As part of the U.S. Department of Education’s Ready for Success back-to-school bus tour, Secretary Arne Duncan and senior Department officials will visit Indiana on Wednesday, Sept. 16.
Duncan’s first stop will be Purdue University where he will participate in a dialog at 1:15 p.m. ET, with University President Mitchell Daniels, as part of the Thought Leader Lecture Series. Duncan will discuss the Department’s work to make college more affordable and applaud Purdue’s efforts to keep cost affordable for students by freezing tuition, room, and board for the last four years. He also will address how innovation can help the higher education agenda by increasing college access, affordability and completion, and workforce development. Again, Duncan will commend Purdue University for being a leader in competency-based education through many of the innovative approaches it has taken to learning. A media availability will follow.
Later that evening at 5 p.m. ET, Duncan will join Broderick Johnson, White House cabinet secretary and chair of the My Brother’s Keeper Task Force, for a visit to Crispus Attucks Medical Magnet High School in Indianapolis. The event includes a roundtable with students to hear how they have overcome obstacles during their educational journeys and to applaud Indianapolis’ work with leading experts to design and implement cradle-to-college-and-career action plans. During the roundtable, Duncan will recognize the importance of student voices when it comes to making progress on the goals of My Brother’s Keeper, especially two specific milestones: graduating from high school ready for college and career, and completing postsecondary education or training.
The Department’s Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships Director Brenda Girton-Mitchell will deliver opening remarks, and M. Karega Rausch, vice president of research and evaluation at the National Association of Charter School Authorizers, will moderate the roundtable. A media availability will follow.
Education is a lifelong path—from preschool through college and careers—where, at every point along the way, access to high-quality learning opportunities can ensure everyone is ready for success. The stops on the bus tour are celebrating how states and local communities are working to increase access and opportunity from early learning to K-12 education to higher education.
In addition to Duncan’s stops, other senior Department officials will hold events highlighting the progress and achievements of educators, students, families and leaders in expanding opportunities for students throughout the nation.
This year’s back-to-school bus tour—which begins today, Monday, Sept. 14, and runs through Friday, Sept. 18—includes 10 cities in seven states across the American Midwest—Kansas City, Missouri; Des Moines and Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Champaign and Williamsfield, Illinois; West Lafayette and Indianapolis, Indiana; Louisville, Kentucky; Cincinnati and Columbus Ohio; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The tour kicked off today in Kansas City and will conclude in Pittsburgh.
View a video trailer about the bus tour here. For updates from the road, sign up for bus tour email updates, and follow the tour on social media with #ReadyForSuccess.