Education

A strong education system is critical to the survival of our democracy. For most children in Colorado, a good public education is the key to their economic future. The country as a whole also relies on a strong education system to stay competitive in the global market, to remain the world leader in scientific and technological innovation, and to address many of our social and economic challenges.

Overview

• We must make fixing the problems we created with the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) a priority. That is why I introduced the CLASS Act (HR 2070), which, among other things, would allow schools to change how they measure so-called "Adequate Yearly Progress"(AYP) and to target resources to groups that fail to achieve AYP.
• I believe that every child, regardless of his or her parent's income level, deserves an equal chance at a great education. That is why I support making higher education available to any student who has the desire to attend school and the academic credentials to succeed, and the reason I will continue to support fully funding Head Start.
• Expanding science and math education is a critical component to our nation's competitiveness in the international marketplace and I will continue to work hard to increase student opportunities in the math and sciences.

A strong education system begins with families and with parents who value learning. Good teachers, dedicated school administrators, safe classrooms and access to good materials, books and computers are all critical, but as any parent will tell you, a child really begins his or her learning experience before they ever enter a school room.

So, as a Member of Congress and as a candidate for the U.S. Senate, I believe a major part of my responsibility is to listen to the needs of families and parents - and to view education, not as a separate entity run by government - but as a set of challenges that requires communication and interaction at many levels, starting with families, parents, teachers and kids.

That is why I have visited every public high school and most of the elementary schools in the Congressional District I represent. For the most part, I have found teachers, kids, parents and administrators who are committed to academic excellence. But I have also seen too many crowded classrooms, under-funded facilities, and poorly-paid teachers who are struggling to give children the individual attention they deserve.

I do not believe the federal government should displace or manage public schools. A great strength of our system is that we recognize local control and state-based direction in public education. But that does not mean the federal government has no role to play, and in fact, I think there is abundant support for the idea that federal policy can strengthen and improve our schools, beginning with early childhood and continuing on to college and school-to-work programs.

I believe that every child, regardless of his or her parent's income level, deserves to start school ready to learn. Parents have a responsibility, of course, to help their kids prepare for school, but we all have a stake in the success of the next generation. High-quality, comprehensive, early childhood programs like Head Start have been proven to help with cognitive development, socialization, and long term performance for children who need it. Because of the importance of early childhood education for all children, I will continue to work to fully fund Head Start.

We must also make fixing the problems we created with the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) a priority. The bipartisan No Child Left Behind Act was originally passed to establish higher academic standards and increase accountability in education. However, because of poor implementation and resource allocation issues, the NCLB has not accomplished the goals we thought it would.

In 2007, I introduced the CLASS Act (HR 2070) in an effort to fix the problems with the NCLB. The bill makes the following changes to the NCLB:

• It would allow schools to measure Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) by following student progress as they advance from year to year, instead of basing progress on scores from different years of students completing the same grade.
• It would measure AYP using multiple measures of student achievement.
• It allows schools to target resources to the groups that fail to achieve AYP.
• It would synchronize the mandates of NCLB and the findings of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
• It takes into account the difficulties faced by students who are still learning the English language.

Recruiting and keeping high quality teachers is also a critical component to any successful school. We can demonstrate our commitment to keeping quality teachers by increasing their salaries and providing them the support and resources they need to be successful. I support the institution of federal incentives for teachers that commit to teaching in public schools the areas with the most need. In addition, I believe we need to support and expand programs like Teach For America that have worked to bring highly qualified teachers into Colorado and other urban and rural school districts across the country.

Like many other Coloradans, I have one child in college and another on her way. I sympathize with any parent who faces the difficult challenge of financing their child's higher education needs. A combination of astronomical tuition costs and limited government grants and subsidized loans is making it harder and harder for families. In 2006, the College Board reported that costs for tuition and fees has increased over 35% in the last few years, while total federal grant aid is not even keeping up with inflation.

I believe that a higher education should be available to any student who has the desire to attend school and the academic credentials to succeed. That is why I have co-sponsored the College Student Relief Act of 2007. The bill, which passed in the House this year, makes student loans more affordable and reduces the bureaucratic costs associated with managing loans. I also voted for the College Cost Reduction Act of 2007, H.R. 2669, which became law in September of 2007. This law that will help millions of people afford college is widely accepted as the single largest investment in college financial aid since the 1944 GI bill. In the face of a federal deficit that continues to grow, it is harder to find funds for every program, but I support increasing the funding and availability of Pell Grants because these grants ultimately secure a good return on the taxpayer dollar.

One way that the federal government can help is to invest in science, technology, engineering, and math education. The global economy is increasingly focused on technological innovation and scientific discovery. There is incredible demand for employees and teachers in areas such as energy conservation, information systems, medical technology, aerospace, and biological research.

I have long been interested in strengthening math and science education programs because studies have shown that American students our slipping behind students from other industrial countries in these essential skills. I am currently the co-chair of the House Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Education Caucus and chairman of the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee of the House Committee on Science and Technology. In both positions, I have worked to increase student opportunities in the math and sciences. I am also a co-sponsor of legislation that would provide scholarships and incentives to attract science and math undergraduates to teaching and education. In addition, I have co-sponsored legislation that would create grants through the National Science Foundation to help improve science facilities at our secondary schools.