Ed. Note: The deadline for submissions for this edition of Advise the Advisor has been extended to Sunday, March 13 at 5 p.m. EST.

In the third edition of the Advise the Advisor program, Melody Barnes, Director of the Domestic Policy Council and one of President Obama’s senior advisors on education policy, is asking for feedback from parents, teachers and students on what’s working in communities and what needs to change.

Providing our nation’s students with a world-class education is a shared responsibility.  It’s going to take all of us – educators, parents, students, philanthropists, state and local leaders, and the federal government – working together to prepare today’s students for the jobs of the 21st century.

You can add your voice to the conversation by answering one or all of the following questions at WhiteHouse.gov/Advise:

Once again today, the President welcomed a great ally to the White House, and once again the violence in Libya demanded a forceful response.  So while Prime Minister Julia Gillard of Australia and the President had a full day of discussions scheduled, including a visit to a school in the area, the President spent a signficant portion of his remarks in their joint press appearance addressing those involved in the violence and discussing the international response:

And we had a discussion about the situation in the Middle East.  And I think Prime Minister Gillard and I both share a very firm conviction that the violence that's been taking place and perpetrated by the government in Libya is unacceptable.  Australia joined with us in imposing swift and firm sanctions, comprehensive sanctions, against the Libyan government.  We continue to monitor the violence there.

I want to send a very clear message to those who are around Colonel Qaddafi:  It is their choice to make how they operate moving forward, and they will be held accountable for whatever violence continues to take place there. 

In the meantime, we've got NATO, as we speak, consulting in Brussels around a wide range of potential options, including potential military options, in response to the violence that continues to take place inside of Libya.  In addition, we have taken the lead on a host of humanitarian efforts, and I just authorized an additional $15 million that will be provided to aid organizations that are already on the ground.  And we've been coordinating with the United Nations, which now has a number of personnel on the ground as well, to make sure that people are getting the help they need and we are in a position to respond to any additional emergencies that may arise out of the situation there.

But the bottom line is I think Australia and the United States stand shoulder to shoulder in sending a clear message that we stand for democracy, we stand for an observance of human rights, and that we send a very clear message to the Libyan people that we will stand with them in the face of unwarranted violence and the continuing suppression of democratic ideals that we've seen there.

On Thursday President Obama called the crews of the Space Shuttle Discovery and International Space Station (ISS) to congratulate them on their achievements and courage as they work and live in orbit around the Earth.  This Space Shuttle mission, which is the last for the venerable Discovery orbiter before it is retired, includes tasks such as delivering the first human-like robot to space and transporting the last major structural element for the U.S. segment of the ISS.  Picking up on these themes, the President asked about the work planned for the robot, known as Robonaut-2, or “R2.” After learning that R2 had not yet been unpacked after the long journey to space, he urged the crews to “let him stretch his legs pretty soon.” The product of a joint development effort between NASA and General Motors, R2 will stay aboard the ISS to demonstrate how dexterous robots of this nature can potentially work side by side with human crews in making repairs or conducting scientific tasks in space.

President Obama also commented on the unusual level of traffic at the ISS right now.  For the first time, a spacecraft from every international partner that flies to the ISS is docked simultaneously at this orbiting facility, including vehicles from the United States, Russia, Europe, and Japan.  The composition of the ISS crew reflects this level of partnership, as astronauts and cosmonauts from the United States, Russia, and Europe are currently living and working in the laboratory.  

The President noted that this unprecedented partnership in space is something that each of our nations can be proud of, and he pointed to the Station as a metaphor for how the peoples of the world can learn to live and work together productively, not just in space but on the Earth too.  The crew members enthusiastically agreed,  remarking that the ISS may be one of the most complex and challenging construction efforts ever undertaken by humankind, with pieces constructed in different nations around the world and then launched above the Earth – and yet “everything fit,” they said, when it was assembled in orbit.  

A quick look back at the week on WhiteHouse.gov:

On Education: This month, the President will be focused on his plan to improve American education through investments that focus on responsibility, reform, and results:

• President Obama travels to Miami to visit a high school that has been an example of how federal support has turned around struggling schools.
• John Legend encourages students to apply for the Race to the Top Commencement Challenge. One high school will be selected to have President Obama speak at its commencement this spring. The deadline to apply is March 11.
• Oh, and Nick Jonas did too.
• The First Lady and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan read to children at the Library of Congress as part of "Read Across America Day," and in celebration of Dr. Seuss' 107th birthday.

Giving States the Power to Innovate: In his address to the meeting of the National Governors' Association, President Obama called for giving states the flexibility to find the best ways to meet standards of care outlined in the Affordable Care Act. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius explained what that flexibility means for states across the country.

The President was in South Florida today at Miami Central Senior High School, kicking off a month focusing on education. Miami Central has received more than $750,000 in federal School Improvement Grants, implemented profound reforms, and has seen dramatic results: a 40-point increase in writing achievement, a 60-point increase in math, and almost doubling its graduation rate.

The President was joined by Education Secretary Arne Duncan, and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. In his remarks at the school, President Obama talked about this crucial moment in America's economic recovery:

We are at a pivotal turning point.  We just came through a tough recession that’s taken a big toll on families here in Florida and all across the country.  And to accelerate our recovery in the short term we took some essential steps to spur hiring and economic growth, including tax cuts that are making Americans’ paychecks bigger and letting businesses write off their investments –- and I am proud -- I'm proud that Republicans and Democrats came together to get that done.

And you're already seeing those steps make a difference.  This morning we learned that the unemployment rate fell to its lowest level in nearly two years.  (Applause.)  Our economy added another 222,000 jobs in the private sector.  (Applause.)  That's the 12th straight month of private sector job growth.  So our economy has now added 1.5 million private sector jobs over the last year.  And that's progress.  (Applause.)  

But we need to keep building on that momentum.  And in a world that’s more competitive, more connected than ever before, that means answering some difficult questions

The deadline for the Race to the Top Commencement Challenge is just one week away! One lucky high school will have President Obama as a commencement speaker this spring. Could it be your school? The competition is open to public high schools across the country and applying is easy.

To apply, head over to WhiteHouse.gov/Commencement and tell us how your school is preparing students for college and a career. The application requires three short essays and some information about student achievement that should be easily accessible. An optional short video about your school can also be submitted. The deadline to submit the application is March 11, 2011, at 11:59 p.m. EST.

The Commencement Challenge is a great opportunity for students and schools to showcase their talents and achievements. The competition has been featured on Good Morning America and musicians John Legend and Nick Jonas have encouraged students and schools apply for the opportunity of a lifetime. To hear what each of them had to say, check out their videos:

This afternoon, President Obama will visit Miami Central Senior High School in Miami, Florida, along with former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. The President will lay out his vision for improving American education through investments that are focused on responsibility, reform, and results.

Secretary Duncan previewed today's visit with an op-ed for the Miami Herald:

Turning around a struggling school is some of the toughest work in education. Experience shows that effective turnarounds require strong leadership and the flexibility to recruit staff with special skills and commitment. Not every teacher or principal wants or should be in this demanding environment. But extraordinary principals and teachers who choose to work in turnaround schools deserve our full support and commitment.

The administration is supporting an array of bold options to help the children trapped in America’s lowest-performing schools. “More of the same” is not one of them.

Be sure to catch the live video stream of the President's visit at 4:00 PM EST on WhiteHouse.gov/live.

Welcome to the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that's happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. It was a busy week on the 18 acres, with President Obama welcoming the nation's governors, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, and Mexican President Felipe Calderón to the White House. The First Lady and Education Secretary Arne Duncan also helped kick off Education Month at the Library of Congress.

President Barack Obama addresses the situation in Libya at the start of a joint press conference with President Felipe Calderón of Mexico, left, in the East Room of the White House, March 3, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

There was no shortage of issues pertaining to the two countries' close relationship and mutual interests for President Obama and President Calderón of Mexico to discuss during their meetings today.  Nonetheless, during the joint press conference afterward, the President took a moment to address the situation in Libya that has rightly garnered so much attention around the world.  Firstly, he noted that the Mexican government has been integral in the actions of the United Nations regarding Libya:

Most recently, our governments have spoken out forcefully for the human rights of the Libyan people, and Mexico played a leading role at the United Nations in suspending Libya from the Human Rights Council.  President Calderon, this not only reflects our commitment to the shared values of freedom and justice and rule of law.  It’s also another example of Mexico’s global leadership—as you said in your address to our Congress last year—that “Mexico is standing tall” and ready to take its “rightful place in the world.”

President Obama went on to forcefully condemn the violence once again:

The United States, and the entire world, continues to be outraged by the appalling violence against the Libyan people. The United States is helping to lead an international effort to deter further violence, put in place unprecedented sanctions to hold the Qaddafi government accountable, and support the aspirations of the Libyan people. We are also responding quickly to the urgent humanitarian needs that are developing.

Tens of thousands of people—from many different countries—are fleeing Libya, and we commend the governments of Tunisia and Egypt for their response, even as they go through their own political transitions.  I have therefore approved the use of U.S. military aircraft to help move Egyptians who have fled to the Tunisian border to get back home to Egypt. I’ve authorized USAID to charter additional civilian aircraft to help people from other countries find their way home.  And we’re supporting the efforts of international organizations to evacuate people as well.

I have also directed USAID to send humanitarian assistance teams to the Libyan border, so that they can work with the United Nations, NGOs and other international partners inside Libya to address the urgent needs of the Libyan people.

Going forward, we will continue to send a clear message: the violence must stop; Muammar Gaddafi has lost the legitimacy to lead and he must leave; those who perpetrate violence against the Libyan people will be held accountable; and the aspirations of the Libyan people for freedom, democracy and dignity must be met.