On Thursday, President Obama traveled to North Carolina, where he introduced a new education initiative called ConnectED, which the White House says will connect 99% of America’s students to the internet through high-speed broadband and wireless within the next five years. This initiative is aimed at enhancing Internet access and training teachers in digital learning.
The president chose to unveil ConnectED in Mooresville, North Carolina, because of the school district's success in connecting its students to technology. Since they introduced the program in 2008, high school graduation rates have increased by 11%.
Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, joined NOW with Alex Wagner on Thursday to discuss the president’s new initiative, universal preschool, and the ways in which the sequester is hurting access to education throughout the country.
Duncan called ConnectED “a win for students, a win for teachers and ultimately a win for education for our country.”