Issue Position: Education
Issue Position
Access to a quality education is a right. It is a moral imperative that the federal government support our states and localities to meet the needs and obligations of the 21st century learning environment. A good education for our children is the best way to ensure a bright future for our country. Well educated citizens provide a boon to the workforce, improve overall economic productivity and contribute to a more vibrant democracy. The education system requires major shifts towards greater access and fair distribution of resources to prepare the next generation to succeed.
*Provide teachers with the time and resources necessary to implement new testing standards. The Common Core is a vital development to make sure that a high school diploma means the same thing in Maryland, Missouri or any other place in the country. The previous patchwork of education standards across the country allowed for huge inequities in how well students were educated. Although the principles behind the Common Core standards are reasonable, the implementation needs to be adjusted based on the needs and feedback of teachers. On-the-ground educators need more time, resources and guidance in learning to teach based on new standards. Completely altering a curriculum takes several school years. Federal funding formulas and accountability standards should reflect the concerns and difficulties experienced by everyday teachers. Congress should address the issue in a comprehensive reauthorization of No Child Left Behind that sets realistic testing goals with fully funded support services for teachers.
*Establish a School Building Trust Fund (SBTF) to update aging school facilities. Students and teachers are less likely to succeed in crumbling classrooms. Since the start of the Great Recession, spending on school construction has declined by half. The American Civil Society of Engineers have given the U.S. public school infrastructure a "D" grade.[1] It's estimated that Maryland alone needs over $3 billion to update the public school infrastructure.[2] We need to address this problem directly by forming a School Building Trust Fund solely dedicated to repairing, renovating and constructing our nation's school infrastructure. Upgraded school buildings should also include "green" technologies that will contribute to long term energy savings for school districts. The effect of the SBTF would be two-fold; improved educational outcomes and an economic boost for working families.
*Take cost of living into account for federal Title I school funding. Under the current framework federal education funds are distributed based on the amount states spent on education in a previous year. However, costs of hiring teachers differ greatly between school districts, cities, states and regions. Federal education dollars should take into account these differences.[3] Regions with a higher cost of living, like the Washington DC Metro area, should be fairly funded with cost of living taken into account.
*Improve and fund career and technical education (CTE) programs that encourage skills training and partnerships with industry. The federal government has a role in supporting programs and encouraging states to offer CTE training programs to students. Unfortunately, federal funding for the workforce development system has been in steady decline for the past decade.[4] Aside from a lack of serious investment, the workforce development system requires systemic change. Skills training is an important first step but grant funding must incentivize collaboration with businesses to establish a "school to job" pipeline. Additionally, grant programs need to track outcomes in order to provide accountability for CTE programs. Congress must pass substantial legislation to engage with industry and labor in coordinating a comprehensive CTE blueprint.
*Fund school transportation hubs to free up buses for afterschool and off-site programming. Quality educational programs won't have an effect if students can't get there to take part. It isn't fair for parents to have to choose between keeping their job and getting kids to school activities. Local transportation hubs would utilize vehicles owned by school districts for use after school hours. By providing federal funds for transportation hubs, we can keep students in afterschool programming and off the streets.
*Set the standard that all high schoolers take at least one college course in partnership with local community colleges and universities. Providing high schoolers with exposure to college is essential in enabling students to make informed decisions about their career. The Fourth District and surrounding communities are fortunate to be home to strong institutes of higher education including; University of Maryland, Bowie State University, and community colleges in Anne Arundel and Prince George's Counties. Our policies should harness the benefits of these institutions for local schools. All students should be given the chance and expected to earn college credit in high school, even those thought to be at risk of dropping out. Dual enrollment can provide the hope and motivation needed to launch a successful career.
*Expand and Improve the School Breakfast Program. More than half of Maryland teachers report seeing students come to school hungry.[5] A hungry student is less likely to engage in the classroom and succeed overall. Unfortunately, many students don't receive school-provided breakfast because of lack of cafeteria space, time or concern about being stigmatized. The federal government has maintained a role in subsidizing the School Breakfast Program since 1966. We need to expand the program and modify it so that it reaches as many students as possible. Congress should work to provide funding for programs like the Maryland Meals for Achievement program which provides breakfast in the classroom to all students.
*Provide SAT/ACT test preparation materials and guidance on an equal basis. The path to college ends for too many who cannot afford expensive test preparation classes or tutors. A college education should not be reserved for those who have the time and money to prepare for college entrance exams. The federal government has a role in providing free test preparation materials to all students. Congress should authorize the Department of Education to offer quality free online test preparation materials and tutorials so that all students have a chance to achieve their best score.
*Ensure charter schools fit within the American public school system - Charter schools, like all public schools, should be fully funded so they can meet their mission of educating our students. Like all public schools, their teachers should be members of the teachers union, and be overseen by their local school boards. All public schools, regardless of whether or not they are operated under a charter, should work together and learn best practices from each other for the good of all students. In this way, all of our students will have the best opportunity of having their unique learning styles met. Congress can work to oversee charter schools at the national level by passing funding conditioned on these basic principles.
*Increase and equalize access to early education. Closing the achievement gap between affluent and low-income students requires equal access at the beginning of a child's education. Almost half of students from low-income families are not prepared for school by age 5.[6] The federal government must take the opportunity to give all citizens a fair chance to achieve the American dream by subsidizing or directly providing early education services to all.
*Support technology investments and training in public schools. The American workforce and economy would greatly benefit from a sustained combination of technology investment and technical education. We must prepare students for the 21st century economy. To that end, Congress must make real investments in providing technology to public schools. Tablets in the classroom is just a start. Coding and computer science should be mainstays of the curriculum. Starting students early is essential in setting them on the trajectory towards a career.
*Directly address the impending student loan crisis . The Class of 2015 has the most student loan debt of any class in U.S. history.[7] In many cases, students and parents were blindly pushed towards borrowing huge sums by counselors and colleges. In the coming years, the debt will weigh on the entire economy by preventing a whole generation from investing in home purchases and retirement savings. Congress must take action before it's too late. Existing student loans should be refinanced so that borrowers get the same interest rates on loans as banks. A combination of payment caps, forgiveness plans and debt restructuring options should all be on the table to reduce the cost of college.
*Push Congress to follow through on President Obama's free community college plan. In January 2015, President Obama boldly put forth the America's College Promise proposal. Among other things, the President's plan would make two years of community college free for a large portion of Americans. Congress needs to act to put the federal dollars behind the effort. By 2020, an estimated 35 percent of job openings will require at least a bachelor's degree and 30 percent will require some college or an associate's degree.[8] It is imperative that we restructure community colleges so that all Americans have the opportunity to succeed in the modern economy.
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