Trump signs executive order to expand school choice for Hispanic students

President Trump on Thursday signed an executive order establishing the White House Hispanic Prosperity Initiative – a move the administration says will improve access Latinos have to educational and economic opportunities.

In a speech in the White House Rose Garden before signing the order, Trump touted the initiative as expanding school choice for Hispanics and one that would improve access to charter schools for students.

The initiative is also meant to create more career pathways for Hispanic students as well as boast investment in economically distressed communities, including Opportunity Zones, and offer more economic opportunities for small and minority-owned businesses.

“School choice is an incredible issue in many ways,” Trump said. “Most people agree with us, the smart ones agree with us.”

The president also continued to criticize states that have kept their schools closed amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Trump is pressuring state and local officials to reopen schools this fall, threatening to withhold federal funds from those that keep their learning remote.