focus on

215
00:12:24,967 --> 00:12:28,537
science and technology,
and engineering and math --

216
00:12:28,533 --> 00:12:32,433
all the things that can help our
kids fill those jobs that are

217
00:12:32,433 --> 00:12:36,203
there right now but
also in the future.

218
00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:39,730
And obviously, once our kids
graduate from high school,

219
00:12:39,734 --> 00:12:43,364
we've got to make sure that
skyrocketing costs don't price

220
00:12:43,367 --> 00:12:45,497
middle-class families out
of a higher education --

221
00:12:45,500 --> 00:12:51,830
(applause)

222
00:12:51,834 --> 00:12:53,504
-- or saddle them with
unsustainable debt.

223
00:12:53,500 --> 00:12:57,430
I mean, some of the younger
teachers who are here,

224
00:12:57,433 --> 00:13:00,203
they've chosen a career
path that is terrific,

225
00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:03,430
but let's face it, you don't
go into teaching to get rich.

226
00:13:03,433 --> 00:13:05,063
(laughter)

227
00:13:05,066 --> 00:13:10,636
And it is very important that we
make sure that they can afford

228
00:13:10,633 --> 00:13:15,603
to get a great education and
can choose to be a teacher,

229
00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:17,970
can choose to be in a
teaching profession.

230
00:13:17,967 --> 00:13:23,467
(applause)

231
00:13:23,467 --> 00:13:26,097
So we've worked to make college
more affordable for millions of

232
00:13:26,100 --> 00:13:29,130
students and families already
through tax credits and grants

233
00:13:29,133 --> 00:13:32,703
and loans that go
farther than before.

234
00:13:32,700 --> 00:13:38,070
But taxpayers can't keep
subsidizing ever-escalating

235
00:13:38,066 --> 00:13:39,866
price tags for higher education.

236
00:13:39,867 --> 00:13:43,067
At some point you
run out of money.

237
00:13:43,066 --> 00:13:46,266
So colleges have
to do their part.

238
00:13:46,266 --> 00:13:49,536
And colleges that don't do
enough to keep costs in check

239
00:13:49,533 --> 00:13:53,503
should get less federal support
so that we're incentivizing

240
00:13:53,500 --> 00:13:56,630
colleges to think about how
to keep their costs down.

241
00:13:56,633 --> 00:13:58,963
And just yesterday, we released
what we're calling a new

242
00:13:58,967 --> 00:14:02,297
"College Scorecard" that gives
parents and students all the

243
00:14:02,300 --> 00:14:05,430
information they need to
compare schools by value and

244
00:14:05,433 --> 00:14:08,933
affordability so that they
can make the best choice.

245
00:14:08,934 --> 00:14:11,334
And any interested
parent, by the way,

246
00:14:11,333 --> 00:14:15,233
who's out there can check
it out at WhiteHouse.gov.

247
00:14:15,233 --> 00:14:23,233
(applause)

248
00:14:23,233 --> 00:14:26,633
Now, in the end, that's
what this is all about --

249
00:14:26,633 --> 00:14:29,633
giving our kids the best
possible shot at life;

250
00:14:29,633 --> 00:14:33,503
equipping them with the skills,
education that a 21st century

251
00:14:33,500 --> 00:14:36,700
economy demands; giving them
every chance to go as far as

252
00:14:36,700 --> 00:14:39,730
their hard work and God-given
potential will take them.

253
00:14:39,734 --> 00:14:42,164
That's not just going to
make sure that they do well;

254
00:14:42,166 --> 00:14:47,736
that will strengthen our economy
and our country for all of us.

255
00:14:47,734 --> 00:14:52,604
Because if their
generation prospers,

256
00:14:52,600 --> 00:14:57,200
if they've got the skills
they need to get a good job,

257
00:14:57,200 --> 00:15:00,100
that means businesses
want to locate here.

258
00:15:00,100 --> 00:15:02,630
And it also means, by the
way, they're well-equipped as

259
00:15:02,633 --> 00:15:07,963
citizens with the critical
thinking skills that they need

260
00:15:07,967 --> 00:15:11,067
in order to help
guide our democracy.

261
00:15:11,066 --> 00:15:12,866
We'll all prosper that way.

262
00:15:12,867 --> 00:15:14,067
That's what we're fighting for.

263
00:15:14,066 --> 00:15:17,636
They're the ones who are going
to write that next great chapter

264
00:15:17,633 --> 00:15:20,303
in the American story, and we've
got to make sure that we're

265
00:15:20,300 --> 00:15:21,730
providing that investment.

266
00:15:21,734 --> 00:15:25,104
I am so proud of every single
teacher who is here who has

267
00:15:25,100 --> 00:15:28,400
dedicated their lives to making
sure those kids get a good

268
00:15:28,400 --> 00:15:29,500
start in life.

269
00:15:29,500 --> 00:15:32,470
I want to make sure
that I'm helping,

270
00:15:32,467 --> 00:15:34,737
and I want to make sure that the
country is behind you every step

271
00:15:34,734 --> 00:15:35,964
of the way.

272
00:15:35,967 --> 00:15:36,867
Thank you, everybody.

273
00:15:36,867 --> 00:15:37,797
God bless you.

274
00:15:37,800 --> 00:15:38,600
God bless America.

275
00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:39,370
(applause)