U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today delivered the keynote address at the National Legislative Summit of the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) and the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) in Washington, D.C. Secretary Spellings discussed her action plan for higher education to make higher education more accessible, affordable and accountable and highlighted the important role community colleges play in educating millions of students and meeting workforce needs. Following are her prepared remarks:

Thank you, Arthur Anthonisen for your introduction. As a former community college student and former community college employee, I'm a big believer in what you do.

Across America, community colleges are the workhorses of higher education, educating millions at an affordable price and meeting local workforce needs.

Everyone all over this nation needs to understand the fine work you're doing. America needs to lift up community colleges as the treasures they are, for individuals and communities. Anyone can walk through your doors—like I did—and change their lives. Any community can partner with your institutions and transform a neighborhood or city. Your institutions are truly gateways to progress and success.

You enroll over 6.5 million for-credit students and another 5 million students not seeking credit. 34 percent are minorities and nearly 40 percent are the first in their families to attend college. You certify 80 percent of first responders, like medics and firefighters, and half of all nurses.

Recently, some Ivy League schools received lots of press for increasing financial aid commitments. I commend their efforts, but let's not forget that community colleges are helping more than 11 million students attain post-secondary education for an average tuition of $320 per year after aid.

That is what I call access.

For a long time, our country has placed more value on exclusion than inclusion in higher education. Some popular college rankings still consider selectivity to be a sign of quality. Community colleges have never bought into this, never rationed opportunity towards the privileged. Instead of keeping people out, you invite them in to higher education, and not just for degrees but for targeted workforce training.

Your efforts must serve as a model because, as you know, shifting demographics and the rise of the global knowledge economy mean that we must educate more students to higher levels than ever before.

Ninety percent of the fastest-growing jobs require postsecondary education or training, yet we're not equipping enough of our citizens, especially people of color, to seize these opportunities.

What does it mean for our country that only nine percent of low-income students earn a college degree by age 24, compared with 75 percent of students from wealthier families?

Or that only 10 percent of Hispanic students earn a bachelor's degree by age 29?

Or that 60 percent of Americans have no postsecondary credentials at all?

Or that 32 states do not have enough traditional students in the education pipeline to reach levels of international competitiveness?

Some people, whom the system serves well, don't see what the problem is. They think, so long as my child gets into college and gets a job, everything's okay. My question for them is, if you know your son or daughter needs a degree or certification, why would other parents want anything less for their children?

I'd pose the same question to Congress about the legislation they're considering. It fails to address the real concerns of students and families, such as a broken and byzantine aid system. They're adding new layers of bureaucracy instead of emphasizing effectiveness and efficiency.

CEOs and business leaders, on the other hand, understand exactly what the stakes are. And they understand that if the system is not serving students well, then it's not serving our nation or enhancing their competitive edge.

As you know, I appointed my commission on higher education over two years ago to address these pressing issues: to improve affordability, accessibility, and accountability and help more Americans acquire the postsecondary education they need.

I'm proud to see that it's led to vigorous—and much overdue—debate. The National Governors Association authored an initiative called Innovation America to focus on best practices, and the College Board just published a report on the importance of community colleges.

While Congress is busy digging moats around the ivory tower, community colleges continue to build bridges to better opportunities for individuals, of all backgrounds, to pursue their dreams. And for communities of all shapes and sizes to customize economic development and promote prosperity.

Yours are among the few institutions nimble and flexible enough to meet the growing demand of today's students by doing what you've always done—democratizing opportunity.

Today, everyone talks about change—about transforming to meet the needs of the 21st century. Others talk the talk, but you walk the walk.

You're effective because of your agility in responding to workforce demands. I saw this firsthand when I worked at Austin Community College in Texas. We'd call up the big companies in town—like 3M or Texas Instruments—and build academic programs around their needs.

It accomplished two goals: one, supplying students with the skills employers wanted, and two, supplying employers with workers equipped to succeed.

Working with community colleges made me a true believer in the righteousness and critical nature of your mission. Lately, I've even been bragging about your work to an international audience. At UNESCO, I recommended the community college model as one that can be replicated around the world to expand opportunity.

And community college presidents have joined me as I've traveled abroad to encourage international students to study in the U.S. including: Stephen M. Curtis, President of the Community College of Philadelphia; Jim Owen, President of Piedmont Community College; Eduardo Padrón, President of Miami Dade College.

In fact, Eduardo joined me in South America and shared stories about the incredible work Miami-Dade is doing to prepare its large and diverse body of students for workforce success.

Across the nation, schools like this are adapting and spreading opportunity. Often, institutions don't get enough credit for their outstanding work.

The Bush Administration was the first in history to appoint a Deputy Assistant Secretary for community colleges, Pat Stanley, and she's a former community college president. Assistant Secretary Diane Jones also began her career as a community college teacher. They're among your many advocates in my Department, and together, we're focused on supporting your noble mission.

Affordability is the perennial issue in higher education, and community colleges have led the way. To help, we have focused on increasing Pell grants to ensure that our first dollar always goes to support our neediest students. Student Pell grantees in 2008 will enjoy the largest increase in their annual award in 30 years. And the President's 2009 budget again raises the Pell grant to its largest annual amount ever, from $3,750 when the President took office to $4,800 dollars in the new budget.

In a changing economy and workforce, we must reconnect with non-traditional students and adults to stay competitive. This includes the 32 million adults who started a college education but never finished and the many who can boost their careers with a few select courses.

Community colleges have been leaders in providing opportunities for adults and workers in transition. To complement your efforts, the President requested $5 million for a new "Bridge to College" pilot program that will support adults seeking to enter postsecondary education. We'll also leverage $362 million in loans to help transitioning workers update their skills.

A common obstacle for adults and the 60% of students who transfer is the difficulty of getting previous credits accepted by new institutions—leading to repeated coursework, and wasted time, money, and productivity. States like Connecticut, Illinois, and New Jersey are pioneering efforts to make the transfer process easier for students.

The President's new budget includes $10 million to support the development of systems that facilitate credit transfers between higher ed institutions. It's part of a broader package for postsecondary improvement that will also help support partnerships between high schools and community colleges.

In return for greater resources, we must ask for greater transparency; that means better information for your consumers and your schools.

We need better ways to follow students as they move across the system. Not just first-time, full-time, degree-seeking, non-transfer students, but all students. Not a one-size-fits-all system, but one that reflects your unique missions and gives you credit for student success.

The President's budget provides $100 million to help states establish comprehensive K-16 data systems. States like Florida are already showing the power of these systems to target resources, improve quality, and ensure student progress.

When it comes to higher education reform, we have our work cut out for us, and I know community colleges will lead the way. Your spirit of innovation and adaptability is exactly what we need to adjust to a changing and ever more competitive world.

This is especially true in times of economic uncertainty and transition like today. Such times make workers realize the value of seeking new knowledge and skills, and they should make us all appreciate the priceless resource that community colleges represent.

We know that whether the markets are up or down, education remains the surest path to prosperity. Thanks to community colleges, that path is open to all.

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