And four years ago, we started Race to the Top -- a competition that convinced almost every state to develop smarter curricula and higher standards, all for about 1 percent of what we spend on education each year. Tonight, I’m announcing a new challenge to redesign America’s high schools so they better equip graduates for the demands of a high-tech economy. And we’ll reward schools that develop new partnerships with colleges and employers, and create classes that focus on science, technology, engineering and math -- the skills today’s employers are looking for to fill the jobs that are there right now and will be there in the future.

四年前，我們開始了通往巔峰之競(jìng)賽——一種讓每個(gè)州都確信可以發(fā)展智能課程表和高標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的競(jìng)賽，這大約花費(fèi)我們每年用于教育領(lǐng)域投入的1%。今 晚，我宣布一個(gè)新的挑戰(zhàn)，用以重新設(shè)計(jì)美國(guó)的高中，讓他們能更好地提供給畢業(yè)生一種滿足高科技經(jīng)濟(jì)需求的機(jī)會(huì)。我們將獎(jiǎng)勵(lì)和新大學(xué)及新雇主建立伙伴關(guān)系的 高中——這些技能是當(dāng)今和未來(lái)的雇主正在尋找的。

Now, even with better high schools, most young people will need some higher education. It’s a simple fact the more education you’ve got, the more likely you are to have a good job and work your way into the middle class. But today, skyrocketing costs price too many young people out of a higher education, or saddle them with unsustainable debt.

現(xiàn)在，即便擁有更好的高中，很多年輕人還是需要些高等教育。很簡(jiǎn)單的事實(shí)，如果你接受的教育越多，你擁有好工作且成為中產(chǎn)階級(jí)的幾率就越大。但是當(dāng)今我們看到，飆升的學(xué)費(fèi)讓太多的年輕人上不起大學(xué)，或者讓他們欠有不可持續(xù)的債務(wù)。

Through tax credits, grants and better loans, we’ve made college more affordable for millions of students and families over the last few years. But taxpayers can’t keep on subsidizing higher and higher and higher costs for higher education. Colleges must do their part to keep costs down, and it’s our job to make sure that they do. (Applause.)

通過(guò)稅款減免、補(bǔ)助及更好的貸款，我們?cè)谶^(guò)去幾年已經(jīng)讓大學(xué)變得讓數(shù)百萬(wàn)的學(xué)生和家庭能夠承擔(dān)得起。但是納稅人不可能繼續(xù)自助越來(lái)越高的高等教育的經(jīng)費(fèi)。大學(xué)必須想辦法控制自己的經(jīng)費(fèi)，而這也是我們的職責(zé)以確保他們這樣做。(掌聲)

So tonight, I ask Congress to change the Higher Education Act so that affordability and value are included in determining which colleges receive certain types of federal aid. (Applause.) And tomorrow, my administration will release a new “College Scorecard” that parents and students can use to compare schools based on a simple criteria -- where you can get the most bang for your educational buck.

因此今晚，我向國(guó)會(huì)提議，修改高等教育法案。這樣，哪些大學(xué)的可支付學(xué)費(fèi)以及它們各自的價(jià)值就能被包含在聯(lián)邦資助中。(掌聲)明天我的政府班子 將會(huì)發(fā)布一個(gè)新的“大學(xué)記分卡”，這樣家長(zhǎng)和學(xué)生就能拿它用簡(jiǎn)單的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)來(lái)比較學(xué)校了。而這簡(jiǎn)單標(biāo)準(zhǔn)是——在哪個(gè)學(xué)校你用學(xué)費(fèi)可以得到最多的快樂(lè)。

Now, to grow our middle class, our citizens have to have access to the education and training that today’s jobs require. But we also have to make sure that America remains a place where everyone who’s willing to work -- everybody who’s willing to work hard has the chance to get ahead.

現(xiàn)在，為了擴(kuò)大我們的中產(chǎn)階層，我們的公民必須接受教育和當(dāng)今從事工作所必備的技能培訓(xùn)。同時(shí)我們也要確保，在美國(guó)的每一個(gè)人只要辛勤肯干，就能獲得出人頭地的機(jī)會(huì)。

Our economy is stronger when we harness the talents and ingenuity of striving, hopeful immigrants. (Applause.) And right now, leaders from the business, labor, law enforcement, faith communities -- they all agree that the time has come to pass comprehensive immigration reform. (Applause.) Now is the time to do it. Now is the time to get it done. Now is the time to get it done. (Applause.)

當(dāng)我們充分發(fā)揮了人才和創(chuàng)新的作用，我們的經(jīng)濟(jì)才能更加強(qiáng)大，外來(lái)移民在這方面是大有希望的。(掌聲)如今，來(lái)自商業(yè)、勞工、執(zhí)法、宗教等領(lǐng)域的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者，他們都認(rèn)為是進(jìn)行移民制度全面改革的時(shí)候了。(掌聲)是時(shí)候做這件事了。是時(shí)候去完成這件事了。是時(shí)候去完成了。(掌聲)

Real reform means strong border security, and we can build on the progress my administration has already made -- putting more boots on the Southern border than at any time in our history and reducing illegal crossings to their lowest levels in 40 years.

真正的改革意味著需要更強(qiáng)有力的邊境安全保障，我們能夠繼續(xù)推進(jìn)這項(xiàng)政府早已在做的工作——史無(wú)前例地增加南部邊境的安保力量，將非法越境事件降到40年來(lái)最低。

Real reform means establishing a responsible pathway to earned citizenship -- a path that includes passing a background check, paying taxes and a meaningful penalty, learning English, and going to the back of the line behind the folks trying to come here legally. (Applause.)

真正的改革意味著需要建立一個(gè)負(fù)責(zé)人的公民權(quán)獲取途徑，包括身份背景審核、納稅及受罰情況、英語(yǔ)言學(xué)習(xí)情況，還要先來(lái)后到、依序依法等候。(掌聲)

And real reform means fixing the legal immigration system to cut waiting periods and attract the highly-skilled entrepreneurs and engineers that will help create jobs and grow our economy. (Applause.)

真正的改革還意味著修正移民法律體系，以便縮短申請(qǐng)等候的時(shí)間，以及吸引那些能夠創(chuàng)造就業(yè)崗位、帶來(lái)經(jīng)濟(jì)增長(zhǎng)的高技能創(chuàng)業(yè)家和工程技術(shù)人員。(掌聲)