Joe Biden is fighting back against the Republican onslaught on education, but he is doing so cautiously and with a focus on fostering bipartisan cooperation.
Biden has used executive orders and other measures to reverse some of former President Donald Trump’s key education-related policies, such as the rescinding of a federal transgender bathroom rule for public schools and the reopening of the DACA application process. He has also proposed an ambitious $2 trillion plan to expand access to pre-K education and improve the K-12 system, encourage college affordability, and reshape student lending.
However, the president has largely avoided engaging in partisan rhetoric when discussing education issues. Instead, he has called for more dialogue amongst all stakeholders and a “whole-of-society” approach. In his remarks at a recent summit on college affordability, Biden said;”we have to bring Democrats and Republicans together in a meaningful way to solve this challenge.”
Going forward, Biden is likely to continue to pursue a bipartisan approach to education, stressing a focus on collaboration in order to meet the growing demand for more equitable and accessible education. He will also likely continue to leverage executive orders to reverse Trump-era policies that do not reflect his own education values. Such moves could help to ensure that all children have access to quality education, regardless of their socioeconomic circumstances.
