U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. to End 1,500-Mile “Opportunity Across America” Back to School Bus Tour with Rally in New Orleans

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After traveling 1,500 miles across the South, U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. will conclude his “Opportunity Across America” back-to-school bus tour with a rally with students Friday in New Orleans.

King will up wrap up his week-long bus tour at Cohen College Prep, where he will attend a rally and then hold a roundtable with students, educators and elected officials to talk about the strategies that contributed to the school’s turnaround academic success. A media availability will follow.

Cohen College Prep has demonstrated remarkable success in the past four years, transforming from a school that could be considered failing to one that has achieved a 100 percent college acceptance rate.

King will arrive in New Orleans in his big yellow bus from an appearance in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

He and senior Education Department officials are hosting this seventh and final back-to-school bus tour to celebrate progress in communities and states across the country, which kicked off in the nation’s capital and is traveling all the way to Louisiana, from Monday, Sept. 12, to Friday, Sept. 16.

This year’s “Opportunity Across America” bus tour includes stops in Washington, D.C; Charlottesville, Virginia; Bristol, Knoxville, Chattanooga and Memphis, Tennessee; Harvest, Alabama; North Little Rock, Arkansas; Indianola, Mississippi; and Monroe, Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Louisiana.

King and other senior Department officials will hold events touting the Administration’s key initiatives over eight years, highlighting the progress made to expand opportunity across the nation and the groundwork laid for continued momentum.

President Obama entered office in 2009 with a comprehensive vision for improving our education system to advance our children’s opportunity and success. That vision included efforts to address the dropout crisis, improve student achievement, and increase graduation rates; expand equity in education through stronger schools; ensure all students achieve to high standards that prepare them for college and career; and grow innovation and investment in what works, while safeguarding the right of all students to a world-class education.

Thanks to the hard work of educators, state and local leaders, communities, parents, families, and students, the nation has made significant educational progress over the last eight years. To build on our prosperity and competitiveness as a nation, the Administration has worked diligently to make a positive difference for students and to continue the work to deliver on the promise of a world-class education to every child.

This event will include a press availability with King and local leaders. To RSVP for stops on the tour, please email [email protected].