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賽——一種讓每個州都確信可以發展智能課程表和高標準的競賽，這大約花費我們每年用于教育領域投入的1%。今 晚，我宣布一個新的挑戰，用以重新設計美國的高中，讓他們能更好地提供給畢業生一種滿足高科技經濟需求的機會。我們將獎勵和新大學及新雇主建立伙伴關系的 高中——這些技能是當今和未來的雇主正在尋找的。

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。很簡單的事實，如果你接受的教育越多，你擁有好工作且成為中產階級的幾率就越大。但是當今我們看到，飆升的學費讓太多的年輕人上不起大學，或者讓他們欠有不可持續的債務。

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.)

通過稅款減免、補助及更好的貸款，我們在過去幾年已經讓大學變得讓數百萬的學生和家庭能夠承擔得起。但是納稅人不可能繼續自助越來越高的高等教育的經費。大學必須想辦法控制自己的經費，而這也是我們的職責以確保他們這樣做。(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，我向國會提議，修改高等教育法案。這樣，哪些大學的可支付學費以及它們各自的價值就能被包含在聯邦資助中。(掌聲)明天我的政府班子 將會發布一個新的“大學記分卡”，這樣家長和學生就能拿它用簡單的標準來比較學校了。而這簡單標準是——在哪個學校你用學費可以得到最多的快樂。

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.

現在，為了擴大我們的中產階層，我們的公民必須接受教育和當今從事工作所必備的技能培訓。同時我們也要確保，在美國的每一個人只要辛勤肯干，就能獲得出人頭地的機會。

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.)

當我們充分發揮了人才和創新的作用，我們的經濟才能更加強大，外來移民在這方面是大有希望的。(掌聲)如今，來自商業、勞工、執法、宗教等領域的領導者，他們都認為是進行移民制度全面改革的時候了。(掌聲)是時候做這件事了。是時候去完成這件事了。是時候去完成了。(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有力的邊境安全保障，我們能夠繼續推進這項政府早已在做的工作——史無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負責人的公民權獲取途徑，包括身份背景審核、納稅及受罰情況、英語言學習情況，還要先來后到、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，以便縮短申請等候的時間，以及吸引那些能夠創造就業崗位、帶來經濟增長的高技能創業家和工程技術人員。(掌聲)