Duncan: Congress must act to help states pay for education

Education Secretary Arne Duncan called on Congress on Friday to send emergency education relief to the states to prevent lay-offs, according to the AP.

Congress needs to act fast so schools can assess their books before the fall to determine if teacher lay-offs are needed, he said.

At a forum on education in Washington state, Duncan was backed by Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), who said Congress should figure out how it will pay for emergency aide to the state to prevent such lay-offs and to support the Pell Grant program, which helps low-income students pay for college.

"He and I have to go back to Washington and make this work," Murray said.

A plan to send billions to the states has stalled. The House has proposed cutting money from certain Duncan programs as a way to offer $10 billion to the states. It could help keep 140,000 teachers in the classroom, while providing $5 billion to the Pell Grant program, which helps low-income students pay for college, according to the report.