AUSTIN, TX - President Obama says education is the key economic issue of our time.

The president addressed students at UT Austin while on a fundraising swing through Texas today.

He told the crowd a good education is critical to achieving good earning power.

He urged schools to improve affordability and graduation rates.

"If we're serious about making sure America's workers, and America itself, succeeds in the 21st century, the single most important step we can take is to make sure that every one of our young people - here in Austin, here in Texas, here in the United States - has the best education that the world has to offer. That's the number one thing we can do."