U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona announced the 2024 Back to School Bus Tour, scheduled from September 3 to September 6. The tour aims to highlight the Biden-Harris Administration's efforts in public education and will include stops in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.
The theme for this year’s tour is "Fighting for Public Education," focusing on how communities are utilizing federal investments to enhance student achievement. Secretary Cardona emphasized the administration's commitment: “This year’s Back to School Bus Tour will remind the American people why the Biden-Harris Administration has unapologetically fought for public education."
Secretary Cardona will be joined by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, White House Domestic Policy Advisor Neera Tanden, Deputy Secretary Cindy Marten, Under Secretary James Kvaal, and other officials. The tour will commence in Wisconsin with events addressing academic recovery and support for underserved communities.
On September 4, the tour will continue in Wisconsin before moving to Illinois and Indiana. Key topics include promoting regular student attendance and expanding Career and Technical Education for adult learners. White House Domestic Policy Advisor Neera Tanden and CDC Director Mandy Cohen will participate in some events.
In Michigan on September 5, discussions will cover debt relief through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program and teacher recruitment initiatives. National Education Association President Becky Pringle will join these events.
The final day in Pennsylvania will focus on full-service community schools' role in ensuring food security and mental health support. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten will participate.
Throughout the week, various educational leaders will join Secretary Cardona at events celebrating the back-to-school season and highlighting efforts to recover from pandemic impacts.
Preliminary details about bus tour activities are provided below:
DAY 1
- EVENT 1: Bus Tour Kick Off (Green Bay, Wisconsin)
- EVENT 2: Tribal School and Multilingualism (Green Bay, Wisconsin)
- EVENT 3: Rural Education (Madison, Wisconsin)
DAY 2
- EVENT 1: Academic Recovery (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
- EVENT 2: Career and Technical Program for Adult Learners (Chicago, Illinois)
- EVENT 3: Public Service Loan Forgiveness (Chicago, Illinois)
- EVENT 4: Community College (La Porte, Indiana)
DAY 3
- EVENT 1: Public Service Loan Forgiveness (Grand Rapids, Michigan)
- EVENT 2: Teacher Support (Lansing, Michigan)
- EVENT 3: Mental Health (Detroit, Michigan)
DAY 4
- EVENT 1: Full-Service Community School (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
- EVENT 2: Teacher Support (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
- EVENT 3: End of Bus Tour Block Party (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
Since taking office amid a pandemic that saw less than half of K-12 schools open for in-person learning initially, the Biden-Harris Administration has made significant investments to reopen schools safely through measures such as the American Rescue Plan Act. These efforts have included funding mental health services in schools and expanding community school models.
For further information or to RSVP for stops on the tour email pressRSVP@ed.gov or follow on social media at #EdBusTour24.
___
