Foster's Daily Democrat - Shaheen Quizzed About her Ed Policies at Testing Firm

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Foster's Daily Democrat - Shaheen Quizzed About her Ed Policies at Testing Firm

By: Leslie Modica

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Jeanne Shaheen zeroed in on education Friday during a campaign stop at Measured Progress.

Shaheen's speech to a crowd of about 50 employees included a wide range of policy positions, but all of the questions directed to Shaheen, a former Dover High School teacher, were about her education policies.

Her speech emphasized a need to make higher education more financially accessible, promoting early childhood education, and examining current Adequate Yearly Progress standards and increasing federal funding for states to use to help meet those standards.

Shaheen also discussed the need to re-examine the federal No Child Left Behind Act, which sparked a question from one employee, who pointed out that a large portion of Measured Progress's work coincides with No Child Left Behind and asked what she would to do to maintain No Child Left Behind programs.

Shaheen said she could not immediately answer how she would maintain programs, but said the federal government needs to examine how the law is working in schools beyond tests.

Shaheen was also asked how she would ensure there were enough "highly qualified educators," to which she responded that high education "must get involved" to ensure teachers are receiving the right training to modern times and that teachers must be paid a sufficient wage to ensure retention in the public sector.

She also said she wants to expand the tax credit for child care and expand health care for child care providers.

The event was part of a "five-day barnstorm" in which Shaheen also stopped at the United Parcel Service facility on Industrial Park Drive to meet with workers during a shift change.

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