By presidential standards, the Obamas are early pioneers when it comes to trying new technologies to communicate with their fellow Americans, whether it's answering questions on Reddit or dancing with a turnip on Vine.
When it comes to sharing more serious matters, like the 2016 budget, the administration is turning to a new "Medium," taking advantage of the publishing platform's legible typography and reading time estimates for a much more user-friendly experience.
Here's what's on his wish list for education. For 2016, the government plans to set aside $70.7 billion for Department of Education programs serving preK all the way through to college and workforce development. The figure, if passed, will be an increase of $3.6 billion from the 2015 enacted budget. Here's what some of the increased funding will provide:
- A big boost to programs serving the smallest students: grant funding to support President Obama's "Preschool for All" proposal will triple from $250 million to $750 million;
- $1 billion increase for Title I programs;
- $3 billion for teacher preparation and training, which includes a $200 million for an "Education Technology State Grants" program;
- A new, $125 million competitive grant to "promote the redesign of America’s high schools by integrating deeper learning and student-centered instruction, with a particular focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-themed high schools that expand opportunities for girls and other groups underrepresented in STEM fields";
- Boosting funds for the "Investing in Innovation" (i3) program from $120 million to $300 million;
- Supporting states that waive tuition fees for community college students as part of Obama's ambitious free community college plan. (No budget was set but the cost has been estimated at $60 billion over 10 years.)
