WASHINGTON, DC – The Administration today unveiled its FY2011 Budget proposal which includes $100 million in funding for Accelerated Learning Opportunities, including dual enrollment education programs based on U.S. Senator Herb Kohl's "Fast Track to College" bill, legislation to reduce high school drop-out rates and allow low-income students to earn college credit.  The budget submitted to Congress also includes $1.166 billion for 21st Century Community Learning Centers, after-school and extended learning services which Kohl has championed in prior years through the Senate appropriations process.      

"We must turn around the alarming drop-out rates that sentence young people to joblessness and poverty.  Our bill will help keep students invested in staying in school and learning skills that will allow them to compete and contribute to our economy and their own futures.  We're pleased to see that funding for this initiative is included in the President's budget," Kohl said.  

Kohl introduced the Fast Track to College bill in March 2009 looking to provide new tools and incentives for schools to attack the dropout problem and send more kids to college. "Dual enrollment" programs for low-income students allow young people to earn college credit, including even an Associate's degree, while also earning their high school diploma.  These programs have proven success, especially among low-income students and those underrepresented in higher education.             

Dual enrollment programs can provide just enough cost savings to make college affordable, especially for low- and middle-income families who might think higher education is out of their reach.  Equally important, these programs introduce students to the college environment and allow them to earn credit through real college coursework.  This experience bolsters their confidence and skills, and shows them that they can successfully complete a college degree – in less time and for less money than they might have thought possible.   

Also included in the President's budget is over $1.1 billion in funding for after school and extended learning programs including 21st Century Community Learning Centers. The 21st Century Learning Program supports elementary and secondary schools to implement or expand projects that benefit the educational, health, social service, cultural and recreational needs of the community.  In the past, 21st Century grantees in Wisconsin and across the nation have been successful in supporting safer learning environments, reducing juvenile crime, and helping to bridge the digital divide.   

"In Wisconsin, we've seen first-hand that investments in 21st Century Learning Programs pay immediate dividends.  Not only do they keep kids off the street and out of trouble, they provide educational instruction and help improve students' success in school," Kohl said.  

The FY2011 budget proposal has been introduced by the President and is under consideration in Congress.